Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing
System – Preparatory Phase
SIOS-PP
Work Package 5 / Task 5.1
Project Deliverable - D5.1
Energy and data connection strategies for the four main land-based
platforms (including green energy options)
Due date of deliverable: Month 15
Actual submission date: Month 16
Responsible organisation for this deliverable: NPI + IGFPAS
Authors & contributors: Marzena Kaczmarska (NPI), Piotr Glowacki (IGF PAS), Dominique Fleury (IPEV),
Knut Flå (Bydrift AS), Hallvar Gisnås (Kings Bay AS), Helge Tangen (Met.no)
Table of Content
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3
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5
Power and data capacity vision for SIOS
Main goals of task 5.1
On-land power supply for Svalbard research sites
3.1 Existing power supply
3.1.1 Longyearbyen
3.1.2 Ny-Ålesund
3.1.3 Barentsburg & Pyramiden
3.1.4 Hornsund
3.1.5 Other sites (Sveagruva, Hopen, Bjornoya, Isfjord Radio)
3.2 Power supply demands and requirements
3.3 Alternative power sources (including green energy options)
Data communication for Svalbard research sites
4.1 Existing data communication capacity, infrastructure and equipment
4.1.1 Longyearbyen
4.1.2 Ny Alesund
4.1.3 Barentsburg & Pyramiden
4.1.4 Hornsund
4.1.5 Other sites (Sveagruva, Hopen, Bjørnøya, Isfjord Radio)
4.2 Data infrastructure and storage demands and requirements
Summary
1. Power and data capacity vision for SIOS
The main goal of SIOS is to have an optimised observational infrastructure which can provide
near-real-time data and information. The vision is to have reliable source of power with as
low footprint in the Arctic environment as possible. Svalbard infrastructure is powered by
fossil fuels, and specifically, coal. An alternative power supply solutions have been tested on
smaller scales. However, it is obvious that these cannot deliver needed amounts of energy at
any given time and therefore are inadequate for the purposes of the SIOS community at
present. Therefore, SIOS needs development of non-intrusive Earth observation techniques,
relevant technology and methodology in near future. Shared resources are also an important
element of power-saving strategy. Data communication either by means of fibre cable or
through satellite connection is recommended. Longyearbyen has already an excellent quality
and speed connection to the internet by means of optic fibre cable. The same type of cable is
currently being extended further, to the second largest research hub in Svalbard, Ny-Ålesund.
Optic fibre connection guarantees fast data transfer for all research partners in Svalbard
connected.
2. Main goals of task 5.1 (Analysis and implementation plan of on-land
power and data capacity)
The whole work package 5 aims at analysis of all logistical support at the research sites in
Svalbard, including power supply and data communication, in order to optimize the use and
functionality of the SIOS infrastructure in the future. It is both challenging and crucial to
create an affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly energy delivery solution and high
data transfer capacity.
The largest research settlements have just one main energy supplier therefore it is important to
include future energy needs and green energy suggestions from the SIOS partners in their
strategic plans in the future.
3. On-land power supply for Svalbard research sites
All research infrastructures in the main settlements in Svalbard have sole energy provider
each: Bydrift in Longyearbyen, Kings Bay AS in Ny-Ålesund and Trust Arktikugol in
Barentsburg and Pyramiden. There are consumers that have higher energy needs then others
e.g. EISCAT or Kjell Henriksen Aurora Observatory but there are also locations that only
occasionally serve as research support site e.g. Pyramiden. Some sites are used all year round
while others are open for activity seasonally or just for specific period of time needed for a
research project to be completed. Some sites are used mostly as tourist destination and not a
research support site e.g. Isfjord Radio. However, they can provide accommodation, and basic
lab facilities if needed for a small group every now and again. Sveagruva is a coal mining
settlement but it has also been used by various research groups on occasions e.g. research on
glacier surging, sea ice mechanics, glacier caves, sediments and permafrost to name just few.
The demand to use the facilities in these, traditionally non-research locations has been
increasing and the need for more specialized research facilities will grow too.
3.1. Existing power supply
3.1.1. Longyearbyen
The Longyearbyen power plant supplies the town with both electricity and heat. This is the
only coal-fuelled power plant in Norway. The new plant became operational in 1982
replacing the old power plant, which had been in operation since 1920. In 2003 the manual
control was replaced by three PLCs that now take care of all of regulation of boilers and
turbines. The coal is supplied by the coal mining company - Store Norske, which wins coal
from the Coal Mine 7 near Longyearbyen. The coal is cleansed before it is delivered to the
power plant.
Electricity distribution network HV consists of 10.6 kV and 22 kV, approximately: 26 km of
line, 9 km of cable and 38 transformers that are distributed in 35 network stations. Operation
and maintenance is done by J.M. Hansen firm, which has expertise in both high and low
voltage systems. Low voltage systems (230 V and 400 V) consist of approx: 11 km of lines
and 18 km of cable. There are about 1600 users of energy in Longyearbyen, and electricity
use varies between 4,000,000 kWh to about 1 kWh person/years.
The company responsible for building new buildings and maintenance of the old ones in
Longyearbyen (Statsbygg AS) has on the priority list to lower energy usage by 5% (compared
to 2009 level) before 2014 and to improve insulating properties of all the existing buildings
(to a minimum of Norwegian energy-saving grade C) by 2020.
In and nearby Longyearbyen the largest energy consumers are SvalSAT, Svalbard Science
Centre, and EISCAT (Tab.1). Other users include Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO),
SOUSY radar, and SPEAR antennae field.
Tab.1. Annual energy consumption by main research infrastructure in Longyearbyen (in kWh; courtesy of
Bydrift, Longyearbyen Lokalstryret).
