Spain is by Antarctica 'green'

400 years ago, an admiral named Gabriel de Castilla Palencia peered from his boat while chasing pirates, a frozen landscape we know today as the sixth continent, Antarctica.

A Spanish research base on Deception Island along the Antarctic peninsula, was christened 20 years ago with his name. In these two decades, the Base Gabriel de Castilla, managed by the Army, has become a modern science facility that this year will receive environmental certification for their special care with the environment.

This is one of the objectives which starts in a few weeks, the campaign of 2009-2010 in Deception Island, with a duration of 107 days. It is expected that this year 18 soldiers passing by, in charge of logistics, and 52 researchers from different institutions, with 11 scientific projects.

Not far away is another Spanish Antarctic installation, the Base Juan Carlos I, managed by the CSIC, and both are complemented by the oceanographic vessel Hesperides and the vessel Las Palmas.

Located 13,000 miles from Spain, the Gabriel de Castilla today has little to do with this little haven of his early years within the flooded bay crater of a volcano.
Extension of living space

The successive enlargements of their flag (the last will end this year) have increased the accommodation to the 28 seats, having a deposit of 12,000 water and 10,000 liters of diesel (for eletrógenos groups that provide electricity and vehicles) and separate leisure and work, which has greatly facilitated the hard life on the base.

This was recognized many of their guests in the Antarctic I Forum, organized by the Ministry of Defense, held a few days ago in Zaragoza. Many pointed out that the feeling on the outside is the same as "inside a refrigerator, with temperatures ranging between 5 and 50 degrees below zero.

General Alvaro Cuesta de la Peña, coordinator of the mission, recalled the demanding selection of the military each year go to the Base, this time under the baton of Commander Joseph Gonzálvez Vallés. The 18 elected (including two women, cooks) have had to take special training courses for this campaign. They have even learned to make bread.

To achieve the environmental certification a priority for control of the base, has adapted the garbage collection: everything that is not burned in an incinerator that have (ie, everything that pollutes the air), we obtain from The island also has set a maximum water consumption (180 liters per person per day) and try to minimize emissions.
Renewable energy

So far, attempts to install renewable energy have not been successful. "Wind turbines are broken by the tremendous wind gusts to 300 km / h, and the energy from the Sun comes so weak that not enough", recognizes the vet Angel Santos, head of the Support Environment. Another problem is how to get these great teams there.

Still, having a sustainable energy supply is the challenge that every country wants to achieve. Belgium introduced this year a base that, in theory, works only with clean energy. But apparently they're having difficulty.

Several of the experts meeting in Zaragoza betting on the potential of geothermal energy in a volcanic region, such as Deception Island.

Juan Jose Dañobeitia, Base Juan Carlos I, noted that there does using renewable energy to keep active all year a website that sends information about the installation, but acknowledged that "there must be a balance between renewable and sustainable for everything works.

That environmental protection high on the Antarctic Treaty, is also the focus of many of the scientific work performed in the base. This was explained Margarita Yela, coordinator of Polar Research Program, who stressed the importance of the Gabriel de Castilla in climate change studies, chemical ecology, volcanology, astrobiology and so on.

Geologist Jeronimo Lopez was on hand to highlight the importance of being present in Antarctica: "The areas of most planets have warmed in 50 years are the poles. Up to 3 º C in parts of Antarctica, although both increases the sea ice, and this could change global ocean circulation, "he argued.
The impact of tourism

"Besides," he continued, "thanks to the work carried out there discovered the hole in the ozone layer, and limited the use of CFCs. Finally made it clear that "the poles are in place to have an eye and Spain must be there," but always in a coordinated manner among all institutions involved because there "is not going to go."

For its part, the biologist Javier Benayas the Alamo, which last year launched a project on the human impact on Antarctica, put his finger on commercial tourism that threatens the continent: over 45,000 tourists passed by on the campaign 2007/08 gigantic ships.

His trail of litter, graffiti and hydrocarbons are impacts that, according Benayas, "will end up with greater control, which could be undertaken by those responsible for research bases that there are countries.

Gen. Jaime Dominguez acknowledged that vessel traffic control, which could have an accident in an area that is very dangerous, it is necessary, but clarified that requires an international agreement.