“The Arctic Station Snowflake based on clean energy is the project, which will show to everyone that full-cycle hydrogen green energy is already possible and safe. From a commercial point of view, as for today, the Station is not yet profitable; but the economics will come with mass implementation, and it requires significant and ambitious breakthrough pilot projects.
So, the second role of the Snowflake is even more challenging and more significant for all of us in Russia and the world: we are creating an international interdisciplinary full-scale testing facility to conduct a range of experimental operations with new equipment and technologies. When prototypes of breakthrough technologies are available, but before they are put into mass production, even in pilot series, we still have a lot of work to do. So, in principle, Snowflake is a "bridge" between applied science and industrial companies. The objective is to test and demonstrate breakthrough environmentally friendly solutions in hydrogen energy and transportation, energy storage systems, thermal stabilization of permafrost soils, arctic medicine, high latitude telecom, aero- and hydroponics, robotic platforms with artificial intelligence, and other technologies to reduce the carbon footprint.
Moreover, the results of the work of Russian and international engineers, scientists and researchers at the station will be applicable not only in the Arctic!” – said Yury Vasiliev during his presentation.
The Snowflake project is of great interest in Russia and abroad, and during the forum discussions it often became an example of the needed development of new technologies and international cooperation.
“Another direction is the development of science and technologies. In Yamal and the Murmansk region, work is underway to create year-round Arctic Snowflake stations. This is a global project, using the most advanced technologies and assuming full carbon neutrality, which should attract the interest of scientists around the world” – noted Alexey Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.
More information about the program and speakers here.