Greenstyle is the Weisse Arena Group's response to global challenges such as climate change. The electrification of mobility plays a major role here.
The Alpine destination of Flims-Laax in the Swiss canton of Graubünden is one of the largest ski areas in Switzerland with 224 kilometers of slopes, four snow parks and five snow-covered valley runs. The diverse region offers a unique range of winter holidays - for young and old, beginners, professionals and families. But the mountain region attracts numerous visitors not only in winter, the mountains also attract visitors in summer with the Tschingelhörner of the UNESCO World Heritage Sardona, the Rhine Gorge - also known as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland - lakes and a 330 km long network of bike trails.
To ensure that this region and all its natural splendor are preserved, the Laax region has developed a plan: "Greenstyle is our answer to global challenges and how we deal with climate change and biodiversity. That's why we have developed a seven-point plan to become the world's first energy-self-sufficient mountain region," says Reto Fry, environmental officer for the Weisse Arena Group and responsible for the Greenstyle environmental and energy concept. The plan includes: electrification of mobility with expansion of the charging infrastructure, energy storage, decarbonization of the building stock, maximization of energy efficiency, installation of solar panels on roofs and facades, expansion of electricity production through renewable energies and a destination-wide intelligent power grid. "We really appreciate it when our guests arrive with electric cars and therefore want to ensure that there are always enough charging options available," continues Reto Fry. And the holiday region relies on the solutions of Juice Technology AG.
There were already charging stations in the underground car parks in the Laax region, but electric car drivers had to bring their own charging cable. "I was astonished that it had to be handled like this. The numerous RFID cards that electric car drivers always had to carry with them also made me frown. It was clear to me that when expanding the charging infrastructure, we had to at least offer our visitors the option of paying for their charging with a credit card. There should also be a flexible cable - just like at a conventional gas station," says Fry when asked about the special features that he believes make up a perfect charging infrastructure.
And so, as part of his research and through recommendations, he ended up with Juice Technology AG, whose charging solutions were the only ones that could fully meet all requirements. Implementation began in 2018, and the charging stations were put into operation in 2019. Reto Fry assumes that by 2025 around 25 percent of guests will arrive in electric cars. That is why the holiday destination is very keen to work with the local network operator Flims Electric AG to continuously expand the region's charging infrastructure. "Juice has always been and continues to be a good and solution-oriented business partner. If a few adjustments are needed here and there, the Juice team is always there for us and extremely committed. That's why I'm not worried that our next goal, discounted payment via our own app, can be successfully implemented."
