EcoSki: Securing the snow economies of Scotland and beyond within a carbon-neutral future, via efficient sustainable artificial snow production.

英国冬季运动产业以苏格兰山区为中心，每年价值3000-1亿英镑，对这些农村社区至关重要。然而，近年来，由于全球变暖对山区的影响不成比例，该行业已经变得压倒性地依赖人造雪生产(80%-90%的雪道)无条件地保持至少40-50厘米的深度，以避免积雪故障并保持运营。人造雪生产是高度能源和水密集型的，占度假村运营成本的50%，每公里人造雪生产产生的二氧化碳当量为3500公斤二氧化碳当量。大多数拥有发达冬季运动产业的欧洲国家--尤其是阿尔卑斯山地区--都面临着这一挑战。例如，在奥地利，该行业创造了全国GDP的7%，人造雪生产占总能源消耗和相应的温室气体排放的1.44%，以及水消耗的5%。因此，准确的需求评估和规划对于降低成本和过度生产的环境影响至关重要，由于最坏的情况规划，过度生产目前达到40%的浪费。然而，现有的用于积雪测量、建模和预测的工具或方法没有所需的：*测量分辨率和信噪比(准确性)*空间范围(覆盖范围)*速度/定时(目前为天/周)作为响应，SkiBro正在开发世界上第一个超精确的三维雪地拓扑图和生产计划系统，该系统基于卫星和众包地形海拔数据，用于即时、及时的运营决策：EcoSki。在这个项目中，SkiBro将在他们成熟的原型基础上开发出并在真实条件下验证他们的系统。除了休闲产业更广泛的环境表现，EcoSki在促进英国农村山区全年在家旅游和减少海外度假胜地旅行方面解决了升级议程(对平等和包容性的影响)。

The UK Wintersports industry, which is centred on Scotland's mountains, is worth between £30-100million/year and is vital to these rural communities. However, in recent years the industry has become overwhelmingly dependent on artificial snow production (80-90% of pistes) to unconditionally maintain a minimum 40-50cm depth to avoid snowpack failure and remain operational, as global warming disproportionately impacts mountain regions.Artificial snow production is highly energy and water-intensive, accounting for up to 50% of resort operating costs and generating 3,500kgCO2-equivalent emissions per km of piste secured by artificial snow production.Most European countries with developed Wintersport industries -- in particular the Alpine regions -- share this challenge. For example, in Austria where this industry generates 7% of national GDP, artificial snow production accounts for 1.44% of total energy consumption and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, as well as 5% of water consumption.Accurate requirement assessment and planning is therefore critical to reduce costs and environmental impact of over-production, which currently reaches 40% wastage due to worst-case scenario planning.However, no existing tool or approach for snowpack measurement, modelling and forecasting has the required:* Measurement resolution and signal-to-noise (accuracy)* Spatial range (coverage)* Speed/timing (currently days/weeks)In response, SkiBro are developing the world's first hyper-accurate, 3-dimensional snow topology mapping and production-planning system, based on satellite and crowd-sourced terrain altitude data for instantaneous, just-in-time operational decision-making: EcoSki.In this project, SkiBro will build on their proven prototype to develop out and validate their system under real conditions.As well as the wider environmental performance of the leisure industry, EcoSki addresses the levelling-up agenda (with impacts on equality and inclusivity) in terms of boosting UK year-round stay-at-home tourism in marginalised rural mountain communities and reducing travel to overseas resorts.