A 17-year-old Chilean high school student, María Javiera Valenzuela, has proposed a hybrid energy model combining renewable sources and a next-generation nuclear microreactor to reduce diesel dependence at Antarctic research stations, according to a TOI report. Her student-led concept estimates that the system could help cut annual carbon dioxide emissions at an Antarctic base by 3,254 tonnes, though it is not an approved project.
Valenzuela developed the concept for Chile’s 2026 Antarctic School Fair, where she explored ways to address the challenges of powering research facilities in one of the world’s harshest environments.
