Original title: Review on State-of-the-art Energy Systems in Arctic
Bilal Babar, Sabrina Sartori · September 2026
The Arctic relies heavily on fossil fuels to generate power, yet it warms much faster than the rest of the world. Because of this, the region needs clean energy that can survive freezing weather. Researchers reviewed 88 studies to explore modern solutions for these cold places. They looked at how wind turbines and solar panels can generate clean power to replace fossil fuels. To make this setup work, batteries handle quick, short-term energy storageSystems that store electricity for later use, like batteries or hydrogen., while hydrogen stores power over longer periods. Deep holes in the ground, called boreholesDeep holes drilled in the ground to store heat from summer for winter use., store heat to keep buildings warm. If clean energy falters, diesel generators step in as a backup. Major challenges include equipment that can survive harsh weather, specialized planning tools, and supportive government policies.
You are preparing for winter in a remote cabin with limited fuel. You rely on a wood stove for heat and a hot water tank for stored warmth, but a long cold snap could exhaust your wood supply. In this paper, the wood stove represents renewable sources like wind and solar, the hot water tank corresponds to energy storage (batteries, hydrogen, underground heat stores), and the emergency propane backup is the diesel generator that ensures reliability when renewables cannot meet demand.
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, yet it still relies heavily on fossil fuels. This review shows that renewable solutions like wind, solar, and hydrogen storage are viable, but they can't replace diesel entirely due to harsh conditions and reliability needs. Understanding these barriers is crucial for governments and industries aiming to cut emissions in cold regions while keeping lights on.
The review does not report specific performance data or cost comparisons. It is based on 88 articles and may not cover all relevant work. The analysis identifies barriers but does not propose detailed mitigation strategies.
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Review on State-of-the-art Energy Systems in Arctic — Bilal Babar, Sabrina Sartori
Abstract licence: CC0
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper. This is a preprint, so it hasn't necessarily been peer reviewed.