Bridging Peaks and People: Lessons from Aspen and Queenstown on Energy, Transport, and Community Resilience
Sister Cities Challenges Series
The Infrastructure Dilemma - Energy & Transport
Across the world’s alpine regions, beauty draws people in - but growth can strain the very systems that make these places liveable. In the third installment of the Sister City Challenges series, leaders from Aspen and Queenstown came together to tackle two of the toughest infrastructure issues facing these mountain resort towns: energy and transport.
The forum was opened by Sharon Fifield, CEO of the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, who reflected on the shared pressures faced by resort towns like Aspen and Queenstown - where infrastructure must serve not only residents, but also large seasonal visitor populations. She noted that these challenges create fertile ground for innovation, and welcomed the forum as a valuable opportunity to exchange practical ideas between globally connected but locally grounded communities.
Moderated by Aspen Institute NZ CEO, Christine Maiden Sharp, the conversation revealed just how tightly energy and transport systems are now linked - and how innovative thinking, community engagement, and international knowledge exchange can deliver resilient, affordable solutions. While local in detail, the lessons shared apply to any community navigating growth, climate pressure, and the need to build with people at the centre. Here are the 5 biggest takeaways:
Resilience Requires Innovative Solutions
Both Queenstown and Aspen are grappling with “one road in, one road out” - and in Queenstown’s case, one ageing power line that’s nearly at capacity. For small towns without the resources and cost advantages of larger cities, fragility is a real threat. Aspen’s near-total blackout during the 2018 Lake Christine Fire was a sobering wake-up call.
In response, Aspen's Pitkin County is investigating the development of microgrids to connect to key infrastructure like the airport, transport depots, and public works. Queenstown is exploring localised solar energy generation and pushing for a second transmission line.
“We’re walking the line between doing the right thing for affordability and resilience
- without triggering infrastructure costs that communities can’t carry.”
2. Tourism Adds Pressure, Demands Innovation
Both towns experience dramatic visitor peaks in summer and winter, placing immense strain on infrastructure originally designed for permanent residents. However, mass tourism doesn’t have to mean gridlock.
Aspen’s high-frequency bus network moves people efficiently throughout the Valley, including 300,000 visitors each season to the popular Maroon Bells. RAFTA COO, David Pesnichak, noted the critical importance of ‘last mile’ options and trail networks that make transit accessible: "We’re a full transportation authority, not just buses. Trails and micro-mobility are essential to the system."
In Queenstown, the airport is investing in digital efficiency and slot control to reduce peak congestion without overbuilding. CEO Glen Sowry pointed out that congestion isn’t always caused by tourism: "During lockdown, with no flights at all, we still had traffic jams”, suggesting the issue relates to regional infrastructure, rather than visitor numbers.
“When you get transport working, big cities become liveable.
That’s what we want for our mountain towns.”
3. Affordability and Equity Must Stay Front and Centre
Electrification and decarbonisation may be essential to achieve climate goals, but if they’re only accessible to the highest-income earners, they risk deepening existing inequities.
One way Aspen is addressing this, is by regulating energy-intensive luxury homes and reinvesting mitigation fees into upgrades for low-income households. "Some high-end houses here draw as much energy as a commercial building," said Kara Silbernagel, Deputy County Manager of Pitkin County, "We need a system that works for everyone, not just those with money and solar."
In Queenstown, finance is the missing piece. With many residents renting or maxed out on mortgages, equitable energy access demands new financing models, according to Stephen Batstone. He also highlighted the importance of landlord partnerships, smarter pricing, and community finance: "We need solar and batteries to be an option for renters, not just homeowners."
4. Smarter Transport Solutions Needs Broader Thinking
From electric buses to last-mile bike shares and autonomous vehicles, new transport options are emerging. But without community buy-in and system-wide thinking, technology alone won’t solve congestion. Aspen is expanding its bus rapid-transit-lanes and considering autonomous shuttles to lower costs and reduce emissions. Meanwhile, Queenstown is investigating gondolas as a genuine mass transport option that suits the alpine terrain and enhances visitor experience.
"If you electrify transport without thinking about when and how vehicles are charged, you risk overwhelming the grid," said Batstone. He and Pesnichak both emphasised the need to coordinate infrastructure planning across transport and energy.
“You can’t run an electrified bus system without becoming a de facto energy manager
- these systems are now inseparable.”
5. Community-First Approach
Perhaps the strongest message came at the end: don’t design from the top down. Solutions that endure are those developed not just for, but with communities.
Glen Sowry spoke candidly about Queenstown Airport’s past missteps, when infrastructure planning got ahead of public consultation and support. Aspen's community-led visioning processes have surfaced fresh ideas, like decentralised solar hubs that provide resilience without major grid upgrades - concepts that consultants would have been unlikely to offer.