Svalbard
Year
EISCAT
KHO
SvalSAT
SOUSY
SPEAR
UNIS
Science Centre
2007
1 600 000
1 851 500
41 760
154 000
517 680
1 878 607
2008
736 000
38 160
1 727 000
43 560
106 200
487 680
1 728 000
2009
440 000 530 080
2 659 500
41 920
131 000
475 200
1 660 800
2010
824 308 235 040
1 772 000
41 120
138 000
462 000
1 661 760
2011
951 692 192 840
2 612 000
37 320
132 000
448 800
1 626 720
The data available cover period 2007-2011, including the IPY (2007-09). Therefore the
energy needed during the intensive experiment and observation IPY can be used as an upper
limit of the energy amount needed in the next 5-10 years. The discrepancy between a regular
year and IPY is particularly visible for EISCAT as they run continuous measurements and
experiments for an entire year as part of the IPY campaign. EISCAT’s energy use was about 4
times higher then and the amount of data collected kept researchers busy with data processing
and analytical work so there was much less activity registered in 2009, which explains a drop
in the use of energy by EISCAT facilities. On the other hand the data can be also leading to
false interpretations like in case of Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO). The observatory is
owned by UNIS and it is located about 10 km away from Longyearbyen in Svalbard, on
Breinosa, at 520 m a.s.l. More than 25 optical instruments (as well as other non-optical
instruments) are installed in service of middle- and upper atmosphere research. KHO has a
gross total area of approximately 700 square meters, which includes a service section of
approximately 200 square meters floor space. The instrument section contains 30 instrument
rooms with domes. The domes have a diameter of 1m. In addition, high speed fibre network
access and 220/110V power are included in the rent. The observatory is also equipped with
work benches and tools for instrument assembly and repairs. The instruments currently in
operation are owned by 14 different institutions from several countries. KHO was opened in
February 2008 and the first year of activity showed much higher energy use which could
suggest higher level of research activities (Fig.1). However, in reality the observatory leaders
do not confirm such finding. They suggest the data shows an error based on the stipulated
meter reading in the start-up phase.
Total annual energy use by research infrastructure in Longyearbyen
3 000 000
Energy use [kWh]
2 500 000
2 000 000
1 500 000
1 000 000
500 000
0
2007
EISCAT
KHO
2008
SvalSAT
2009
UNIS
2010
Forskningsparken
2011
SOUSY
SPEAR
Fig.1. Annual energy consumption by main research infrastructure in Longyearbyen (in kWh; based on data
from Bydrift)
The free-standing: SOUSY radar and SPEAR antennae show stable and rather moderate use
of energy from one year to another. The SOUSY Svalbard Radar (SSR), is a so-called
"mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere" (MST) radar, operates at 53.5 MHz and is located in
Adventdalen approximately 10km SW of Longyearbyen. The system is of the phased array
type and as such has a low visual impact on the environment. Typical average power is only
200W - and thus a negligible radiation hazard (think of looking at 2 or 3 light bulbs from
several kilometres away). The system can determine atmospheric parameters such as winds
and turbulence from a few km altitude to over 100km and at a wide variety of spatial and
temporal resolutions. SOUSY belongs to the University of Tromsø but it is also supported by
Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru who designed and built a substantial part of the system.
Operations in 2008 were supported financially by the Norwegian Amundsen Centre and in
2009 by the Research Council of Norway.
SPEAR (Space Plasma Exploration by Active Radar) is a revolutionary new high power radar
system which is designed to carry out research into the Earth's upper atmosphere and
magnetosphere, in the vicinity of the polar cap. The system was designed and built by
the Radio and Space Plasma Physics Group at the University of Leicester, UK. UNIS took
over ownership of the facility in October 2008.
The facility works by vertically emitting an electromagnetic beam (which operates at radio
wave frequencies of between 4–6 Mhz) where it interacts with the ionosphere (a thin layer of
ionised gas or plasma located between ~60km to more than 1000 km in altitude which acts as
a boundary between the atmosphere and the magnetosphere). This interaction results in
recreating the various processes, some of which are outlined above, which are normally
caused by the Sun. The ionosphere exhibits different behaviours at different altitudes, so by
modifying the frequency and power of the beam scientists can duplicate certain effects that
are caused by the Sun but under more controlled conditions, effectively using the ionosphere
as a laboratory. The energy deposited by SPEAR into the ionosphere is <1/1000th of that
deposited by the Sun with the effects only last as long as the system is transmitting, so
ironically experiments can only be done when the ionosphere is ‘quiet’ (e.g. minimal
interaction with the Sun).
energy use [kWh]
3.1.2. Ny-Ålesund
All, but Corbel station, research facilities in Ny-Ålesund are being supplied with energy
through Kings Bay AS. The company owns the entire land and manages the whole area and
the buildings there. Kings Bay AS primary role is to provide services to the research
community in Ny-Ålesund and contribute to development of the settlement. One of the main
points of concern for Kings Bay is to ensure sustainable development of Ny-Ålesund into
“green” research stations cluster. Limiting local waste and emissions will continue, but there
are no imminent plans for a new power plant, and no current funds for it. The short and
medium term focus is therefore improved energy efficiency e.g. the service building will be
equipped with new ventilation and heating management system in the summer 2012. Some
energy saving measures have already been introduced on a smaller scale. The energy
awareness is rather new attitude in Ny-Ålesund. There has been almost no monitoring of the
energy use, including no meters installed in some buildings for several years. Therefore the
statistic is rather poor too. Relatively good data exist for the year 2010 (Fig.2) but they refer
to the largest energy consumers only.
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
Fig.2. Energy use by the larges consumers in Ny-Ålesund in 2010 (courtesy of Kings Bay AS).
Electricity use [kWh]
Apart from the solar panels and the wind mill used at Corbel station, diesel is the only energy
source in Ny-Ålesund. The amount of diesel used up tends to follow the changes in the air
temperature outside. Analyses of the electricity use per institution include not only research
installations and facilities but also living quarters of the staff. From all users NPI with
Zeppelin observatory is the largest energy consumer, followed by the AWI-NDACC
observatory (Network for the Detection of the Atmospheric Composition Change) and the
Norwegian Mapping Authority (Statens Kartverk) (Fig.3).
