Steve Beaton - Electrician

Steve Beaton is the electrician on the expedition. He hails from Darwin but prefers heading south for summer to get away from the hot and humid tropics. His main task at Cape Denison is to install an Australian Wiring Standards electrical system into the existing Sorensen Hut and the new extension. Primarily this will be run from a specially designed petrol generator, but he will also be investigating installing a hybrid sustainable energy system using solar and wind generation with the petrol generator as a back-up. There are numerous obstacles to be negotiated when installing such systems in the Antarctic. One would think the "Home of the Blizzard" would be an ideal place for wind generation, however gales there can literally tear apart even the most robust machine. Storage of power is another issue with the acid in conventional batterys freezing, expanding and destroying their casings. The Foundation is very concerned about making a comfortable working environment for future expeditions while keeping it's environmental impact to the barest minimum.