DOE Arctic Energy Updates -- Fall Edition

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DOE Arctic Energy Updates

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July 2022

October 2022

Arctic Road Rally Makes History as First Long-Range EV Demo in Alaska

Arctic Road Rally

EV vehicles park along the Dalton Highway during Day 2 of the Arctic Road Rally on Aug. 14, 2022. That day included a 239-mile drive through a mountain pass, rolling tundra, deep mud, and fog. Photo courtesy of Kirsten Swann of Launch Alaska.

Though it’s a well-traveled freight route in Alaska, the Dalton Highway is known for its stretches of gravel, sparse facilities and mud. Yet the northern-most U.S. highway was also a good test bed for Launch Alaska’s first-ever Arctic Road Rally from Aug.12-16 that tested the capability of electric vehicles in the state.

During the five-day rally from Fairbanks to Oliktok Point (and back), 10 EV pickups, Teslas, SUVs and even an electric HMV journeyed 1,100 total miles along the highway through rough stretches that tested tires and windshields. Five portable charging stations and the enthusiasm of the participants helped drivers recharge during the journey.

As Arctic Energy Office Director George Roe noted at the event launch, this historic EV demonstration “was electrifying as drivers, community, utilities, academia, government, and media all gathered to share in the excitement.” 

Launch Alaska, a non-profit deployment accelerator, conceived and hosted the event. The organization is working to accelerate EV technologies in Alaska using funds from DOE’s Office of Technology Transition’s Energy Program Innovation Clusters (EPIC) program.  

Learn more about the event in George Roe’s blog.



National Arctic Strategy Addresses Security, Climate, Competition, Cooperation  

Melting glacier

A melting glacier showing the impact of climate change speaks to the importance of the National Strategy for the Arctic Region. Courtesy of Microsoft Stock Images.

The Department of Energy will have a role in implementing The National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR), which was updated to reflect the urgent and important realities of radical transformations in the Arctic. The White House published it on Oct. 7. Among other things, the NSAR stresses enhanced environmental conservation and investments in sustainable development to improve Arctic residents’ livelihoods. It also addresses strategic Arctic competition and managing tensions in the region.

“This NSAR positions the United States to accomplish our key goals in the Arctic across the board and demonstrates our commitment to the region,” said Joy Li, Strategic Planning Director for the National Security Council who led the NSAR roll out.

The Strategy will guide U.S. engagement in the Arctic through four pillars:

  • Pillar 1–Security: Enhance the capabilities to defend U.S. interests in the Arctic, while coordinating shared approaches to security with allies and partners.
  • Pillar 2–Climate Change and Environmental Protection: Partner with Alaskan communities and the State of Alaska to build climate change resilience while reducing emissions from the Arctic as part of broader global mitigation efforts.
  • Pillar 3– Sustainable Economic Development: Pursue sustainable development and improve livelihoods in Alaska, including for Alaska Native communities, and work with allies and partners to expand high-standard investment and sustainable development across the Arctic region.
  • Pillar 4–International Cooperation and Governance: Sustain institutions for Arctic cooperation, including the Arctic Council, to manage increasing activity in the region. The United States also seeks to uphold international law, rules, norms, and standards in the Arctic. 

Read the Fact Sheet or the whole Strategy.


Alaska Natives Voice Ideas for Collaboration,

Learn about DOE Funding at Summit 

Alaska Natives at TCES

Kutraluk Bolton, left, and Albie Dallemolle, right, of NANA Regional Corporation joined other tribal leaders in documenting their priorities at the Tribal Clean Energy Summit on Oct. 4-5 in Washington, D.C. Courtesy of Donica Payne.

Alaska Native tribal leaders advocated for their local community’s needs during DOE’s Tribal Clean Energy Summit Oct. 4-5 in Washington, D.C. The Summit was a chance to help federally recognized tribes advance their journey toward tribal clean energy sovereignty, stronger economies, and climate change mitigation.

With a nation-to-nation roundtable discussion of how DOE can strengthen tribal energy sovereignty, 53 tribal representatives took turns telling Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about their community’s challenges and desire for DOE collaboration to achieve energy goals. Simultaneously, 38 key tribal energy staff learned from DOE representatives about upcoming funding opportunities through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

The Summit was a chance for tribal participants to reveal their challenges of keeping abreast of numerous funding opportunities and application requirements. Alaska Native tribal representatives from remote communities also conveyed their specific difficulties with respect to lack of resources for grant writing and administration, in addition to long-standing inherent challenges of environmental considerations of resource development, elevated energy costs, and limited transportation for supply deliveries.

“We pointed out $3.5 billion in funding we could access in this region. They said we can’t get a grant writer,” noted Curtiss Chamberlain, assistant general counsel for the Calista Corporation. “Some tribes have only one tribal administrator trying to do everything. We can’t administer these grants even if awarded them. There is a large, large disconnect that’s happening in rural Alaska because a lot of these tribes are landless and don’t have any sources of revenue. With Typhoon Merbok hitting western Alaska—the second poorest region in the nation with the highest cost of living [and] no road access—the infrastructure for all of our coastal villages was pretty much destroyed. There are huge, huge needs for our region.”