400 000,00
350 000,00
300 000,00
250 000,00
200 000,00
150 000,00
100 000,00
50 000,00
-
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Fig.3. Electricity use per institution in Ny-Ålesund, 2006-2011 (courtesy of Kings Bay AS)
The Zeppelin Mountain Research Station is an atmospheric monitoring site. Located at 475 m
above sea level it experiences minimal contamination from the local settlement due to its
location above the inversion layer. The station is owned by the Norwegian Polar Research
Institute, and the Norwegian Institute for Atmospheric Research (NILU) has the main
responsibility for the science performed at the station. NILU and Stockholm University are
the two groups that carry out continuous measurements at Zeppelin. Parameters covered are
greenhouse gases, organic and inorganic pollution, ozone-destroying substances and
particulate matter. The observations aim towards:




detecting long-term trends in the carbon dioxide level, as well as trends in the amount or
composition of aerosols in the background atmosphere
provide a basis to study the processes that control the aerosol life cycle from their
formation through aging and transformation, until being removed from the atmosphere
provide a basis to study the processes (sources, sinks, and transport pathways) that
control the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
contribute to the global network of stations that perform continuous measurements of
atmospheric particles and trace gases to determine their effect on the earths radiation
balance and interaction with clouds and climate.
The measurements performed by SU at the Zeppelin station include carbon dioxide (CO2),
particle concentration and size distribution, light absorption and scattering. SU staff works
also on a development of novel systems to characterize size dependent properties of small
particles. In cooperation with University of Heidelberg they also make radon measurements.
Zeppelin observatory is part of the Global Atmospheric Watch network as well as part of the
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) network and the European
Cooperation Programme on trans-boundary pollution transport (EMEP).
Marin Lab (KBML)
Chineese station
NIPR (Japaneese
station)
NDACC - AWI
observatory
Kartverket(RabbenGeo.)
Zeppelin
observatory
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Sverdrup station
energy use per 1m2
The energy at Zeppelin observatory is used mostly by running pumps and ventilation. It is
surprising however to see how much energy is used by Zeppelin observatory if the energy
use is calculated per 1m2 of area (Fig.4).
2
Fig.4. Energy use by the largest consumers in Ny-Ålesund in 2010, per 1m (courtesy of Kings Bay AS).
The AWI station focuses on biology, chemistry, geology and atmospheric physics, and is able
to provide bedrooms, office space and a living room at the base. In addition the station
operates the NDACC-observatory which is used for studies of physics and chemistry of the
troposphere and stratosphere. There are three main measurements that are part of the NDACC
agreement: LIDAR, FTIR and microwave radiometer. The remote sensing technique Lidar
(Lidar = Light Detection and Ranging) determines vertical profiles of ozone and aerosoles
both in the troposphere and the stratosphere. The lidar equipment transmits laser produced
light pulses of several wavelengths vertically into the atmosphere. Light from these pulses is
partly backscattered by by molecules in the air and is detected by a telescope on the ground.
The scattering height is determined from the transit time of the light pulses. The strength of
the reflected signals and its variation with height permits to calculate ozone and/or aerosole
profiles. A high-resolution fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectrometer is used for
determining columns of stratospheric trace gases such as ozone, HCl, HF, NO2, HNO3,
ClONO2, CFCs, etc.
Absorption spectroscopy utilises the effect that trace gases absorb light at specific
wavelengths. From the spectra obtained it is possible to establish the type and concentration
of trace gases in the troposphere and stratosphere. Infrared absorption spectroscopy is a wellproven method. The presence and concentration of many different gases can be determined
simultaneously using this technique. It requires the sun as the source of infrared radiation. In
order to measure the concentration of important trace compounds throughout the year,
scientists at AWI have further developed the technique and now the moon can be used as
source of infrared radiation during the polar night. Due to the low intensity of light from the
moon compared to that from the sun (a ratio of about 1 to 100000), this technique is only
applicable during two weeks around full moon and measurements have to be taken over a
period of three hours in order to obtain spectra comparable to those obtained within 10
minutes using solar radiation. At polar latitudes, however, the moon is above the horizon for
up to 24 hours a day during the full moon phase. The Radiometer for Atmospheric
Measurements (RAM) has been developed by the Institute of Environmental Physics of the
University of Bremen as an instrument for ground-based millimeter-wave observations of
trace gases in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere in the frequency range from 100-300
GHz. As part of the German ozone research program (OFP) and the European Stratospheric
Monitoring Stations projects (ESMOS/Arctic) this instrument is operated continuously.
The Norwegian Mapping Authority’s (Statens Kartverk) facility in Ny-Ålesund operates one
of the most prominent installations in the settlement, the radiotelescope close to the airstrip.
The antenna allows for precise estimations about Ny-Ålesund's relative position on the Earth,
and uses stable quasars as signal transmitters. Results from these measurements inform about
the Earth's rotation speed, helps in definition of boundaries, and opens for prediction of
earthquakes and tsunami. Normally the NMA runs a few weekly experiments that are
coordinated with a number of similar stations around the globe. The NMA's geodetic division
operates the antenna financed mostly by NASA.
Data on central heating for the entire settlement was analysed next to the levels of electricity.
A large drop in heating level was observed at Kings Bay Marine Laboratory when the staff
implemented switching off the ventilation whenever there was nobody needing it. This simple
procedure reduced heating use by 156% from 2010 to 2011 (data courtesy of Kings Bay AS).
There are no current plans to change the energy delivery and it is most likely that the current
energy level used by research installations in Ny-Ålesund remains stable in the next 5-10
years.
