Alaska Renewables is pursuing five clean, local wind energy projects in the Railbelt despite President Trump’s threats to refuse permits for wind turbines. The Shovel Creek and Little Mount Susitna Wind Projects alone could produce up to 300 MW of power – cutting Railbelt demand for natural gas by 12%.
The Alaska Division of Oil and Gas (AK-DOG) will open a new geothermal lease auction on the Augustine Volcano on April 3. This clean, local energy source is located only 70 miles from Homer and 175 miles from Anchorage. AK-DOG policy and program specialist Sean Clifton says developers are interested in the untapped geothermal potential contained in Alaska’s many volcanoes.
A new report from the Alaska Public Interest Research Group reveals that more than $1 billion in federal funding for clean energy, weatherization, and erosion control projects in Alaska is now at risk. The uncertainty follows a January executive order by President Trump that froze federal funding. Impacted projects include $20 million for solar installations in Huslia, $7 million for a hydroelectric dam in Chignik, and $55 million for solar and battery storage in Northwest communities. The freeze has stalled planning, hiring, and construction ahead of Alaska’s vital summer work season.
March 18, 2025
Anchorage Daily News
Recent executive orders, canceled projects, and frozen funds have created uncertainty for Alaska’s energy future. With billions in federal spending cuts on the table, critical funding for transmission upgrades, renewable projects, and rural energy independence is at risk. In an Anchorage Daily News op-ed, our Senior Advisors urge Congress to protect these investments, ensuring Alaska’s path to energy security, lower costs, and long-term economic stability.
The Nushagak Cooperative has submitted a two-year study on the proposed Nuyakuk Falls hydroelectric project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The project would divert 30% of the river’s flow to produce 58,200 megawatt-hours annually, cutting diesel reliance. Located in Wood-Tikchik State Park, this report marks a major milestone, with a final feasibility decision expected in April 2025.
January 13, 2025
Desiree Hagan – KOTZ
Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) scientists are researching the potential for consumers to use EVs in remote Alaska. Kotzebue residents evaluated their EV options and selected the all-electric Taiga snowmachine and Polaris four-wheeler for volunteer participants to test-drive in the study’s next phase. Researchers are also working with the Galena and Kotzebue school districts to develop an EV repair training program delivered for free to students.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $2.8 million to the Northwest Arctic Borough to upgrade Ambler's power plant and microgrid. These improvements will enable integration of new solar PV and energy storage systems, which already secured federal funding. Once these energy assets fully operate, Ambler will be able to turn off its diesel generators for the first time in 40 years.
US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $4.2 million in federal funding to Spruce Root to install heat pumps in 240 tribally owned homes and community facilities on Prince of Wales (POW). These pumps will replace heating oil and propane based heating systems to provide clean, locally produced energy at affordable rates. This project will reduce POW’s reliance on expensive heating oil and propane.
The US Department of Energy Water Power Technologies office has selected Anchorage-based energy tech accelerator Launch Alaska to receive $100,000 for its Water and Alaska Vital Energy Systems (WAVES) project. WAVES will identify potential ways to deploy cutting-edge water power technologies in Alaska. Through this program, Launch Alaska will support companies investing in clean, local marine energy along Alaska’s 33,000 miles of coastline.
December 19, 2024
Homer News
Homer Electric Association (HEA) has secured $5 million to design a system that converts methane from the town’s landfill into electricity. This project is part of the utility's broader effort to develop clean, local sources of energy generation and storage. Methane and wind based generation projects have the potential to lower energy costs and increase energy security for Homer and the Kenai peninsula.
