Antarctica New Zealand has achieved the world’s first Energy-Mark certification.

In 2015, Antarctica New Zealand joined the Energy-Mark programme, a certification scheme designed to help organisations develop and implement an Energy Management System in line with ISO 50001. Antarctica New Zealand embarked on the development of an Energy Management System, which has now been independently audited and is certified to Energy-Mark Bronze.

 

^{Antarctica New Zealand manages New Zealand’s permanent Antarctic research station, Scott Base} 

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Energy management isn’t something new to Antarctica New Zealand as the government agency charged with carrying out New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica; supporting world-leading science and environmental protection. Leaving a minimal environmental footprint is a key part of working in Antarctica. This unique part of the world plays a vital role in climate research, reflecting on the past, seeing present impacts, and studying how things can change in the future.

Antarctica New Zealand manages New Zealand’s permanent Antarctic research station, Scott Base. The station can be described much the same as a ship in that it generates its own power (by means of diesel powered generators and three wind turbines), its own water (by means of a reverse osmosis plant), and treats its own waste.

Antarctica New Zealand has been exploring and implementing energy efficiencies and alternative energy solutions for Scott Base and field operations in Antarctica since the 1990s. They already have an Enviro-Mark Diamond certified Environmental Management System and are CEMARS certified for their greenhouse gas emissions measurement and reductions. The Energy-Mark certification programme allowed Antarctica New Zealand to formalise their systems and processes for energy efficiency. It will take time to see all of the results of their Energy Management System, but the past results point to Antarctica New Zealand’s ability to achieve real reductions. Scott Base is powered by a wind farm which over the last 5 years has avoided around 3.6 million litres of diesel and 4,003 tCO₂e due to displaced generator fuel use.

We are proud to work with Antarctica New Zealand on their range of environmental impacts and emissions reductions and are delighted with this new achievement in energy efficiency. Congratulations to Antarctica New Zealand on this latest innovation and thank you for your action for a better environment.

To find out more about Antarctica New Zealand, click here.