Input Economic Results 

Type of 

turbine 

Turbine 

# 

Engine 

Size (kW) 

COE 

$/kWh 

Difference 

$/kWh prod 

20-Year NPC 

$ 

Capital 

Cost, $ 

All diesel system $ 0.1589 $ ­ $ 30,809,210 $ ­

NW 100 7 6x1135 kW $ 0.1542 $ 0.0047 $ 29,889,266 $2,302,886 

FL 250 4 6x1135 kW $ 0.1423 $ 0.0166 $ 27,589,012 $2,140,400 

FL 250 4 Small Dsl $ 0.1377 $ 0.0212 $ 26,693,168 $2,140,400 

FL 250 5 6x1135 kW $ 0.1383 $ 0.0206 $ 26,824,676 $2,675,500 

Analysis of the Use of Wind Energy to Supplement Power Needs at Analysis of the Use of Wind Energy to Supplement Power Needs at

McMurdo Station and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica McMurdo Station and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica

E.I. Baring-Gould, E.I. Baring-Gould, NREL/NWTC NREL/NWTC R. Robichaud, R. Robichaud, NREL/FEMP

NREL/FEMP K. McLain, K. McLain, Accurate EngineeringAccurate Engineering

McMurdo Station Amundsen-Scott 

McMurdo is located on a volcanic island about 20 South Pole Station miles from the mainland of Antarctica and 2400 miles 

south of New Zealand. The town site, with a At a 9,400-ft elevation and with temperatures ranging 

population over 1000, is located on a southwest- from -115°F to +6°F (-82°C to -14°C), South Pole 

facing beach at the foot of several large hills, Station sits on a slowly moving Polar Plateau ice field 

Presented at including Arrival Heights/Twin Craters and Crater Hill. at the earth’s geophysical south pole. The station 

The station consists of many buildings and provides supports year-round scientific activity, hosting a 

the primary hub of research facilities, housing, and summer scientific staff of more than 150 while fewer 

services to all U.S. activities in Antarctica. The site than 100 spend the long, cold winter. The original 

has a seasonal harbor where supply and fuel vessels dome facility (left) is currently being replaced by a new 

above-snow Photo credit: Forest Banks – National Science Foundation facility (right) that will greatly expand the Photo credit: Josh Landia – National Science Foundation can dock and unload cargo after an icebreaker services and living conditions at the Pole. The station staffing is expected to increase with the completion of the new creates a channel. Power requirements for the town site’s infrastructure, laboratories, and science experiments are quite facility. One limiting factor at the South Pole is that all supplies, equipment, and personnel must be flown into the site large and reliable, high-quality power is essential. during a short, 4-month summer season. The station is 840 miles (1350 km) from McMurdo Station. 

The Problem 

Diesel power plants at each station supply power and heat and melt 

or desalinate water. Potential fuel supply disruptions and 

increasing storage demands are a major logistical issue.

Photo credit: Emily Stone– National Science Foundation 

Limited number of ski-mounted C-130 

Fuel for power and heat is cargo planes are currently the only way 

transported to remote site in 55G to transport supplies to the Pole, 

barrels creating a huge supply bottleneck 

Photo credit: Josh Landia – National Science Foundation 

Die

s

el P

o

w

er 

P

roduction (

kW)

2500 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 

• Reliable energy is truly a life-and-death issue at the Pole 2000 

• Power requirements at new facility are estimated to be 

1500 between 467 kW and 510 kW for the summer and winter, 

1000

respectively

• Yearly fuel usage for power generation at the new facility 

is projected to be 341,000 gallons (1,290,821 liters) 500 

• 1,160 short tons (1,052 metric tons) of fuel must be

transported to the station each summer 0 31-

D

e

c

31-

J

a

n

28-

F

e

b

31-

M

ar

30-

A

pr

31-M

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y

30-

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u

n

31-

J

ul

31-

A

u

g

30-

S

e

p

31-O

ct

30-Nov

31-

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e

c

• The delivered cost of fuel is approaching $15/gallon.

