On Ross Island in Antarctica, New Zealand’s Scott Base has operated with renewable energy for several years. Three Enercon E-33 wind turbines have been running for multiple seasons in the Antarctic environment. As part of the Scott Base redevelopment, the existing 300 kW turbines will be replaced with three EWT DW54X Extreme Cold Climate 1 MW wind turbines.
A team from Business in Wind travelled to Antarctica to prepare for the decommissioning of the current turbines and the installation of the new units. Detailed preparation is required to support operations at such a remote and difficult-to-access site, where equipment and materials must be carefully planned in advance.
The next phase of the project is scheduled to begin at the end of 2026. This stage will involve removing the three existing turbines and installing and commissioning the first of the new machines.
The foundation for the first new turbine has already been installed. As concrete cannot be poured at the site, prefabricated blocks are transported to Ross Island and placed in the ground, secured with a rock anchor system. A steel structure is then assembled on top to form the turbine foundation.