3.1.3. Barentsburg & Pyramiden
(no input from Trust Arktikugol, manager of both Russian establishments in Svalbard)
3.1.4. Hornsund
The Polish Polar Station in Hornsund has established a separate generator building next to the
main station building. Three three-phase diesel generators with 40kW power engine each
were operating there until 2003. The power system allowed simultaneous unsynchronized
usage of two units with the third unit remaining in reserve. Annual diesel consumption at
medium duty of 40 kW during winter and 25 kW during summer was 70.000 liters.
Since 2004, the station is equipped with two modern Volvo turbo generators with a 60 kW
power engine each. They are electronically protected against failure and have a built-in selfstart in case of power failure. The current peak demand for electricity in winter reaches 55
kW, so one of the units operates continuously, while the other is used for emergency. It
remains heated all the time, and is ready for operation in case of failure or during maintenance
of the other one. In case of failure of the operating generator, the system automatically
switches to the spare unit which begins the process of achieving parameters that allow taking
over power supply for the Station. The process takes about 1-2 minutes, so the possible gap in
the supply of electricity doesn't exceed that time. Another safety feature is a device informing
about phases overheating: the alarm activates at 85A and the generator turns off at 130A.
Generators also turn off when values of oil pressure, fluid temperature or frequency exceed
the specified norms. Fuel for Volvo generators is stored in a single-layered, 5m3 tank,
equipped with sensors at the lower and upper levels; the tank is located next to the generators'
room. In order to prevent leakage, a bath is installed under the tank; there is also a second
bath located under the fuel cleaning centrifuge. The power station diagram is shown in figure
5.
Fig. 5. Scheme of generators and the fuel system at the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund.
Twice a month fuel is pumped to the power station tank by a pipeline from double-layered
storage tanks located on the seashore with a capacity of 120 m3, using a submersible pump
RedJacket X4P150 S17-3 with a capacity of 1.1 kW. The multi-layered pipeline is protected
against leakages by a special level sensor installed on the pump. Fuel consumption is between
150-200 liters per day depending on energy demand, which in turn is dependent on weather
conditions. For ecological reasons, the Volvo units are equipped with a special system which
recovers heat from exhaust fumes. This heat (about 90 MJ) is primarily used to melt snow and
ice in the Station’s plumbing system and to heat storage facilities.
As a result of a recently carried out modernization of the Station’s buildings and equipment,
the present average daily consumption of energy is 539 kWh.
Fig. 6. Energy consumption at the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund (© IGF PAS)
During the summer period (June-September) an average of 35 people live and work at the
station and during the remaining months the crew of 10 people stay there. In spring (MarchMay), the demand for energy increases due to the arrival of glaciological work groups and
guests from Longyearbyen. These groups consist of an average of 8 people and stay at the
station for several days up to a month.
For a safe and uninterrupted electric supply for scientific measuring and recording equipment
the Station has a special power system (UPS 230).
The 3x5 LanPro kVA system allows maintenance of the equipment’s operation for 10 minutes
after loss of power supply from the generators.
Since the main power supply system is a modern, fully automatic 230V and 400V power
supply system, there is a third generator at the Station for special equipment that require a
high temporary demand for energy, such as electric saws and welders. This unit is manually
controlled and is not equipped with any security system. It has its own 200 liters fuel tank; the
fuel is pumped manually. It has a 40 kW power engine and the voltage is 400V or 3x230V. It
is possible to connect devices using a separate, direct cable, independent form the main
energy supply system.
The station is also equipped with 5 portable gasoline, 230V, one-phase electric generators of 2
to 4 kW.
There is also a new Volvo engine with a generator intended to replace the working sets of
generators in case of their damage or destruction. During one year period, a generator passes
18 inspections (every 500 hours). Every 20,000 hours the generator bearing is replaced.
Thanks to these actions failures are minor and sporadic.
Assessment of risks regarding the Station's electricity and fuel economy:
 Unsealing of the fuel pipeline leading from the Tank Farm to the outgoing tank may
cause pollution of soil and vegetation. The risk of this event is vanishingly small, since
the pipeline consists of many layers. Flexible hose (without connections) is reinforced
by a steel braid which is overlapped by polyurethane sealed cover; additionally, the
entire structure is placed in steel pipes for protection against bears and snow mobiles.


The space between the internal and external pipelines has inspection glasses and can
be emptied out.
Overflow of the outgoing tank in the power room may cause pollution of the room and
soil under the building. The risk of this happening is small because the pumping is
carried out under the supervision of an operator, and in addition, the level gauge that
controls the filling level has a built-in automatic switch that cuts power off.
As preventive measures, protective foil HDPE is placed under tanks and whirlpool;
sorbent with diatomic granules is also available.
3.1.5. Other locations (Sveagruva, Hopen, Bjørnøya, Isfjord Radio)
Sveagruva is a mining settlement on Svalbard, located at the head of Van Mijenfjord.
Currently around 300 workers commute to Sveagruva for work on daily or weekly basis.
There are no permanent inhabitants. The mine is operated by Store Norske Spitsbergen
Kullkompani (SNSK) and is served by Svea airport. The town was established by Swedes in
1917. There were several periods of no or low activity in the mine since, the last one in 2005
due to fire lasting uninterrupted for over 5 weeks. Sveagruva holds the most productive coal
mine of Svalbard, with production of up to 4 million tonns of coal annually. However, the
coal layer is almost entirely used up and the mine will be closed in a few years. Although
Store Norske is in a preparation phase of establishing a new mine at Lunckefjell, several km
away from Sveagruva, the settlement itself will remain the accommodation and service
provider. The Lunckefjell mountain lies northeast of the Svea Nord mine and contains an
estimated 8 million tonnes of saleable coal. Lunckefjell is scheduled for production start early
in 2014, when the Svea Nord core becomes depleted under the current production plans.
To access the deposits at Lunckefjell, a tunnel will be driven from the existing gallery system
in Svea Nord and out of the mountain at the Marthabreen glacier. From there, a two-kilometre
road will be laid over the glacier to the mine entrance in Lunckefjell. The coal will be
transported by truck over the glacier and through the Svea Nord mine on the existing
conveyor belt system. The entire Svea infrastructure will be used in the same way as in the
current mining operations.