“Some of the best ideas have come directly from the community.
If residents can’t afford to get to work, we’ve failed. If we don’t ask them what they need, we’ll keep failing.”
Final Word: Small Places, Global Leaders
Energy and transport challenges are not unique to mountain resort towns. However, the intensity of pressure, challenging terrain, and seasonal climate extremes often make them early warning systems for the rest of the world. What Aspen and Queenstown show is that small towns can be global leaders. By planning boldly, listening carefully, and learning across borders, they’re offering a roadmap for other growing communities everywhere.
“We could build the 2040 energy system - but do it by 2030.
And maybe mountain towns like ours are exactly the place to prove it.”
That roadmap isn’t always smooth. More electric vehicles, for example, mean higher demand on the grid - which may require expensive upgrades. And in places like Queenstown, where energy infrastructure is privately owned and must be commercially viable, those costs will ultimately fall on the consumer. In Aspen, public ownership enables more integrated long-term planning.
The forum didn’t shy away from these hard truths. But it also offered fresh thinking and practical, real-world strategies. Watch the full replay below for deeper insights into what’s working - and what’s still being worked out - as these two alpine towns reimagine the future of energy and transport.
The Sister Cities Challenges Series is bought to you in partnership with Aspen Resort Chamber Association, City of Aspen, Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, Destination Queenstown and Queenstown Lakes District Council. If you’d like to be kept informed of upcoming forums, please join our mailing list here.
Panellists:
Glen Sowry joined the QAC team as Chief Executive Officer in September 2021. Since joining QAC, Glen has been instrumental in leading the development of a new 10-year Strategic Plan for the airport and is now leading the development of a new Master Plan to shape the airport for the coming decades. He has also been instrumental in building strong alignment with local communities and Regional Tourism Organisations to ensure Queenstown Airport enables appropriate levels of growth into the future. Glen has extensive leadership and aviation experience having spent over a decade in a range of senior executive roles at Air New Zealand as well as being former Chair of the Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand (BARNZ). Prior to joining QAC, Glen held CEO roles at Metlifecare and Housing New Zealand (now Kainga Ora). Earlier in his career he was a professional yachtsman, competing for New Zealand in the America's Cup, the Whitbread Race and the Olympics. Continuing this involvement, Glen is now a Board member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Stephen Batstone, founding director of Whiteboard Energy, completed a PhD in Operations Research at Canterbury University. He was part of the Energy Modelling Research Group (EMRG) as they advised CORE, ECNZ and the Wholesale Electricity Markets Development Group (WEMDG) through the evolution of the wholesale market in New Zealand. During his tenure at Canterbury, Stephen did extensive tutoring, lecturing and some consulting. He continued lecturing at Honours’ level until 2010. After moving to the commercial sector with Mighty River Power in 2002 he has been intimately involved with the market and investment. He has held a variety of senior roles across regulatory, transmission, risk, investment and commercial groups. In his time at Mighty River Power he led numerous small-group training workshops at a range of management levels across retail, metering, development, operations and trading groups. Stephen also led the National Energy Research Institute (NERI) over its first two years where he forged better relationships between industry and academia. As well as being a founding director of Whiteboard he also consults to the industry.
Kara Silbernagel is the Deputy County Manager at Pitkin County, overseeing Community Development, Housing, and Resiliency initiatives, including the County’s climate programs. With over a decade of experience in public administration and community planning, Kara has played an integral role leading and facilitating major community engagement processes that have helped guide county policy based on climate and community values, including visioning for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport and the county-wide comprehensive plan for guiding future policy decisions across transportation, the built environment, and public infrastructure.
David Pesnichak is an AICP-certified professional with over 20 years of experience in government and a strong background in transportation and planning. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), which is the largest rural transit authority in the United States. Previously, he was the Mobility Coordinator for RFTA, focusing on First and Last Mile Mobility programs. His experience also includes working as the Community/Transportation Planner for the U.S. National Park Service at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and as Regional Transportation Director for Pitkin County in Colorado.
Moderator:
Christine Maiden Sharp, founder and Chief Executive of the Aspen Institute in New Zealand, brings a wealth of global experience to her leadership. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and was a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Having lived and worked across Asia, Australia, and the USA, Christine returned to Queenstown, New Zealand, where she was inspired to launch the initiative. She holds a Master of Commerce with First Class Honours from the University of Auckland. Following her tenure at McKinsey & Company, Christine played a key role in shaping forward-thinking corporate strategies in Australia as an independent consultant. Today, she remains dedicated to driving meaningful change in organisations and society, aligning with the Institute’s mission to foster a more just, free, and equitable world.