This year, nPOWER has partnered with 2041 to make the E-Base project a success, and will be powering the energy side of the E-Base in Antarctica. nPOWER have created a bespoke renewable energy plan that will enable the E-Base to be self-sufficient and run completely on wind, solar and solar thermal components.

Watch our short film of the nPOWER team preparing to ship the E-Base materials to Antarctica, and get a taste for the wonderful broadcasts to come during the E-Base Goes Live project in early March 2008.

As part the E-Base Goes Live expedition mission, Robert Swan has vowed to reach out to the future generation to help raise awareness on the critical issue of climate change and the need to develop more renewable energy technologies.

In early March 2008, while living at the E-Base for two weeks on renewable wind, solar and solar thermal energy, Robert will offer an opportunity for a handful of schools from throughout the world to engage in a personal live video-chat with him in Antarctica. This is part of Robert’s promise to the leaders of tomorrow, as a means to inspire them with his story and his experiences and also listen to their thoughts on the state of global affairs, especially that of global warming and the environment.

Pupils from schools in the United Kingdom, the United States, Curacao, India and China, amongst others, will be given a chance to communicate with Rob about his experiences of living at the E-Base solely on renewable energy. By speaking to students around the globe from the world’s first education base in Antarctica, Robert will play a crucial role in promoting renewable energy, preservation and conservation for future generations.

Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that Rob uses to send text-based messages of up to 140 characters from his phone from anywhere in the world!

Embracing the new era of Web 2.0 technologies, Rob continues to spread the message of the preservation of the Antarctic wilderness, renewable energy and combating the effects of global warming through modern 21st century tools. Now, through regular text updates in his own words sent to the 2041 website, he always feels connected to a global audience of supporters and friends.

Be sure to trace Rob’s travels through the website’s “Where In The World Is Rob?” section and watch the story unfold. Whether in Mumbai or Moscow, Rob will only be a short text message away…

This year, for the first time, 2041 will be launching a new, interactive website dedicated solely to the 2008 IAE Expedition and its members, and will be updating it daily from the field using the latest in satellite technology and digital media*. Through film clips, photo galleries, blog posts and GPS geotagging, team members will be able to share their physical and emotional impressions in real-time, and audiences following the adventure online can chart the experience virtually like never-before.

*conditions permitting

Their blog LatLong, which offers the latest news on Google Earth and Google Maps, announces the best satellite imagery and greatest detail ever offered of Antarctica. If you haven’t tried Google Earth, you can download it for free, and experience the world in a whole new way.

This latest development in Antarctic imagery now stops at about 82.5 degrees South (as there are no satellite images available closer to the South Pole). That being said, much of Antarctica can be viewed like never before, and 2041 will showcase these fantastic updates in satellite technology on the upcoming 2008 IAE Expedition, which lasts from March 13 – 26, 2008.

With greater calls for user-generated content of the White Continent, we will contribute to the pool of knowledge by geo-tagging our GPS coordinates and images throughout the 2008 IAE journey, and upload them to the IAE Expedition website. Follow 2041.com for the latest updates and posts from the field.

In 2003, 2041 led the first corporate expedition to Antarctica where 42 people from 18 nations joined Robert Swan on his ‘Leadership on the Edge’ program. Since then, Robert and the 2041 team have embarked on 5 more Inspire Antarctic Expeditions, leading corporate professionals, NGOs, teachers and students to Antarctica to witness first-hand the effects of climate change and harness their talents and energy to make a difference.

Throughout the IAE expedition, team members learn from each other’s areas of expertise, including climate change and renewable technology. Working in teams they share their industry knowledge and equip themselves to become more sustainable leaders upon their return.

Every IAE team member experiences firsthand the importance of preserving Antarctica and protecting the environment for future generations. The knowledge they take back to their businesses, schools and communities is crucial in expanding local and global awareness on sustainable living and the environment.

As Facebook creator, 23-year old Mark Zuckerberg, highlighted in a recent interview for a cover story in Newsweek magazine, Facebook is (1) not a social- networking site but a “utility,” a tool to facilitate the information flow between users and their compatriots, family members and professional connections;
(2) not just for college students, and (3) a world-changing idea of unlimited potential.

The 2041 team could not agree more, and joined that world of “unlimited potential” in November 2007, launching the 2041 Facebook Group . So far, it has brought together hundreds of students, teachers, corporate professionals, past and present expeditioners and those simply interested in Robert Swan’s personal and public achievements. As Robert continues to inspire us with his global projects, rest assured that the 2041 Facebook page will remain a meeting ground for like-minded friends and supporters.

Please join our Facebook group online, and remember, you will need to sign up for a free account if you are not already a member.

On March 18 2008, the last day of the E-Base Goes Live challenge, Robert will be joined by the 2008 Inspire Antarctic Expedition team members, who will have boarded the ‘MV Ushuaia’ three days earlier in Argentina, crossing the unforgiving Drake Passage to meet him.

From King George Island, Robert will lead this international team of teachers, students and corporate professionals on a journey through the Antarctic Peninsula, visiting incredible locations and sharing his insights and personal experiences of this unique continent along the way.

Working with a group of on-board experts, 2008 IAE team members will gain first hand knowledge of the continent’s majestic beauty, observe its fragile ecosystems and wildlife, and take time to truly become inspired by the unique experience that is Antarctica.

Throughout the voyage, Robert Swan’s Leadership on the Edge program will build participants’ team and leadership skills and provide a suitable environment to debate key issues facing Antarctica and the planet at large.

Phase One begins on the West coast of the United States in April 2008, where 2041 will engage in a mission to engage and inspire American youth on the use of renewable energy by raising awareness in every port city she visits.

Launching in San Francisco, the 2041 yacht will dock in numerous West Coast ports, such as Seattle, Portland, San Diego and Los Angeles, before making her way to the Panama Canal.

Watch for a dedicated Voyage for Cleaner Energy website coming to 2041.com soon, and follow video and audio broadcasts from key ports, university leaders, as well as the 2041 herself.

Robert will share his daily experiences with the world through a cutting-edge interactive website, beaming back from the field via exciting daily video dispatches, photographs and live text and video chats.

Harnessing the communicative power of web technology, Robert and the 2041 team aim to bring the message of preserving Antarctica, promoting sustainable lifestyles and combating climate change to a wider audience, including corporations, schools and the greater public.