Store Norske har been carrying out a thorough impact study of the potential consequences of
the mining initiative for the natural environment and the communities on Svalbard. The
application for the project and the environmental impact analysis was delivered to the
Governor of Svalbard on 17 September 2010. After Lunckefjell, the remaining coal reserves
are in Svea Øst, the Svea Nord rim zone and Ispallen. All of these will be operated from the
infrastructure in Svea. According to the current production profile, Store Norske will be able
to continue mining in Svea until about 2030 (source: http://www.snsk.no/the-lunckefjellproject.145616.en.html).
Sveagruva occasionally provides accommodation and food for smaller groups of researchers
and students carrying out fieldwork in the area. Some research projects have been initiated
and funded by SNSK itself. The capacity is limited and not always available.
Both Hopen and Bjørnøya stations are owned by the Meteorological Institute in Norway.
Hopen station was established in 1947 and has been operational since. The staff carries out
standard meteorological observations and has some maintenance duties.
The first meteorological station on Bjørnøya was established in 1918 by the Geophysical
Institute in Tromsø, Norway. One year later a mining company opened a radio station there.
Later on, after the coal mining was finished the Norwegian parliament decided that the
Norwegian Meteorological Institute should take over both the administration and the radio
station, and this change took place in 1932. The station’s staff carries out standard
meteorological observations eight times a day, sends atmospheric balloons twice a day and
carries out some measurements on request from other research institutions (e.g. NILU,
Northern Lights Observatory, and the Earthquake observatory). In both locations the energy is
produced by a diesel generator. On the average the annual use of diesel is about 240m3 at
Bjørnøya and 60m3 at Hopen stations. There are no plans to expand current level of activities
and therefore the energy use should remain the same in the next 5-10 years (data courtesy of
the Meteorological Institute in Tromsø).
Isfjord Radio
(no input from SNSK Boliger, the manager of Isfjord Radio)
3.2. Power supply demand and requirements
Current level of energy delivered seems satisfying to most SIOS partners however, users of
EISCAT radar system will have high power consumption for longer periods of time in the
future, maybe even continuously. This situation will be partly due to the planned
establishment of new, 3rd radar at EISCAT, near Longyearbyen. Ny-Ålesund community is
also happy with the current levels of energy delivered. However, if the planned off-shore
infrastructure in the vicinity of Ny-Ålesund need energy delivered from this settlement this
situation might be drastically changed. There are no current plans from the manager of NyÅlesund to change the present power delivery scheme. There are attempts for use of
alternative energy for automatic measurement “stations” in places not connected to any fixed
settlement, e.g. weather stations on glaciers around Kongsfjorden. The energy generated is not
quite reliable yet for long periods of time and the system needs further technological
improvements.
3.3. Alternative power sources (including green energy options)
The alternative (green) energy options include most of all solar, biomass, wind, tides (ocean
energy), and geothermal energy sources in the future. At present all settlements in Svalbard
(research infrastructure is no exception) use coal and diesel (fossil fuels) as main and only
energy source. In 2008 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) decided to
produce a Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Mitigation. The report
(SRREN) was finished in 2011 and will be part of the IPCC Assessment Report in 2014.
Reduced use of fossil fuels and change to renewable energy is indicated as the most efficient
mitigation mean to prevent further climate warming. The report includes thorough analyses of
different types of the renewable energy available: bioenergy, direct solar energy, geothermal
energy, hydropower, ocean energy and wind energy. It provides estimates for the energy
potential, technology, global and regional status of market and industry development,
environmental and social impacts, prospects for technology improvement and cost trends
among others. The total global technical potential for renewable energy and solar energy in
particular, is substantially higher than global energy demand. However, the real costs of
renewable energy estimated for 2010, 2030 and 2050 are much higher than fossil fuels and
they need further improvements, especially when it comes to storage and transmission
technologies. “As well as having a large potential to mitigate climate change, RE can provide
wider benefits such as social and economic development, energy access, a secure energy
supply, and reducing negative impacts on the environment and health. “Under most
conditions increasing the share of RE in the energy mix will require policies to stimulate
changes in the energy system. (…) Studies clearly show that combining different variable
renewable sources, and resources from larger geographical areas, will be beneficial in
smoothing the variability and decreasing overall uncertainty for the power system” (SRREN,
2011). The findings indicate large potential on the global scale if close international
cooperation on large geographical scale takes place.
However, the situation is quite different if one takes regional approach and provides analyses
for the Arctic region. None of the following technologies will be applicable in the High
North: bioenergy (low potential), direct solar energy (low potential, high cost), geothermal
energy (low potential outside Iceland), ocean energy (unknown potential and very high cost).
There is only hydropower and wind energy left as the only green energy options for the
Arctic. The major problem is the high unpredictability of the wind which requires another,
balancing energy source in addition. There is also an issue of energy storage and transmission
over large distances. These technological challenges have to be overcome before the
renewable energy can be implemented in the High North. There have been no special studies
only for Svalbard so it is unsure if all the findings for other places in the High Arctic would be
also applicable there. However, mainland Norway is seen as one of the most important
producer of hydropower on global scale. Based on the findings of SRREN and CEDREN
(Centre for Environmental Design of Renewable Energy) experts (Ånund Killingtveit, NTNU,
presentation during the Arctic Frontiers, 2012) we assume that there is no real chance to
implement green energy sources for the facilities running year round in Svalbard during the
lifespan of SIOS (in the next 10 years). However, there might be potential to use green energy
sources for the summer (seasonal) research stations. An successful example is Corbel station,
a small, summer research site nearby Ny-Ålesund owned and run by IPEV.
