Science
Artificial Snow May Buy Time for Ski Resorts but Cannot Outrun Climate Change
As the 2026 Milan Olympics lean on snow machines, researchers warn that snowmaking locks resorts into a costly path with an expiration date.
Key Takeaways
- Alpine snowmaking consumes 2,100 GWh of electricity per season, equivalent to Milan's entire annual residential power use
- Italian ski resorts use 100-150 million cubic meters of water annually for snow production at escalating energy costs
- Researchers warn of a dangerous lock-in effect where massive snowmaking investments become stranded as temperatures rise
DE
DT Editorial AI··via phys.org