Dec. 8 Forum: Emerging Energy Technologies for Alaska 

6-8pm • Anchorage Museum auditorium • 625 C Street
Cost: FREE
This month’s forum features Jason Meyer, of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, who will discuss emerging energy technology projects, programs, and opportunities in Alaska. Highlighted will be the Denali Commission’s Emerging Energy Technology Grant program, with updates from 13 projects located across Alaska. Project examples include hydrokinetics in Nenana and Eagle, wood biomass in Juneau, a sea water heat pump in Seward, high penetration wind in Wales, psychrophiles in Cordova, and even solar thermal technology in Kotzebue. A brief update on the state’s newly created Emerging Energy Technology Fund will also be provided, with information on the recently enacted legislation and project eligibility provided. More information, including how to sign up for a live podcast, here

State renewable energy grants are Bush boon 

November 21, 2010

By Tim Bradner in the Anchorage Daily News: When government does things right, it’s worth a pat on the back.With that in mind, let’s give credit to our Alaska Energy Authority, state legislators and Gov. Sean Parnell, who have given steady support to a renewable energy grant program aimed mainly at helping small rural villages.

The program is already reducing these communities’ reliance on costly diesel for power generation and space heating. It’s a worthy public investment because reducing the amount rural Alaskans spend on diesel keeps cash at home, strengthening the local village economy. It’s also good for the state’s larger cities, including Anchorage, because rural residents will have more money to spend on purchases here. Money stays in Alaska rather than going to purchase oil from countries that are sometimes unfriendly. Read more:

Fairbanks churches try energy audits to save money 

November 15, 2010

By Mary Beth Smetzer of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: It’s a sign of the times in religious circles — caulking and sealing parties. This new congregational activity will soon begin at Christ Lutheran Church and University Community Presbyterian Church.

Both houses of worship underwent sanctuary energy audits this past week, and as soon as they receive itemized reports, they will begin performing the simpler energy-saving tasks to reduce their energy consumption. Some larger projects might have to be contracted out.

“We found we were leaking like a sieve,” said the Rev. Susan Granata, pastor at Christ Lutheran. Read more

Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – Fairbanks churches try energy audits to save money

Kodiak wind power blows away oil price uncertainties 

November 15, 2010

By Steve Quinn for Alaska Journal of Commerce: This coastal community gets enough wind to cancel flights, knock out power and slam a wayward boat against the coast turning it into kindling wood. There’s also enough gusts to produce 9 percent of Kodiak’s annual power generation.

That’s thanks to the state’s largest wind generation project, which recently completed its first year operating. Read more

Aleutian towns on track for renewable energy 

November 12, 2010

By Rose Cox in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman: A group of Aleutian entities met to explore reducing use of fossil fuels in communities along the Aleutian Chain at an energy summit in Anchorage six months ago. Their stated goal was to develop a plan by spring 2011 to reduce fossil fuel use by 85 percent in the next decade.

Since that April meeting, they have delved into energy conservation strategies, spurred renewable energy studies along the chain, and forged ahead on plans to form a bulk fuel cooperative.

The ad-hoc committee of regional stakeholders — dubbed “The A-Team” — includes Native corporations, tribal administrators, local governments and others from 15 Aleutian communities. They include representatives from Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association, the Aleut Corp., Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Aleutian Housing Authority and the Aleut Foundation. Read more

Kidwind Design Challenge 

November 9, 2010

REMINDER!

The KidWind Design Challenge registration deadline is next Monday, November 15th.

Students in grades 6-12 will compete in teams of up to four to produce the most powerful and creative student wind turbine. These wind turbines will be tested in a portable wind tunnel and evaluated by a panel of judges. Regional competitions will be held in Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kotzebue for schools in these communities. Other competitions will be help in individual communities, as well as in Girdwood at the International Wind Diesel Conference on March 6th, 2011. The teams with the highest scores will be the Challenge winners. Teams do not have to be from schools that are already a part of Alaska Wind for Schools. We invite teams from all schools to participate.

If you are interested in organizing a design team at your school, please register by November 15th. You can register online at:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/alaska.edu/gform?key=0AnBy2oORxf3jdHhxa3NLNzJJT3RtRnFPRi15cXpnOEE&hl=en&gridId=0#edit or at www.akwidac.com.

For more information, contact  Katherine Keith at: kmkeith@alaska.edu or 907-982-5977

We look forward to seeing all of the creative turbines designed by Alaska’s youth!

Geothermal Energy Project Continues Project in Akutan 

November 8, 2010

By Alexandra Gutierrez, KUCB –Unalaska: The City of Akutan continues to make progress on its geothermal energy project. For more than a year, the city has been working to turn the island’s hot springs into a renewable energy resource. This summer, two exploratory wells have been drilled 1,500 feet into the earth, at a site about three miles away from the town in Hot Spring Valley Bay. According to program manager Ray Mann, the results have been promising. Geologists have measured temperatures of about 360 degrees in the wells – hot enough to move forward with the project.

Last week, Mann traveled to California to address the Geothermal Resources Council and talk about where the project stands and where it’s going. Hear the full story here

Alaska Co-ops Seek New Energy with Wind Power 

November 8, 2010

From ECT.coop: Diesel has been the life’s blood of Alaska’s electric co-ops for decades. But as consumer-members face higher costs and press environmental concerns, many co-ops are seeking alternatives.

“Fuel costs are killing rural Alaska,” said Meera Kohler, president and CEO of Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. The Anchorage-based co-op serves 53 communities, only one of which is accessible by road. Crews, equipment and fuel have to be hauled to the others by air, boat or barge.

AVEC currently buys about five million gallons of diesel fuel annually for its primary source of power: 150 diesel generators collectively operating about 400,000 hours annually. Read more

Fairbanks Looks Underground for Energy 

November 3, 2010

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks: The Fairbanks North Star Borough will use federal money to investigate local geothermal energy potential. $1 million from the Department of Energy is being put out by the borough as a request for proposals to develop a model and technology for turning underground heat into electricity. Borough Grant Coordinator Chris Storkok explained the goals of the effort to the Borough Assembly last week.

The Borough Assembly has approved offering the money as a grant to an entity that can provide matching funds. Fairbanks is already on the geothermal map for the successful development of a power plant at Chena Hot Spring Resort. Engineer Gwen Holdman, who stewarded development of the project, and now serves as Director of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, says Chena Hot Springs could produce some level of power for Fairbanks. Read more

Utilities, gas producers beef up their systems 

November 2, 2010

By Tim Bradner at the Alaska Journal of Commerce: Utilities and natural gas producers in Southcentral Alaska are beefing up their systems to get ready for winter.

Owners of the Beluga gas field, which supplies fuel to Chugach Electric Association’s Beluga power plant, are adding a new compressor unit to offset the effect of declining gas production and Chugach itself is changing the configuration of piping in a gas-inlet unit to allow the power plant to take gas at lower pressures.

This allows the plant to continue normal operation if there is an upset in gas supply and pressure drops in the system, Chugach spokesman Phil Steyer said. Read more