China's Qinling Antarctica station powered by clean energy

BEIJING -- The hybrid power supply system of China's Qinling Station in Antarctica, integrating wind, solar, hydrogen and diesel power, has kicked off its operation, marking the debut of such a system on the frigid, harsh continent.

According to China's 41st Antarctic expedition team, the outdoor 100 kW wind power generation system, 130 kW solar power generation system, 30 kW hydrogen energy system, 300 kWh low-temperature energy storage battery system, part of the diesel power generation system, and the indoor electric control system at the station have been installed.

Also, the hybrid system's grid connection and continuous power generation have been realized, enabling the power supply system centering on clean energy.

The system is the largest-scale new energy power generation system currently installed in China's Antarctic research stations. The proportion of solar and wind energy reaches over 60 percent, saving more than one hundred tonnes of fossil fuels annually.

Without wind and sunlight, the system can provide the station with a power supply for about 2.5 hours, with a maximum load of 150 kW. Also, its fully installed hydrogen energy setup can provide 30 kW of uninterrupted power for 14 days during polar nights.

Qinling Station, the country's fifth research station in the continent, started operation in February last year.

Before the Qinling Station, China established four research bases in Antarctica over the past nearly 40 years -- the Great Wall Station, the Zhongshan Station, the Kunlun Station and the Taishan Station.