Results: Calendar of Events
October 4, 2009
The latest Electric Power Monthly Report released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows net U.S. electrical generation from renewable sources (biomass, geothermal, solar, hydro, and wind) reached an all-time high in May of 2009, comprising 13% of the total electrical generation for the month. Renewable sources for May ’09 generated 40,395,000 Megawatt hours (Mwh), 7.7% higher than for May of 2008, and thus far the highest figure ever reported by the EIA. Read more
October 2, 2009
Anchorage mayor Dan Sullivan announced an emergency plan for averting a gas crisis this winter that unaddressed could leave homes in Southcentral without electricity and heat. The plan got lots of coverage so I won’t go into details here beyond giving you the links to the stories. The gist of the problem is that on a really cold winter day, when demand for heat and electricity spikes, there won’t be enough gas to maintain pressure in the lines. Too little pressure and the gas stops flowing, kind of like how a balloon loses its oomph as it deflates. The emergency plan involves monitoring the pressure, and putting out public alerts to have utilities and residents cut back their energy usage before we reach critical point.
Alaska Dispatch
APRN
Anchorage Daily News
October 2, 2009
Requests for those FREE Kill-A-Watt energy meters are piling up fast. The waiting list, as of today, is up to 65 people at the Anchorage library. That’s just a few days after media reports about the program (started by Eagle Scout Garrison Wilts), which lets you check the energy meters out from the library. The meters are simple to use. You plug them into your appliances and, on the display, it shows you just how much energy that refrigerator, lamp or old freezer uses. Once you have those numbers, you can figure out if it’s time to replace that old Frigidaire. For more information, see this story from the Anchorage Daily News. To get on the waiting list for an energy meter, go to anchoragelibrary.org. Click on “search the catalog” and type in “energy monitor.”
October 2, 2009
A story in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper talks about a growing trend – the boom in renewable energy jobs for people who know how to operate and install renewable energy systems. Expect to see more of these — jobs and stories. Training is also an issue that is starting to get some attention. In Alaska, the Mat-Su College will be offering renewable energy courses this spring. The Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) in Seward is also looking at installing a wind turbine to further students’ electrical knowledge and to provide training for engineers who will be maintaining wind turbines in rural villages.
October 2, 2009
From Rena Delbridge at the Alaska Dispatch: Gov. Sean Parnell submitted a plan to federal energy officials Wednesday on how to spend what may be the state’s most controversial $28.2 million — stimulus money that his predecessor, Sarah Palin, rejected before resigning in July. Under Parnell’s plan, much of the stimulus funding would go toward energy-efficiency improvements in schools and government buildings. His administration’s proposal also identifies a way for the state to turn the $28 million into roughly $86 million by tapping the state’s credit line or issuing bonds that would be repaid with savings realized by the efficiency upgrades. Read more
October 1, 2009
There may be few better places to test energy-efficient home building than in Anaktuvuk Pass, which lies above the Arctic Circle and is known for its cold temperatures. The average temperature in January is minus 14 degrees. Now more villages may be following Anaktuvuk’s lead, according to this story by Alex Demarban of Alaska Newspapers which talks about a super efficient home recently built in Anaktuvuk and and plans for an upcoming housing design forum in Point Lay that will be hosted by the Cold Climate Housing Research Center. Read more
ADN reporter Kyle Hopkins also wrote about problems with housing in Quinhagak on his The Village blog with this link to some pictures of the Anaktuvuk home.
October 1, 2009
An interesting story today by John Timmer on Ars Technica site about the need for more energy storage on the electric grid, especially as more renewable energy sources come on line. It’s a bit of an esoteric topic, or at least one that doesn’t get a lot of public discussion. But the storage is a necessary cushion to handle fluctuations in power.
The story gave this example of why storage is necessary: “Gyuk used Texas, which has invested heavily in developing its wind capacity, as an example of why, if energy storage is good under normal circumstances, it’s essential to enable greater reliance on renewable power. According to Gyuk, in 2008, a sudden plunge in wind caused the state to suffer a 1400MW drop in power in a mere 10 minutes; only fast action by the utilities’ industrial customers, who cut their own usage quickly, bailed them out. Events like that tend to drive up prices dramatically, but the converse also takes place when the turbines spin up. In a single month, Texas has apparently experienced 533 instances where the grid price for electricity was negative for short periods of time. Adding storage to the mix would not only smooth over the power disruptions, but it should significantly limit the price fluctuations, as well.” Read more
October 1, 2009
From the Homer Tribune: The owners of Bear Creek Winery and Lodging are some of the first in town to install a wind system, hoping to generate enough electricity to operate equipment in the winery – including keeping the building warm enough to allow the wine to ferment. Dorothy and Bill Fry, who established Bear Creek five years ago, set up a 70-foot wind tower at the winery on Friday. Installed by Alaska Wind Industries, the turbine has already generated 12.4 kilowatts. That’s enough to produce 400 kilowatts per month; enough to supply a small house, approximately 900 square feet. Read more
October 1, 2009
Indian Country Today takes a look at the search for geothermal power in the Aleutians: A geophysical survey team is using electromagnetic probes in the remote community of Akutan, Alaska to help investigate the potential of the nearby geothermal resource. If a significant resource is identified this would potentially allow the Eastern Aleutian region to realize a clean, inexpensive and reliable source of energy production. Currently, the City of Akutan (population 713) and Trident Seafoods, a large plant which operates within the community, use a combined peak of 7 MW of diesel-generated power. The city’s power cost exceeds $0.32 kWh. Development of power from the Akutan geothermal project would eliminate the dependence on diesel fuel, reduce carbon emissions and promote economic and cultural sustainability of Akutan and the region. Read more
October 10, 2009
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
HOMER – RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE will be held from 2 to 4pm in the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center Auditorium. For more information, contact Nadia Dagget at 907-776-7664 or email: nadia@acsalaska.net.
