Maintenance Work & Solar Panels
Some of the vehicles in use at Princess Elisabeth are getting on years - and this means more maintenance work. Also, as Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is a living, working prototype for intelligence energy use, companies asks test equipment under extreme conditions. This year, for instance, we installed experimental photovoltaic solar panels.
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View of our vehicles and containers from the west platform of the station
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Overall we had really great weather this season. When the sun is shining and the sky is clear, you can see very far in Antarctica, which changes your notion of distance.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Some companies ask us to test their equipment in Antarctica. This was the case this year with solar panels.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Illir installing solar panels above the fuel platform.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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If the test is a success, we may install more next season.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Here is a wider view of these newly installed solar panels. Boosting our energy production!
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Olivier and Illir are building a mobile frame so we can test solar panels in various locations around the station.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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The solar panels are now mounted on a mobile structure. First test under way!
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Prinoth tractors are put under a lot of stress. They are also getting quite old and will need to be replaced soon. Meanwhile, we have to resign ourselves to more maintenance work.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Luckily, the good weather we have this year means we can work under good conditions.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Kristof, our chief mechanic, is replacing the clutch on one of the Prinoths.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Jacques Touchette is weighing material. When sending things back to Cape Town, every kilo counts!
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Nighat Amin at work in the wooden workshop. As you can see, everybody lends a hand around here, including the base commander.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Craig and Jacques repairing one of the compressors.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
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Bobby is doing some maintenance work on one of our our Lehman sledges equipped with a Hammar side-loading system. This allows us to easily load a 3 metre container onto a sledge.
© International Polar Foundation / Alain Hubert
