Implementing NET-ZERO Initiatives at NOAA’s Atmospheric Baseline Observatories - Use of Renewable Energy to power Climate Research

The NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (NOAA/GML) operates a network of Atmospheric Baseline Observatories (ABOs) dedicated to long-term measurements of Earth’s changing climate system.  These facilities, spanning the Pacific Basin from the Arctic to the Antarctic, are located in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Antarctica.  Operational for over 50-years, NOAA has begun investing in new sustainable infrastructure and implementing net-zero initiatives.

The Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (MLO), Hawaii, conducts over 250 different atmospheric measurements and is globally-recognized as one of the premier scientific research sites on Earth.  The increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane were first established at MLO over six decades ago. MLO supports over 26 cooperative research programs from partners around the world and MLO data is regularly used in modelling efforts and global climate assessments.  In November of 2022 all measurements from MLO ceased when a lava flow cut the power line and buried almost a kilometer of the access road to the observatory. This disruption to operations highlighted the need to build additional resiliency into the site’s critical infrastructure. NOAA is taking this opportunity to replace site-wide electrical distribution and transition the site to be 100% powered by solar. This initiative to move to 100% solar will be combined with a robust battery backup system that will power atmospheric research without fossil fuels and significantly improve the site’s operational climate and infrastructure resiliency. MLO already captures its water needs from roof systems and has improvements funded to increase the resiliency of the water system.  These combined efforts will make the observatory the first NOAA facility to be NET-ZERO for both electricity and water.

The American Samoa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (SMO), American Samoa, has measured the changing dynamics within the tropical pacific since the early 1970s.  Located on the far eastern end of the island, the power provided to the site is expensive and unreliable.  SMO has operated solar panels for over 2 decades, however, those systems have only provided a small fraction of the facility’s overall power needs.  NOAA has secured funding to install a new renewable power system with a combination of solar and wind generation along with a large-scale battery storage system that will be able to provide 100% of the facility’s energy demand while also providing the facility with multiple days of energy resiliency.  Similar to MLO, the American Samoa site collects rainwater in a roof system.  In 2025, the SMO system will see additional water-capture capacity added with extra-large gutters installed and a new reverse-osmosis water filtration system.  Once operational, these infrastructure improvement projects will make the SMO site fully Net-Zero for electricity and water, and on track to be NOAA’s second site to achieve this milestone. 

As these ABO network initiatives get implemented, NOAA looks forward to sharing lessons learned and hosting new collaborative research projects at the sites.