The Belgians have done it again!
the Princess Elisabeth Station
McMurdo Station is ringed with fuel containers. Fuel for heat, for light, for warm water, for airplanes, for vehicles. Everything at McMurdo runs on petroleum products. We are dependent upon a ship that brings ten million gallons of fuel to the station annually, once the sea ice breaks up.
Just as I have been bemoaning the fact that McMurdo Station is oil-dependant and therefore completely unsustainable, I happen upon the Princess Elisabeth Station: the first polar research station to run completely on renewable energy.
this ridge-top location is going to be rather windy!
The Princess Elisabeth Station will be powered with 380 square meeters of solar panels and eight wind turbines, and consume only 20% of the energy needed by other stations. Also, it was built with eco-friendly materials! The design was highly influenced by studies in aerodynamics and energy efficiency. Its modular construction allows for rapid assembly once on site- good thinking, cuz its cold down here! Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out who the architects are! As far as I can tell, it has been designed by the International Polar Foundation- an international non-profit based in Belgium with ties to France, Switzerland, and the UK.
the modules are stainless steel skinned wood
the core of each module is filled with foam insulation
The station has already been built and assembled once in Belgium. It is currently being shipped to Antarctica.
This station will house 20 people, a very different scale than McMurdo, but it is a start!! Perhaps we can learn from this project. Perhaps some day the American research stations- McMurdo, Palmer, and South Pole- will harvest their energy from the harsh continent on which they stand.
ps- thanks to Inhabitat for posting this one!
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