Results: Calendar of Events
February 23, 2010
10:00 am to 11:00 am
February 23 (WEBINAR)
HYDROPOWER PLANNING IN ALASKA: DOES CLIMATE CHANGE MATTER? will be held from 10 to 11am Alaska Time. JESSIE ELLEN CHERRY, International Arctic Research Center & Institute of Northern Engineering, UAF, will lead the webinar. The supply, demand, and price for hydroelectric power can be strongly influenced by climatic factors such as temperature, precipitation, and water storage by the environment. The climate, in turn, is driven by both natural variability (on a variety of timescales) and anthropogenic forcing. For planning water resource management here in Alaska, particularly for long-lived, large infrastructure projects, it is useful to understand the sources of uncertainty in climate projections and how they influence long-term and short-term decision-making. A case study in Southeast Alaska is described, where most of Alaska’s hydropower facilities are concentrated. Challenges to assessing the regional impacts of climate change here are discussed, as well as our interpretation of the historical record of climate variability. Our analysis concludes that understanding and accounting for natural modes of variability may be as important as planning for long-term climate change when it comes to managing existing hydropower facilities and planning new infrastructure. To participate, Log-In to the Alaska Climate Teleconference: 1) With a regular telephone dial: 1-800-893-8850. 2) When prompted, enter the PIN code: 7531823 PLEASE MUTE YOUR PHONE DURING THE PRESENTATION. To view the presentation during a teleconference: 1) Point your web browser to: http://www.shareitnow.com 2) Click on the blue Join a Meeting button on the left side bar.3) For Presenter ID enter: accap@uaf.edu. If you do not see anything on your screen, click on the refresh button on the top bar.
February 22, 2010
By Julie Schmit of USA TODAY: Putting solar or other green upgrades on homes and businesses is getting less painful in more cities that are rapidly launching programs to enable owners to pay back upfront costs over years. The programs let property owners borrow money for upgrades, then pay it back over up to 20 years as a special assessment on property tax bills. The Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE programs, work like this: A city, county or other municipal entity creates a district to issue bonds to raise money to lend to property owners. Investors buy the bonds. If properties sell, payments transfer to new owners.The concept was launched in a pilot in Berkeley, Calif., in 2008. Boulder County has lent almost $10 million to 612 homeowners for everything from solar to new insulation and energy-efficient furnaces, Livingston says. Read more
February 23, 2010
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Let’s spread the love!
The Alaskan Chapter of Women of Wind Energy (AKWoWE) is encouraging women throughout Alaska to take part in this growing wind energy field.
This month there will be two AKWoWE sponsored Wind Webinars:
Adult webinar (high-school and above) on February 23rd from 7:00-8:00 pm.
Katherine Keith, ACEP’s Wind Diesel Application Center, will discuss “Wind-Diesel 101″
Youth webinar (middle school and younger) on February 24th from 3:45pm-4:45pm.
Martina Dabo, TDX Power, will discuss “Wind Energy for Kids”
While these events are sponsored by AKWoWE, any participants are welcome: men included!
If you are interested in either of these webinars please fill out this registration form so that information and updates can be sent to you. For more information on Alaska’s Women of Wind Energy please visit AKWoWE.
February 23, 2010
10:00 am to 11:00 am
February 23 (WEBINAR)
HYDROPOWER PLANNING IN ALASKA: DOES CLIMATE CHANGE MATTER? will be held from 10 to 11am Alaska Time. JESSIE ELLEN CHERRY, International Arctic Research Center & Institute of Northern Engineering, UAF, will lead the webinar. The supply, demand, and price for hydroelectric power can be strongly influenced by climatic factors such as temperature, precipitation, and water storage by the environment. The climate, in turn, is driven by both natural variability (on a variety of timescales) and anthropogenic forcing. For planning water resource management here in Alaska, particularly for long-lived, large infrastructure projects, it is useful to understand the sources of uncertainty in climate projections and how they influence long-term and short-term decision-making. A case study in Southeast Alaska is described, where most of Alaska’s hydropower facilities are concentrated. Challenges to assessing the regional impacts of climate change here are discussed, as well as our interpretation of the historical record of climate variability. Our analysis concludes that understanding and accounting for natural modes of variability may be as important as planning for long-term climate change when it comes to managing existing hydropower facilities and planning new infrastructure. To participate, Log-In to the Alaska Climate Teleconference: 1) With a regular telephone dial: 1-800-893-8850. 2) When prompted, enter the PIN code: 7531823 PLEASE MUTE YOUR PHONE DURING THE PRESENTATION. To view the presentation during a teleconference: 1) Point your web browser to: http://www.shareitnow.com 2) Click on the blue Join a Meeting button on the left side bar.3) For Presenter ID enter: accap@uaf.edu. If you do not see anything on your screen, click on the refresh button on the top bar.
February 5, 2010
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu this week announced the selection of five projects to receive a combined US $20.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support deployment of community-based renewable energy projects including biomass, wind and solar installations. “Smaller, more localized renewable energy systems need to play a role in our comprehensive energy portfolio,” Secretary Chu said. “These projects will help create jobs, expand our clean energy economy, and help us cut carbon pollution at the local level.”Read more
February 4, 2010
From the Aleutians East Borough website: The City of Akutan is in for a hot summer. Preparations are underway for drilling exploratory geothermal wells in Hot Springs Bay Valley on Akutan Island, just three miles from Akutan Village. Extensive prospecting, including soil and chemical testing, remote sensing using satellite imagery, and magneto-telluric measurement of electric currents in the earth using more than 50 ground probes, was completed in October 2009. Now the project technical team, led by Dr. Amanda Kolker, has identified four high priority sites for test well drilling this summer.
Under ideal conditions, four “slim hole” wells (approximately 3 inches in diameter) can be drilled between June and October – one to a depth of 3,500 feet and three to a depth of 1,500 feet. However, much work remains to be done before the drilling team can go into action. State permits need to be issued, procurement of transportation, drilling services and material must be completed. Read more
February 3, 2010
From the Juneau Empire: The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development was awarded a $3.6 million grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to train 700 workers in the skills required for careers in emerging energy-efficient and renewable energy industries. Read more
February 2, 2010
From Ed Schoenfeld on APRN: Legislation promoting electric cars is on its way to the governor’s office. Senate Bill 59 allows the vehicles on more roads in villages and small cities, especially in Southeast. To hear the full story, click here
February 1, 2010
From a GE Press Release: Signaling its continuing commitment to developing and delivering cleaner, more efficient energy solutions for the world, GE (NYSE:GE) today officially dedicated a $45 million Renewable Energy Global Headquarters in Schenectady, NY. When we entered the wind energy industry in 2002, it was a $200 million business for us. Today it has grown significantly, with revenues topping $6 billion.” The event also marked the installation of GE’s 13,500th wind turbine globally, further demonstrating the continued growth of GE’s renewable energy business. Read more
February 1, 2010
President Barack Obama today announced that the Federal Government will reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 28 percent by 2020. As the single largest energy consumer in the U.S. economy, the Federal Government spent more than $24.5 billion on electricity and fuel in 2008 alone. Achieving the Federal GHG pollution reduction target will reduce Federal energy use by the equivalent of 646 trillion BTUs, equal to 205 million barrels of oil, and taking 17 million cars off the road for one year. This is also equivalent to a cumulative total of $8 to $11 billion in avoided energy costs through 2020.
Federal Departments and Agencies will achieve greenhouse gas pollution reductions by measuring their current energy and fuel use, becoming more energy efficient and shifting to clean energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal. Examples of agency actions that are underway are available on the White House Council on Environmental Quality website and can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/ceq. Read more