Fig. 7. Corbel station (© IPEV)
Energy production at Corbel is based on the use of solar panels and one windmill. The
maximum electrical output of the system is reached when there is a wind of 10 m/s and that
the sun's rays hit the panels with an elevation of about 40°. In theory, the power output is near
9 kW. In practice, this power is almost never reached. The wind was mostly too strong or too
weak and the sun is almost never making an impact angle of 90° with the surface of the
panels. Therefore, the expected real energy production (on average) is: 3 kW in the spring, 2
kW in the summer, 1 kW in the autumn and 500 W in the winter. The plant delivers
maximum power of 5 kW for users, but this amount can’t be provided continuously for long
periods. In spring and summer, it is possible to install a device with 2 kW of continuous load.
In autumn the installation can support a maximum continuous load of 1 kW. In the absence of
wind and sun, energy is supplied by the batteries. Autonomy is 48h with a load of 2 kW or 96
h with a load of 1 kW.
Fig. 8. Synoptic of energy production control at Corbel station (© IPEV)
In the near future, it is planned to install a second turbine of rated power 2.5 kW to increase
the average production in autumn and winter to almost 2 kW. The manufacturer of this
windmill built the wind turbines used by the Belgian Station 'Princess Elizabeth' in Antarctica
(http://www.antarcticstation.org/station/).
Experience and attempts to obtain power energy from alternative sources (wind
turbines) for the station at Hornsund.
Due to the fact that the greatest demand for energy occurs during days with high winds, the
Station attempted to use wind as an alternative source of energy for heating purposes.
It was planned to place three wind turbines with a capacity of 20 kW each at the Station’s
facilities. For the experiment purposes, the first unit was designed and built in Hornsund; it
was a three-sails fan with self-exciting 3x230V generator (Fig 7).
Fig. 9. The first wind generator on Spitsbergen in 1989
Due to the ice and frost occurring in the Spitsbergen area, the prototype wind turbine was
equipped with a protection system against excessive "spin". Its rotation speed control worked
as follows:
A boom with a tail setting the propeller perpendicularly to the wind direction was attached to
the horizontal wrist and stretched by a steel line, which was running down the center of the
windmill’s mast. On the bottom end of the line, weights were suspended, allowing adjustment
of the stiffness of the tail. The more weights, the stiffer was the tail. Depending on the wind’s
speed and direction, the propeller was changing its position, from perpendicular to parallel at
hurricane winds. A switch gear was installed and powered from the windmill generator
through the master switch and contactor. In a box at the bottom of the mast a disconnector
was installed, and at the top of the mast a lamp that lit during generator excitation was
mounted.
The wind turbine was connected with three heaters in different rooms at the Station’s main
building. Circuit protection sockets were installed by the heaters. When the wind began to
blow, the propeller started to rotate exciting the generator; then the heaters were turned on, the
propeller choked and the generator re-excited. The wind turbine gained speed again and the
cycle repeated.
The switch gear has been redesigned so that the amount of heaters was dependent on wind
speed (8 m/s - 1 heater, 12 m/s-2 heaters, 15 m/s - 3 heaters). The wind speed data was taken
from the meteorological station’s anemometer.
The construction of the entire windmill was designed for the operation in wind speeds
between 5-40 m/s and resistant to momentary gusts of wind speeds of up to 70 m/s.
In March 1990 the wind turbine was damaged during a snowstorm with a wind speed of 23
m/s. One of the reasons of the propeller damage was uneven air and snow pressure on the
wings in the snow blizzard. Deformations and changes of center of gravity of the whole
structure caused increasing vibrations of the propeller, then damaged the generator’s
mechanism and, consequently destroyed the blades of the wind turbine.
4. Data Communication for Svalbard research sites
4.1. Existing Data Communication Capacity, Infrastructure and Equipment
Svalbard is an international research platform, which is largely a result of a unique location in
the High Arctic and easy access. Norway has made significant investments in the research
infrastructure as the intensity of research activities has been steadily increasing and the
research was in focus in the High North strategy document published by the Norwegian
government in 2006.
As the need and wish for real-time data determines the research success in many fields, and
the data capacity has been requested by many research partners on Svalbard, an optical multifibre cable has been laid between mainland Norway and Longyearbyen in 2003.
Modern fibre cables can contain up to a thousand fibres in a single cable, so the performance
of optical networks easily accommodates even today's demands for bandwidth on a point-topoint basis. However, unused point-to-point potential bandwidth does not translate to
operating profits, and it is estimated that no more than 1% of the optical fibre buried in recent
years is actually 'lit'. While unused fibre may not be carrying traffic, it still has value as dark
backbone fibre. The owner can lease or sell the unused fibre capacity to other providers who
are looking for service in or through an area. Optical cables transfer data at around 180,000 to
200,000 km/s, resulting in 5.0 to 5.5 microseconds of latency per km. Thus the round-trip
delay time for 1000km is around 11 ms. Typical modern Multimode Graded-Index fibres have
3 dB/km of attenuation loss at 850 nm and 1 dB/km at 1300 nm. 9/125. Single mode loses
0.4/0.25 dB/km at 1310/1550 nm. POF (plastic optical fibre) loses much more: 1 dB/m at
650 nm. Plastic Optical Fibre is large core (about 1mm) fibre suitable only for short, low
speed networks such as within cars (source: http://www.lanshack.com/fibre-optic-tutorialfibre.aspx). Each connection made adds about 0.6 dB of average loss and each joint (splice)
adds about 0.1 dB (source:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/optical/ps2006/products_tech_note09186a00800e6
eeb.shtml). Depending on the transmitter power and the sensitivity of the receiver, if the total
loss is too large the link will not function reliably. Invisible IR light is used in commercial
glass fibre communications because it has lower attenuation in such materials than visible
light. However, the glass fibres will transmit visible light somewhat, which is convenient for
simple testing of the fibres without requiring expensive equipment. Splices can be inspected
visually, and adjusted for minimal light leakage at the joint, which maximizes light
transmission between the ends of the fibres being joined.
