ACCIONA celebrates the success of the ACCIONA Windpowered Antártica Expedition in Madrid’s Science Museum

The ACCIONA Windpowered Antártica Expedition put the world's first-ever 100% eco-efficient and completely emissions-free vehicle successfully through its paces in the most extreme and inhospitable corner of the planet.

The team-members also carried out scientific research aimed at determining the effects of climate change on Polar melting, making the most of this pollution-free means of transport.

ACCIONA, a pioneering company in the search for eco-efficient solutions and a world leader in renewable energies, is behind a successful expedition to the Geographic South Pole (launched in its centenary year), using a 100% emissions-free Polar vehicle.

The Expedition, led by Ramón Larramendi, reached the Geographic South Pole after a 2,200km, 19-day journey on board the ACCIONA Windpowered Antártica, a wind-powered sled drawn exclusively by a range of kites with a surface of up to 80 square meters.

This scientific expedition is the first-ever to prove the efficiency of a renewables-powered vehicle with 3,500km of Polar crossing under its belt and which has shown itself to be the ideal vehicle for moving people and supplies from one Polar research station to another.

ACCIONA presented the Expedition's good results at Madrid's Science Museum, coinciding with a temporary exhibition (until March 27th 2012, with a possible extension) showcasing the Polar vehicle that overcame the daunting challenge.

The original sled is on show, along with a number of panels with explanations on the uniqueness of this vehicle which takes its inspiration from traditional methods used by the Inuit Eskimos.

When the exhibition ends, the ACCIONA Windpowered Antártica expedition team, led by Ramón Larramendi and with team-mates Ignacio Oficialdegui, Juan Pablo Albar, Javier Selva and Juanma Viu, will return to their R&D work in an effort to make improvements on the vehicle with a view to making more trips to the Antarctic in the future.