May 24, 2010
Washington, May 21 – Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young introduced H.R. 5352, Alaska Clean Energy Development Act, this afternoon. This legislation would classify Alaska hydropower renewable for the purposes of the renewable energy tax credits, federal programs, and standards, if it is less than 50 megawatts; or is generated through the use of a lake tap or siphon, pumped storage, or a run of the river system. Read more
May 19, 2010
From the U.S. Department of Energy: Citing support from state and federal policies, the U.S. solar industry reported strong growth in 2009, with a 36% increase in revenues. Globally, First Solar topped the list of solar module suppliers in 2009, shipping more than a gigawatt of modules, according to an industry analyst. Read more
May 19, 2010
From the U.S. Department of Energy: Cape Wind Associates has agreed to sell to National Grid half of the electricity produced from its planned wind power project off the coast of Massachusetts. The company has also earned approval of the project from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Read more
May 19, 2010
From the U.S. Department of Energy: Several reports are showing that the clean energy sector remained strong globally in 2009 and during the first quarter of 2010. Bloomberg New Energy Finance found that investments in clean energy increased 31% in the first quarter of 2010 over the same period in 2009. Read more
May 22, 2010 to May 23, 2010
Learn all about building an energy efficient log home in Alaska!
Saturday, May 22, 2010 &
Sunday, May 23, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Palmer Center for Sustainable Living
1509 Trunk Road, Palmer, Alaska
This Workshop is intended to provide you with the necessary information to build scribe-fit, hand crafted, natural log homes that comply with the State of Alaska Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES).
Instructors: Mike Musick & Richard Musick
Registration: Fee: $150.00 per student
For more information or to register by phone call:
Sasha Zemanek at 907-322-5669
May 14, 2010
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Come to the Energy Fair on Friday, May 14 from 6-9 PM at the Palmer Depot.
“Alaska Energy: Efficiency and You” will focus on what you can do in your home and business to cut back on energy use through energy efficiency measures.
Home and business owners have options to save money by decreasing their energy bills through energy efficiency measures. Energy efficiency doesn’t mean you will have to freeze in the dark using only a bare minimum of appliances. Energy efficiency means saving money by using energy more thoughtfully. Energy efficiency, done right, results in spending less money to provide the services Alaskans need, in affordable, and efficient ways, with no sacrifice to your convenience or comfort.
If we simply increase our efficiency by 3.3% each year for the next 15 years, we will be using about ½ the amount of power we used in 2000, according to a February 2010 study of Alaska’s Energy Efficiency potential on the railbelt conducted by Natural Capitalism Solutions. Less power produced means less money coming out of Alaskans pocketbooks.
Energy efficiency improvements can be made immediately.
The Energy Fair will feature:
BOOTHS featuring statewide programs, organizations and businesses focused on energy efficiency.
INFORMATION packets on statewide programs and more about energy efficiency.
A BULB SWAP: Incandescents are a drain on your energy bill. Bring in your incandescent light bulb and receive a low energy lightbulb in return.
WATT’S MY POWER RAFFLE. Enter the free raffle and get a chance to win a Digital Meter that reads your power usage from each appliance or win a Smart Power Strip that automatically turns off your appliances when you’ve shut down your major appliance.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL. There is no better way to celebrate anything than with free ice cream with the fixings. Bring the whole family! All are welcome and there will be information for all ages.
The “Alaska Energy: Efficiency and You” Energy Fair is the fourth in a series of informational community events sponsored by the MEA Ratepayer’s Alliance, Inc.- a grassroots nonprofit here in the Valley. To learn more about the fair and our organization find us on the web at www.mearatepayers.org. Hope to see you at the Fair!!
May 10, 2010
From the National Renewable Energy Laboratory: The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced a series of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with 3M, the St. Paul, Minn.-based technology company. The collaborative effort demonstrates both 3M’s and NREL’s commitments to meeting the nation’s clean energy needs by developing technologies that are vital to producing large-scale sources of new renewable electricity and fuel at competitive costs. The agreements between NREL and 3M establish joint investigations in three key areas of innovation: thin-film photovoltaics, concentrating solar power and biofuels.
The CRADAs range from jointly identifying and developing critical aspects of renewable energy technology to accelerated testing of 3M designs and scaling-up successful prototype technologies for commercial production. The agreements last for at least one year. Read more
May 10, 2010
This editorial by Sens. Lesil McGuire and Bill Wielechowski appeared in the Anchorage Daily News: Alaskans want to live and work where energy is reliable and affordable. That is why we crafted the Alaska Sustainable Energy Act, which passed unanimously on the last day of the legislative session. This bipartisan legislation will pave the way for lower energy costs, greater energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy in Alaska. It will help Alaska families, businesses, schools and communities cut their costs and find more sustainable ways of meeting their energy needs. The act includes a broad range of policy tools designed to stimulate the economy and improve Alaskans’ standard of living. Read more
May 9, 2010
By Christopher Eshleman at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Electric utility managers say it’s a federal clean energy program that has them poised to build a big wind farm near Healy.The program would repay more than two-thirds of construction costs for a $93 million Eva Creek farm, Golden Valley Electric Association president Brian Newton said Friday. The utility has weighed the proposed farm for years and recently tested markets for renewable energy aid. Newton said they learned last month the project falls under the federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds program and would be reimbursed from the federal treasury. They are talking of building the 24 megawatt wind farm immediately. Read more
May 4, 2010
This is a post by Herman K. Trabish on the New Energy News blog
THE POINT
If Alaska – with its long long nights so demanding of electricity for lights and its cold cold winters so crucially in need of heating – can transition to a New Energy economy, surely any state can. And Alaska Energy Pathway; Toward energy independence, from the Alaska Energy Authority, says yes, Alaska can. Can what? Can meet the state’s goal of getting half its electricity and heating from New Energy sources like hydropower, geothermal and wind by 2025.
Alaska is a uniquely diverse state with a contemporary metropolitan lifestyle in its Railbelt region from Homer to Fairbanks yet practically a developing world lifestyle in its rural outlying communities. Plans for either sector nevertheless settle on the same basic approach: (1) conservation and Energy Efficiency, (2) New Energy to reduce fossil fuel reliance, decrease greenhouse gas emissions (GhGs) and increase energy security, and (3) stable affordable utility rates. Read more