4.1.1. Longyearbyen
The fibre cable connection between mainland Norway and Longyearbyen is owned by the
Norwegian Space Agency and it was financed mostly by an American funding. UNINETT AS
has bought the transmission rights and offers 1Gbps capacity to the research institutions like
UNIS, NPI, and a few others in Longyearbyen. Other main partners in the fibre cable project
are Telenor Svalbard (telephony and internet) and Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (KSAT).
The existing agreements between the main partners will have to be altered in order to
accommodate needs from new institutions to join in and activate the capacity so far unused
(dark fibre). In connection with the extension of the fibre cable from mainland Norway to
Svalbard UNINETT has upgraded network connection for the Andøya Rocket Range. ARR
became a transit point for Svalbard cable. The connection has gigabit capacity and hybrid
functionality can be added to it without any contractual changes.
4.1.2. Ny-Ålesund
Kings Bay AS provides the services for the whole Ny-Ålesund. Ny-Ålesund has standard
ISDN- and analogue telephone lines operated by the Norwegian telecommunication company
Telenor. Costs for phone calls are based on Norwegian rates. It is important to notice that
there is no coverage for mobile telephone networks in Ny-Ålesund, as these are prohibited to
use. It is as well important to notice that Ny-Ålesund by the Norwegian authorities is
designated to be a radio silent area. This means that all use of wireless equipment is
forbidden. To protect the VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) antenna at the airport in
Ny-Ålesund from interference, a by-law prohibits instruments using transmitters or
receivers inside the frequency range between 2,4-2,4835 and 8-9 GHz within a 20 kilometer
distance from Ny-Ålesund.
Applications using these frequences include:

wireless network connections (LAN).

bluetooth.

wireless microphones.

wireless remote controls for games.

miscellaneous wireless instruments.
In addition to the by-law, NySMAC has an ambition to keep Ny-Ålesund radio silent. To
avoid or limit the use of radio signal transmitters that lie outside the already mentioned
frequency range, operational practice guidelines and registration requirements for the use of
actively emitting equipment have been developed. Ny-Ålesund has an access to high-speed
internet as UNINETT AS has installed a set of routers in Ny-Ålesund, establishing the second
Point-of-Presence on Svalbard. The Ny-Ålesund network connects all institutions and
research buildings in the settlement with gigabit speeds. All research institutions have access
to the network, with the possibility of placing instruments and workstations outside their own
buildings while still retaining the connection.
Current radio connection of the outside world with Ny-Ålesund was upgraded by Kings Bay
AS (the manager of Ny-Ålesund) in 2005 and UNINETT AS controls about 150 Mbps of the
capacity. UNINETT has recently been working with Mapping Authority, NASA and MIT
with reference to the eVLBI project that has used all UNINETT radio-line capacity. This
project requires multi-gigabit capacity and a new fibre cable between Longyearbyen and NyÅlesund provides the only practical solution to supply the Ny-Ålesund with the network
capacity required. Installation of the fibre cable poses a significant investment cost but the
operating costs are expected to be low. The high-capacity networks attract new and modern
research and the research interest in remote locations often declines if there is no adequate
online capacity available. The fibre cable extension from Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund has
been discussed for a few years and the implementation begins now. The
new connection (standard optical wavelength multiplexing technology) would give 6000 time
larger capacity than the current system in Ny-Ålesund, if all the fibres in the cable are used. In
theory next generation optical equipment will provide even higher capacity. The cable
between Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund will be 260 km long, and will be buried in the seabed
to avoid damage by icebergs and trawling.
One of the most important arguments in favour of the fibre cable extension was that
Ny-Ålesund serves as one of the most important reference points in the so called VLBI (Very
Long Baseline Interferometry) network. The Norwegian Mapping Authority provides data to
the VLBI network and they have closely collaborated with UNINETT AS to enlarge their data
transmission capacity. VLBI, among other things, determines the Earth's rotation and thus
time reference, the movement of the tectonic plates and the planet's exact position in the solar
system. The technology in this field has made great strides in recent years, and delivers highprecision basic data to e.g. GPS and Galileo. The new generation of this type antenna system
produces 10 gigabit capacity data continuously and requires enough available transmitting
capacity. The ground has been laid to be able to transfer online huge amounts of data to the
data collection points (correlating data) around the world. Some institutions have started
doing that, but the large amount of data is saved on discs and sent by post. This is a significant
disadvantage since such data is most valuable if accessible in real-time. High capacity
connection will also strengthen communication’s security especially if the new connection
would interact with the existing radio-based solution.
4.1.3. Barentsburg & Pyramiden
(No information received from Trust Arktikugol, the manager of both Russian settlements)
The ISDN- and analogue telephone lines operated by the Norwegian telecommunication
company Telenor are available in Barentsburg and Sveagruva. Costs for phone calls are based
on Norwegian rates.It is also possible to use GSM phones in these two sites.
4.1.4. Hornsund
Since 1980, the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund was using a short-wave radio station in the
band 2-3 MHz to communicate with Longyearbyen and Bjørnøya. It was a phonic
communication for the transmission of SYNOP meteorological information. A lot of
interferences of short wave bands, derived from the auroras, prevented transmission of
meteorological data to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute on a timely basis (every 3
hours). Data transmission to Bjørnøya was temporarily improved in the year 2000 when the
Norwegian Meteorological Institute decided to install a special module to the transmitter (HF)
ICOM M710 m/PTC-11 100 W, which encoded the SYNOP data and was transmitting it
automatically to the World Meteorological Organization database until 2007.
Fig. 10. High frequency radio antenna near the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund.
The connection with Poland was performed using a typical ship radio station MEWA 2 1 kW
in the band 8 MHz or 12 MHz. MEWA 2 was additionally equipped with a telex which
allowed transmitting data in a text format.
First attempts to transmit data via satellite took place in 2001. The station receives a signal
from the INMARSAT system. An INMRSAT SATURN-B terminal installed provided 5
connections (VOICEx2, FAXx1, DATAx1, and HST - high speed transmission).
