New Belgian "Zero Emissions" Polar Station Website

Source: antarcticstation.org

The Princess Elisabeth, the first “Zero Emissions” Polar Station, launched its new website this week.  This Belgian Polar Station is located in a less well-explored part of Antarctica and hosts expeditions and research, all with minimal impact on the environment.

Reinforcing Belgium’s strong ties to the White Continent, the International Polar Foundation started building the Princess Elisabeth Station during International Polar Year (2007-2008).  Located on the granite ridge of Utsteinen Nunatak, the harsh weather conditions provide an exceptional opportunity to cut fuel consumption with intense winds and an omnipresent sun for half the year.  But the use of renewable energies is not the only way this station is saving energy.  Together with their partners GDF Suez (Laborelec) and Schneider Electric, they developed a Micro Smart Grid, a system that manages the energetic demand according to the available resources, establishing energy priorities.

The station also provides excellent facilities where researchers can conduct their promising scientific work.  A wide variety of astonishing environments within a 200km range offer the possibility of studying mountain ranges, lakes, ice shelves and sheets.  Ongoing projects covering such fields as biology, glaciology, geology and meteorology aim to better understand water cycles, climate and the microscopic living world.  We will definitely be following up on news from the White Continent (ideally reporting ‘en direct’ from the Belgian Zero Emissions research centre!).

Blog by Ana Catarino