TAIYUAN - China's Qinling Station in Antarctica launched a pioneering hybrid power system in March, integrating wind, solar, hydrogen and diesel, marking the completion of the first large-scale clean energy project in Antarctica.
The system is designed to use renewable energy to power 60 percent of the station, and is expected to cut annual fossil fuel use by more than 100 tons. It underscores China's commitment to greener polar research.
The Qinling station has installed a 100-kilowatt wind turbine, 130-kilowatt solar panels, a 30-kilowatt hydrogen generator and a 300-kilowatt-hour low-temperature battery, according to a member of the 41st Chinese Antarctic Expedition team.
"This system marks a shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy in Antarctic exploration," said Sun Hongbin, a leading polar energy scientist and president of Taiyuan University of Technology in northern China's Shanxi Province.
This project, which was developed through laboratory simulations, real-world trials, and on-site trials, was developed at the polar environment clean energy laboratory at Taiyuan University of Technology.
Inside the lab, researchers mimic the brutal conditions of Antarctica, with temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius and winds of 60 meters per second. A simulated research cabin mimics living quarters at Qinling Station, and outdoor chambers blow artificial snowstorms.
"Extreme cold temperatures and strong winds are the biggest obstacles. Laboratory simulations improve the reliability and safety of equipment," said Dou Yinke, dean of the faculty of electrical and electronic engineering at Taiyuan University of Technology.