Antarctica Team Set to Deal US a Blow

Antarctica Team Set to Deal US a Blow; Plans to Swap Diesel for Wind Turbines at Base

Jun 07 - Sunday Star - Times; Wellington, New Zealand

ANTARCTICA NEW ZEALAND wants to build wind turbines at Scott Base to reduce its dependence on United States-supplied diesel fuel.

If wind and weather information is favourable, at least two 30m turbines will be bolted to rocks about 1km from the base.

More turbines would be built if a deal was struck to supply power to the Americans at McMurdo base 3km away.

The plan is a joint project between Meridian Energy, Antarctica New Zealand and the National Institute of Weather and Atmosphere (Niwa).

"We are working with Meridian doing some wind prospecting to see what sort of possibilities there are within a practical distance from Scott Base," said Peter Brookman, facilities engineer at Antarctica New Zealand.

Brookman said promising data had been gathered since a 20m pole was erected in March to measure wind speed and temperature, but at least six months' more data was needed.

"There's a problem in that you can design for high average wind speeds or low wind speeds but not both, which is what you have down there."

That meant diesel generators would always be needed, but Brookman hoped turbines would be able to generate much of the 210kw-an-hour used by Scott Base.

An oil tanker visits the American's McMurdo base once a year.

Brookman said a spill was always a concern, as was the threat of supply disruptions such as that caused by an enormous piece of ice sheet that recently broke off and initially looked like it might block sea access to the bases.

Dr Alan Hemming, senior adviser to the Antarctica and Southern Ocean Coalition, said not enough investigation had been done into renewable energy in Antarctica, and the move was overdue.

"I think it would be good if there was greater self-reliance. Scott Base and Antarctica are places where there is sufficient wind and the only real negative issue is birdstrike."

The only birds likely to fly into a turbine were skua, a fierce relative of the seagull that ate penguins. But Hemming said the birds got used to new structures quickly.

"The visual disturbance would not be great as it is a fairly ugly place and looks like a mining town. Hopefully it will reduce annual fuel usage and not just be a way to use more energy."

World Conservation Union Antarctic advisory committee head Dr Maj De Poorter said the negatives of any visual effect on the environment would be outweighed by the benefits.

"Anything you can do to reduce the use of fossil fuels is good, but you need to look at it carefully and apply the United Nations environmental impact report, and this will be done."

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