Those and other needs expressed in the Summit gave DOE leaders the impetus for follow up. “We are open to hearing about ways that we can improve outreach to make everyone feel included. There are a lot of comments about formula grants and a smaller application process. This is a great first step hearing from folks here,” said Tommy Jones, deployment specialist for DOE’s Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. “The more things we can do to help, that’s what we want to do.”

Recognizing that the Summit is a good first step, DOE offices are now following up with participants on specific ideas and needs and ways to build networks with one another. As Secretary Granholm said in her roundtable, “DOE is committed more than ever in investing in solutions. As we address energy burdens, it matters that we follow up with words and actions.”

Learn more about the Summit here.


AEO, IE Staff Hear Concerns, Energy Ideas at Alaska Federation of Natives Convention

Dan Smith_Richard Peterson_Givey Kochanowski at Tribal Conference

Dan Smith of the Indian Energy Policy and Programs Office, left, Richard Peterson, president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, middle, and Givey Kochanowski of AEO, right, met at the AFN Tribal Conference before the Alaska Federation of Natives convention on Oct. 19, 2022.

The Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention Oct. 20-22, 2022 in Anchorage was an opportune time for Arctic Energy Office (AEO) and Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (IE) staff to listen to the energy project ideas and general energy concerns of Alaska Natives. This convention—the largest representative annual gathering in the United States of Native peoples—is the principal forum and voice for the Alaska Native community to address public policy and government issues, including those relating to energy. This year's convention convened an estimated 7,000 official delegates and participants from communities across Alaska. 

The 2022 Convention theme was "Celebrating Our Unity," which honored the unity among communities, families, and organizations in taking on current and future challenges. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, the participants expressed gratitude to be in person once again to share stories of resilience and hope for the future. 

With heritage dancers and singers opening each day's sessions, the three-day convention was packed with discussions on such topics as broadband upgrades to rural communities, micro nuclear, tribal sovereignty, Alaska Native boarding schools, arctic security, and tribal education and workforce initiatives. National and state leaders such as Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, and the White House's Dr. Alondra Nelson provided remarks that underscored their commitments to Alaskans and work to advocate on their behalf.

Also working on Alaska Natives' behalf are the new AFN Navigator Program managers, who are helping Natives to navigate and apply to federal funding opportunities open to their communities. AFN conference participants heard a summary of services that Navigators can provide.  

AEO and IE staff also conveyed the message of helping Alaskans to learn more about funding opportunities. Both offices were represented at side-by-side DOE booths at the convention, which provided a great opportunity to meet stakeholders of all ages and interest levels. This included Alaska Natives with clean energy project ideas, scientists interested in climate change research, energy industry representatives, other federal and state agency staff, as well as students and job seekers.     

Learn more about the convention here

Givey Kochanowski and Jodi Mitchell of IPEC

Jodi Mitchell of the Inside Passage Electric Cooperative and AFN Board Member discusses energy priorities with AEO Senior Advisor Givey Kochanowski at the AFN convention on Oct. 20, 2022.


ARENA Participants Study Geothermal Energy in Iceland

ARENA participants in Alaska

ARENA partipants visited Kotzebue, Alaska, to learn about the utility's solar and wind projects during the group's July learning opportunity. Courtesy of Amanda Byrd, ACEP.

Geothermal energy is not only a “hot” topic among renewable energy enthusiasts but it’s also the key topic for the 2022 Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA) participants this week in Reykjavík, Iceland. Until Oct. 29, they will be in the Iceland Geothermal Training Program as part of their ongoing studies into renewable energy applications.

Iceland, considered the Geothermal Capital of the World, is a great backdrop for the ARENA group to learn about this natural source of energy generation. To learn more about geothermal energy applications, the group will attend lectures and take excursions across the area, including the site of the old Laugardalur hot springs, geothermal wells and pumping station, Perlan storage tanks and exhibition.

Their journey will also take them to the geothermal field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Haustak geothermal fish drying factory, and even soaking in the Blue Lagoon. Lastly, they will visit the Southern Lowlands, the Hellisheidi Power Plant, Set Pipe factory, CO2 production from geothermal wells at Haedarendi, and commercial geothermal greenhouses for tomatoes and flowers plus electrical production at Kópsvatn. The trip will end with a visit to see the scenic Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir National Park.

This is the second on-site experience for the 2022 ARENA cohort, which AEO helps to sponsor. The program brings energy professionals together from across the circumpolar North to share knowledge and build community resilience and energy sustainability.

The first on-site was in July in Alaska, when they spent time in Fairbanks learning about Alaska’s unique tribal context, effective techniques for integrating renewable energy resources in microgrids, arctic-relevant building techniques, and low temperature geothermal power. They then visited Kotzebue to see first-hand how Kotzebue Electric Association is radically reducing the community’s reliance on barged-in diesel through utility-scale integration of diesel, wind and solar energy.

Learn about the 2022 cohort here.


Calendar of Events

  • Oct. 25-27, 2022, US Arctic Research Commission Meeting
  • Nov. 7-10, 2022, Alaska Miners Association Annual Convention
  • Nov. 14-18, 2022, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Annual Program Review
  • Nov. 16-17, 2022, Alaska Resources Conference
  • Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2022, Bureau of Indian Affairs-Alaska Region Annual Provider Conference 
  • Dec. 12-16, 2022, American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting