Jan 10, 2012

Ethanol Power Coming to Antarctica

Brazil News

| ANTARCTIC STATION COMANDANTE FERRAZ – Beginning tomorrow, a Brazilian made ethanol-powered electric generator will begin powering Brazil's research station in Antarctica. The installation is part of the celebration of the 30-year anniversary of the facility. The defense minister, Celso Amormim, will start operation of the machine during the event, reports Agencia Brazil.

Brazil's Antarctic Station Comandante Ferraz

Antarctic Station Comandante Ferraz (Photo: panoramio.com/jmcnunes)

The new system will provide all the necessary energy to supply the operations and programs at the scientific station. The equipment was designed and developed in Brazil to generate clean energy. According to the Ministry of Defense, Brazil is the first country in the world to use biofuel for energy production on the continent.

The equipment and biofuel were taken to Antarctica in October last year. A team of Brazilian engineers also went to the station to install and test the equipment. For the first year, the biofuel system will operate in tandem with the existing diesel engine generators.

According to the ministry, Petrobras will provide 350,000 liters (92,000 gal.) of ethanol, identical to that used by motor vehicles in Brazil, and will monitor the technology to evaluate and ensure that there are no problems using the fuel in the extreme weather conditions that exist at the station.

Besides Defense Minister Celso Amorim, the navy commander, Admiral of the Fleet Julio Soares de Neto Moura, and the Air Force commander, Lieutenant General Juniti Saito, will attend the event.

The Brazilian station was installed in Admiralty Bay, located on King George Island, in 1984. Since 1986, it has been occupied annually by Navy researchers from Brazil and it can accommodate up to 58 people. The station has laboratories for the sciences, atmospheric and chemical studies.

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Source(s) for this article: Agencia Brazil

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