The large amount of diesel fuel needed to power and heat 

Photo credit: Brian Barnett – National Science Foundation 

Fuel is delivered once a year by ship – if Photo credit: Brian Barnett – National Science Foundation 

Diesel power station at the icebreaker can get through McMurdo

McMurdo Station

• Diesel plant production is consistent at just below 2.0 MW (see figure)

• Electrical consumption for 2002 was 15,823 MWh

• The soon-to-be-renovated power plant consumes approximately 1,300,000 gallons/year (4,921,000

Month of year the station continues to constrain the cargo capacity and liters/year) for power, heat, and water desalination

• The 2002 cost of delivered fuel was $1.71/gallon ($0.451/liter). places extreme logistics and performance pressure on

2001 power plant production from the diesel support personnel, scientific research, and station services. 

As the electrical needs at the site grow, this problem 

station at McMurdo continues to worsen. 

An Approach Staff at the U.S. Department of Energy’s

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with 

the help of Raytheon Polar Services, 

conducted the analysis to assess the use of 

wind energy to lower costs and reduce the 

need for diesel fuel. 

12 

10 

Conclusions Analysis using NREL’s Hybrid2 software

indicates clear potential to use wind

energy to reduce the power generation costs, fuel consumption, harmful 

air emissions, and fuel needs at both stations. 

McMurdo Station 

After examining several different system options, there is the potential to: 

• Result in a medium-penetration power system, similar to others installed around the world 

• Reduce the total cost of generating power by between 0.5 and 2 cents per kWh produced 

• Save between $1 million and $4 million over 20 years 

• Reduce fuel consumption between 158,000 and 317,000 gallons (600,000 to 1,200,000 liters) per year

Win

d S

p

e

e

d (m/s) 

8

6

4

2

0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 

Arrival ht 03 Historical Gap filled data MontAh onalf yyseisa wr ind speed 

Wind speed data collected at 

• Cost between $2 million and $3 million. 

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 

The installation of nine 100-kW wind turbines 

would result in: 

• Net savings of almost $18 million over 20 years 

• Reduced annual fuel consumption by ~23%, or 

116,500 gallons (440,783 liters) per year 

• Cost approximately $4.3 million. 

An increased use of wind power could be Photo credit: Kotzebue Electric Association Economic impact of the installation of locations around McMurdo Station, considered in further analysis. 100- and 250-kW wind turbines at NW 100/19 installed in Kotzebue Antarctica McMurdo Station Alaska: Arctic design with a 

temperature rating of -50C

Amundsen-Scott South 

• No utility wind turbines 

Pole Sta

can currentl

tion 

y operate in the extreme Next Steps

temperatures at the South Pole, so modifications to an existing 

McMurdo Station type would have to be undertaken To improve this analysis, several actions should be taken: • Due to land availability constraints and current • The North Wind 100/19 was designed for the arctic and fits all of • Obtain up-to-date and more detailed load and power system data from each of the sites, including the

lift capabilities, installations of 100-kW and 250- the design requirements for shipment to the South Pole; only cold undertaking of a detailed energy audit for all facilities

kW wind turbines were considered hardening should be required • Conduct more advanced wind measurement at McMurdo, including hub-height wind assessment

• Installed capacity up to 1250 kW were analyzed • The number of wind turbines considered was limited due to the • Initiate a site-specific wind measurement program at South Pole

• Analysis using a small peaking diesel was also current inexperience of operating turbines in these conditions • Quantify the impact of reducing the available heat from the generators for space heating

considered. • Further analysis could be conducted to assess using wind energy • Identify appropriate hardware for the South Pole, including floating-ice wind turbine foundations

to further reduce the need for diesel-based power generation. • Assess wind turbine impact on existing or planned scientific work, including meetings with senior science staff.

The information contained in this poster is subject to a government license. 

Prepared for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WindPower 2005 Conference, 15-18 May 2005, Denver, Colorado Full report available at www.nrel.gov/publications: NREL/TP-500-37504 

NREL/PO-500-38124