A significant moment to revisit. Ten years ago, BIA had the pleasure of delivering a hybrid excavator HB215LC-1, donated by Komatsu Europe, to the International Polar Foundation for use at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station, the Belgian research base at the South Pole.
Zero emission
The main aim of the polar station is to facilitate international scientific research in Antarctica, particularly in the fields of climate change, atmospheric sciences, glaciology, and biology. The base is entirely developed as a "zero-emission" station. Thanks to its passive design and the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, the impact on the environment is reduced to the strict minimum. With its low emissions, Komatsu's hybrid technology fits perfectly within the sustainability principle of the entire project.
Ten years ago
At the end of November 2013, the HB215LC-1 is officially handed over at the then brand-new BIA Service Center in Fleurus. On December 2, it is loaded on board the Mary Arctica in Zeebrugge, along with many other pieces of equipment. After a short stopover in Cape Town, the ship arrives on January 19, 2014, on the Antarctic coast. From there, there it’s another 200 km across the ice and snow of the white continent to reach the polar station. Once on-site, the machine is used for expansion work and various other operational tasks at the base. Clearing the surroundings of snow is one of the most intensive tasks. Despite temperatures as low as -50°C, the machine remains entirely in its standard configuration; only the oil has been replaced with a more suitable version.
An interesting anecdote is that the hybrid excavator succeeds an old Komatsu bulldozer that, after 30 years of faithful service in Antarctica, was set to rest.
Ten years after its arrival, the Komatsu HB215LC-1 hybrid excavator continues to be not only an essential part of the daily work in the most extreme conditions on the planet but also serves as tangible evidence of sustainability and reliability. We are proud to contribute in this way to the promotion of environmentally responsible scientific research at the South Pole.
Click here to learn more about the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station.
Click her to learn more about Komatsu Hybrid technology.
