Company plans to power resorts with wind
KIM NGUYEN Associated Press writer | Posted: Wednesday, August 2, 2006 12:00 am
DENVER - The company that owns Wyoming's Grand Teton Lodge said Tuesday it will buy enough wind-generated electricity to replace all the power used by its five ski areas and other businesses, the third such switch this year by a high-profile company catering to environmentally conscious customers.
Vail Resorts said it would purchase nearly 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind-generated electricity, enough for its dozen lodges, 125 retail stores and its headquarters in addition to its ski areas.
Austin, Texas-based natural food grocer Whole Foods Market Inc. said in January it would buy enough wind-generated electricity to replace all its power consumption. Aspen Skiing Co. said in March it would do the same.
Whole foods is buying 458,000 megawatt-hours a year; Aspen, 21,000 megawatt-hours annually.
"(Wind) works from a business point of view, an economic point of view, and an environmental view point - it's free source of energy," said Christine Real de Azua of the American Wind Energy Association. "There are zero emissions and it does not add to global warming or pollution."
Buying renewable energy also helps a company's image, said Matt Clouse, program director of the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership.
"Corporate America sees renewable energy as an opportunity to be responsible to the environment and help develop domestic resources and improve their public image," he said.
"And in some cases, renewable energy can offer financial benefits by offering a fixed price for electricity," he said.
Vail becomes the second-largest corporate purchaser of wind power in the country, the EPA said. Whole Foods is the largest.
Rob Katz, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts, said the company is switching to wind power because it wants to reinforce its commitment to the environment and take a leadership role on energy use in the travel industry.
"We just feel like it's the right thing to do," he said.
Vail did not disclose the cost of the switch. Spokeswoman Kelly Ladyga said the company's overall utility costs will rise, but prices for wind energy are comparable to that of fossil fuels.
Vail, which just moved its headquarters from the Vail Valley to the northwest Denver suburb of Broomfield, will buy wind power from Renewable Choice Energy of Boulder, the company arranging wind power for Whole Foods.
Quayle Hodek, founder and chief executive of privately held Renewable Choice, said Vail's purchase will remove 211 million pounds of carbon dioxide pollution annually, the equivalent to removing 18,000 vehicles from roadways or planting 27,000 acres of trees.
Vail is the second-largest ski operator in North America, after Intrawest Corp., based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Vail Resorts owns and operates Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone and Breckenridge ski areas in Colorado, Heavenly in Nevada and California, and Grand Teton Lodge Co. near Jackson, Wyo.
Vail shares were down 16 cents at $34.41 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.