Fig. 11. Inmarsat SATURN B dish.
Due to the high cost of the HST connection, observation data hasn’t been transmitted on-line
but in compressed packages once a day. Generally, due to the lack of the INMARSAT
coverage in other areas of Svalbard, it is not possible to fully exploit the INMARSAT system
for the SIOS project needs. In 2002 an IRIDIUM satellite link was established at the station.
Three handheld phones provide good communication for groups working in the field and
worldwide. The station terminal is equipped with a Data-Kit module which allows
transmitting data to the internet. However, experience in using the Iridium System shows that
transmission often disconnects and it causes the need to resend the data packages. This
happens when the system switches the signal between two satellites. In practice, this event
occurs every 20 minutes, so the packet size has to be such that the transfer won't exceed 15
minutes. In 2006 the internet access using satellite ATLANTIC BIRD was established at the
station for the first time. Currently, an international consortium EUTELSAT is the only
provider of the internet communication in Hornsund. The antenna has a diameter of over 2 m
but it only receives and sends data at a rate of 512 Kbit/s and 80-100 Kbit/s respectively. In
order to allow on-line data transmission to the international databases, a second dish was
installed at the station in 2009. Should there be a need to transfer larger amount of data, the
station has to be equipped with additional, parallel-connected antennas in order to obtain at
least a 512 Kbit/s connection.
Fig. 12. Satellite dish in Hornsund (South Spitsbergen).
Fig. 13. Dishes for Internet connection with the Atlantic Bird 1 satellite
Communication via satellites that are low-lying or hidden below the horizon cannot guarantee
satisfactory data transmission rate. Moreover, strong winds that often occur in Hornsund
cause deflection and vibration of the antennas leading to the loss of signal of the satellite.
Additionally, despite an in-built heating system, a sheet of ice covers the dish converters
during thaw, increasing the attenuation of the signal level. The antennas also require some
type of protection against bears. All of the circumstances mentioned above cause the need to
place the antennas in a protective dome. It protects the antennas against wind, ice and wild
animals, but also reduces the antennas’ parameters.
4.1.5. Other sites (Sveagruva, Hopen, Bjørnøya, Isfjord Radio)
Meteorological Institute’s weather stations on Hopen, Bjørnøya and Jan Mayen and research
vessels operating in the Barents Sea, Fram Strait and Arctic Ocean also need better
communication and data transmission system than it is in use today. The currently in use
satellite link is rather old and expensive, and it offers Hopen and Bjørnøya capacity of 64 kB
and 128 kB, respectively. In addition the stations communicate through a coast radio, satellite
telephone (backup function) and a satellite connection that also provides access to (slow)
internet. The same problem exists for University of Tromsø, University of Bergen,
Department of Geodesy in the Norwegian Mapping Authority and a few other institutions that
have activities in the same areas. These stations and mobile research platforms (vessels) need
a dedicated satellite solution. A national coordination of satellite area is desired by
many users and it would open up new research opportunities. Rather than continue with the
low capacity costly connections operational at present UNINETT proposes to establish a
new open and non-discriminating satellite solution with higher capacity where several users
share the connection. It is fully possible to establish new ground stations or modernize the
old ones with dynamic positioning function of antennas. Furthermore, low-cost transponder
capacity can be purchased from suppliers offering "older" satellites that are no
longer following their original paths. This is then compensated by dynamical positioning of
the antennas at the ground stations. The result will provide full online functionality and
improve the network performance dramatically.
(no input from SNSK Boliger – the manager of both Isfjord Radio and Sveagruva)
4.2. Data infrastructure and storage demands and requirements
SIOS vision includes data communication either by means of fibre cable or through satellite
connection. Data and information on environment changes should be available in near-realtime. Longyearbyen has already an excellent quality and speed connection to the internet by
means of optic fibre cable. The same type of cable is currently being extended further, to the
second largest research hub in Svalbard, Ny-Ålesund. Optic fibre connection guarantees fast
data transfer for all research partners in Svalbard connected. There are no other plans to
extend the optical fibre cable to other places in Svalbard at present. Custom-build satellite
communication system is being discussed for mobile research platforms e.g. research vessels
in the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea and Fram Strait, and the meteorological stations on Jan
Mayen, Bjørnøya and Hopen. The stations need a long-term solution as their observations are
only valuable if delivered in near-real-time. There is no plan to extend the current network of
repeater stations owned and run by the Norwegian telecommunication company, Telenor AS.
Data storage and sharing issues are subject for the SIOS work package 6 (Data management
and utilisation plan).
5. Summary
Energy and data communication needs are on the increase but it’s only few SIOS partners that
really heavily depend on high-capacity data transmission possibilities and high lever of power
generated for long time periods. Both issues are vital for institutions providing and collecting
real-time data: EISCAT and the Norwegian Mapping Authorities belong to this category
within SIOS family. Not only more energy is requested but it should be delivered at stable
rate for long periods. Similar demand is valid for data capacity: minimum of 1 Gbits/second is
necessary to transfer real-time data. The last problem can be solved with installation fibre
optic cable from Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund. Other places in Svalbard have to live with
slower and perhaps much less reliable communication systems via satellites. Meteorological
stations in Hopen, Bjørnøya and Jan Mayen need their radio communication replaced by
satellite-based custom solution, a solution that could be also used by research vessels in the
European Arctic.
Almost all energy comes from coal in Svalbard. However, it is difficult to predict what will
happen after the coal mines in Svalbard are closed down in several years. What should the
new investment be? New areas are being open for oil and gas exploration in the Barents Sea
but should it be fossil fuel generating power to sustain Earth observing and environmental
change research in Svalbard? Alternative energy solutions are still under development and
they cannot replace coal today. When SIOS is implemented, the partners will demand energy
to be able to fulfil the goals of the project. SIOS community needs new energy solutions that
are reliable, potent and can be implemented in the Arctic.