New Zealand's southern-most wind farm is up and running with turbines on Antarctica.

(Transcript of a story shown on One News, Thursday December 17, 2009)

Source: tvnz.co.nz

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Three turbines have been built on the hill behind Scott Base to order to cut back on the amount of diesel used in the Antarctic. Everything has been specially designed for freezing cold temperatures and the project has taken several years, says Scott Bennett from Meridian Energy. "I've spent the last two and a half years on it so I've been extremely focused on it," he says.

The wind farm has required careful planning, with only one supply ship a year to bring everything needed to the area. "So, essentially if we had been a day late (with the project), we would be a year late," Bennett says.

It is a joint venture with the Americans, so while Antarctica's McMurdo Station will use most of the electricity, there will also be enough to completely power Scott Base.

The base has always relied on generators that require fossil fuels for power, but the wind farm will change that. They will still need back-up generators, but consumption of diesel will drop significantly.

"We're looking to save approximately 450,000 litres of diesel every year which equates to about 1,200 tonnes of co2 emissions between the two stations," says Iain Miller from Antarctic New Zealand.

The turbine is 40 metres high with blades 33 metres across and the installers needed a rare day without too much wind to be able to bolt the heavy blades on. After a successful initial trial, the wind farm will be fine-tuned and should be finished early 2010 with wind power replacing diesel by next winter.

Powercorp became involved with the project through Meridian Energy (NZ) who are working in alliance with Antarctica New Zealand and supported by the United States Antarctic

Powercorp was asked to help interconnect the two existing diesel stations that currently power the US and NZ bases and to integrate the wind farm by providing the necessary network stabilising technology. The two power systems operate at different frequencies 50Hz (NZ) and 60Hz (US) and had to be joined with a specially built 1500 kVA rated inverter system. 

The wind farm will provide the Ross Island System with up to 1000kW of clean renewable energy, enough to power all of the Scott Base and contribute to the McMurdo Base daily electrical demand.

Powercorp is proud to have been selected by Meridian Energy to be a crucial partner in the delivery of yet another world leading power system in the extreme and pristine environment of the Antarctic.