ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → News

Life at Antarctica’s first zero-emissions research station

The Princess Elisabeth is the only base there with no emissions

Fermin KoopbyFermin Koop
November 13, 2019
in Climate, Environment, News, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Remote and inhospitable, Antarctica is home to scientists from different parts of the world, who travel especially there to do research on different areas. Being climate-friendly there might be tricky — but there’s already a scientific station that managed to be zero-emissions, with impressive standards.

Credit Wikipedia Commons

The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station, a Belgian research station, is the only base in Antarctica that doesn’t generate any net emissions. Located in the East Antarctic, it has scientists and researchers living there from October to March working on different projects.

The base was first idealized by Belgian explorer Alain Hubert during his Transantarctic crossing of the continent in 1998 by the kite ski. It was then built by the International Polar Foundation and its partners, welcoming visitors since the 2008-2009 research season.

It has very different features from most scientific stations, being fully based on renewable energy. It is covered with solar panels on the roof, the walls and on the side of sleeping containers. The panels are set up particularly high so to capture the sunlight from the long days of the austral summer. Yes, you read that right — solar panels are being used even in the frigid Antarctic.

The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station also has nine wind turbines, set up into the granite ridge beneath the snow and ice. The blades are looked after with polar lubricants. This ensures clean electricity on the base, instead of having to use fossil fuels like other stations.

Heating is a key issue for living in Antarctica but in Princess Elisabeth base, there’s no need for conventional heating, as it has nine layers of insulation. All the electrical equipment runs on renewable energy and there are strict rules on how and when to use them.

The use of electricity is prioritized for fire alarms, smoke detectors, surgeries, the base commander’s office and satellite connections that alert if outside help is needed. Then, food and water follow in the ranking, while working facilities such as computers and lights are in the last position.

RelatedPosts

Earthquakes could tell how fast the ocean is warming
This New Catalyst Can Produce Ammonia from Air and Water at Room Temperature
Oil & gas lobby shouldn’t have a full seat at the climate table
Heartland Institute facing uncertain future in the aftermath of criminal ads

Showering and doing the laundry is far from being a priority so as to take care of the energy resources. Visitors and researchers shower only once or twice a week, using systems that limit the amount of water is used. There’s wide respect for these rules, according to Kate Winter, who recently visited the base.

Why are scientists looking after Antarctica?

Researchers specifically travel to Antarctica to carry out studies on climate change, trying to predict changes the world will experience because of global warming.

The area has specifically been affected because of climate change, being considered as one of the most rapidly warming parts of the planet – with consequences that can be observed on land and on water.

For example, penguin colonies have changed location due to alterations in the sea ice, while plants have expanded in new areas due to the melting of snow and ice cover. Krill, a vital food source for many animals, is also declining.

An intensified global warming would be bad news for Antarctica. A study this year showed a temperature increase of more than 2ºC would mean a widespread melting and rise in the sea levels, as seen in Earth during Pliocene geological epoch.

Tags: antarticaclimate changeenvironment

ShareTweetShare
Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop is a reporter from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He holds an MSc from Reading University (UK) on Environment and Development and is specialized in environment and climate change news.

Related Posts

Climate

Scientists Create “Bait” to Lure Baby Corals Back to Dying Reefs

byMihai Andrei
1 week ago
Environment

9 Environmental Stories That Don’t Get as Much Coverage as They Should

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Science

This Tree Survives Lightning Strikes—and Uses Them to Kill Its Rivals

byTudor Tarita
1 month ago
Environment

Trump-Appointed EPA Plans to Let Most Polluters Stop Reporting CO2 Emissions

byTibi Puiu
1 month ago

Recent news

This Startup Is Using Ancient DNA to Recreate Perfumes from Extinct Flowers

May 21, 2025

Jupiter Was Twice Its Size and Had a Magnetic Field 50 Times Stronger After the Solar System Formed

May 21, 2025

How One Man and a Legendary Canoe Rescued the Dying Art of Polynesian Navigation

May 21, 2025 - Updated on May 22, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.