  Transitioning from fossil-fuel power generation to renewable energy
generation and energy storage in remote locations has the potential to reduce
both carbon emissions and cost. We present a techno-economic analysis for
implementation of a hybrid renewable energy system at the South Pole in
Antarctica, which currently hosts several high-energy physics experiments with
nontrivial power needs. A tailored model for the use of solar photovoltaics,
wind turbine generators, lithium-ion energy storage, and long-duration energy
storage at this site is explored in different combinations with and without
traditional diesel energy generation. We find that the least-cost system
includes all three energy generation sources and lithium-ion energy storage.
For an example steady-state load of 170 kW, this hybrid system reduces diesel
consumption by 95\% compared to an all-diesel configuration. Over the course of
a 15-year analysis period the reduced diesel usage leads to a net savings of
\$57M, with a time to payback of approximately two years. All the scenarios
modeled show that the transition to renewables is highly cost effective under
the unique economics and constraints of this extremely remote site.

Physics and Society;High Energy Physics - Experiment