Wind Farm Upgrade

Three 330Kw wind turbines currently supply renewable energy to power Scott Base and the neighbouring American base at McMurdo Station. The Ross Island Wind Energy project links the electrical grids of both bases and reduces the carbon footprint of the Antarctic operations, as well as the environmental risks associated with transporting diesel fuel to Antarctica.

The current wind turbines will come to the end of their design life in 2030 and will need to be replaced.

The new base will be larger than the existing one and has a higher renewable energy goal. The existing wind farm will not meet the energy requirements of the new base due to the transition to non-fossil fuel heating systems (electric boilers).

Antarctica New Zealand will replace the three existing turbines with three larger and more powerful ones. One of the new turbines generates almost as much energy as the three current ones combined and, combined with battery storage systems, will provide more than 90% of the new Scott Base electrical demand per annum.

The new renewable energy solution will, at a minimum, maintain existing renewable energy agreements with the United States Antarctic Program for McMurdo Station.