DOE Arctic Energy Updates

AEO Welcomes a New Director

Please welcome our new director, Dr. Erin Whitney! As a former member of the research faculty at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) and previously as a staff scientist at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), she brings a wealth of experience and deep knowledge of Arctic issues. While at ACEP, she founded and directed its thriving Solar Technologies Program, managed the Data Collection and Analysis Program, and led ACEP's work on the Alaska Affordable Energy Strategy that highlights Alaska’s technology-specific energy development needs. She also led a multi-year National Science Foundation project exploring food, energy, and water security, and led the University of Alaska’s regional partner team for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP). Most recently, Dr. Whitney coordinated a range of activities to integrate hydrogen with Alaska’s energy systems, including the launch of the Alaska Hydrogen Working Group. In addition, she was a 2022-23 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Germany at the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy in Freiburg, studying hydrogen energy systems for remote microgrids.  From her time at NREL, Dr. Whitney also has a strong research background in materials R&D, energy analysis, energy efficiency and energy storage. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Williams College in Massachusetts and a Ph.D., in physical chemistry from the University of Colorado. As the AEO Director, she will continue the office mission to bring the Arctic to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE to the Arctic. That means partnering in and outside of DOE with Arctic stakeholders to work in innovative ways to meet the energy, science, and national security needs of the United States and its allies. She will also help implement the new DOE Arctic Strategy to facilitate DOE national energy policies and initiatives. Please help us welcome Dr. Whitney! She started her new position on Jan. 17. Photo of Dr. Whitney above is courtesy of ACEP.

AEO Helps Implement DOE Arctic Strategy

Advancing Arctic energy, science and security is the goal of DOE’s new Arctic Strategy. The Strategy outlines DOE’s coordination with Arctic stakeholders--from Indigenous Peoples to international partners--to grasp Arctic challenges, ensure energy equity, and work together to apply solutions.

DOE’s Arctic Energy Office will lead this coordination in the next 10 years to address these challenges. For economic, cultural, environmental, geopolitical, equity, and security reasons, DOE and the nation’s commitment to science-informed and evidence-based decisions and investments is essential to the entire region’s future. It is aligned with the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR).

To strategically address these interests, we will collaborate with DOE program offices; leverage national labs; engage public and private sector coordination; and partner with foreign allies. DOE’s vision is to be a source of science, technology, and engineering solutions to accelerate the energy transition, enable science-based decision- making, and ensure national security in the Arctic.

Read more about our how the Arctic Energy Office will work to accomplish the goals outlined in this Strategy in a blog by AEO Senior Advisor, Matt Heavner.

Funding opportunities

• Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants program, a $760 million Inflation Reduction Act investment to support states and local communities in siting and permitting of interstate and offshore electricity transmission lines. A public webinar will be held at 9 a.m., AKST on Jan. 25 to provide additional information.
• Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs—responses due March 13. This is to develop four domestic regional direct air capture hubs to demonstrate a direct air capture technology or suite of technologies at commercial scale to capture at least 1 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
• The Building Codes Implementation for Efficiency and Resilience Program—responses due March 27. This is a competitive grant program for states for cost-effective implementation of updated building energy codes to save on energy costs.
• Grid Resilience State/Tribal Formula Grant Program—responses due March 31. This funding opportunity aims to prevent outages and enhance power grid resilience. Note that Alaska Native Village Corporation are eligible to apply.

For more funding opportunities, visit DOE’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law page.

AK Nuclear Energy Group Provides Forum

For Exploring Industry Advances

Could small-scale nuclear reactors help Alaska diversify its energy mix? As nuclear energy gains renewed interest, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) energy leaders have convened the Nuclear Energy Working Group to explore the potential of advanced nuclear technologies. In 2021, UAF’s Alaska Center for Energy and Power organized an informal group of stakeholders, including the Arctic Energy office, to discuss nuclear energy technology, licensing, environmental concerns, risks and benefits, and potential deployments. Other stakeholders include Alaska businesses, utilities, and industries; nuclear industry representatives; the Department of Defense; Alaska energy and advocacy organizations; and academia. The group regularly hosts speaker events, such as Dave Klugh of Micro Nuclear’s presentation on molten-salt nuclear batteries at the January meeting. The group also hosts site visits, discusses Alaska-relevant use cases at government facilities, gathers input regarding Alaska Electric Reliability Organization goals, and provides feedback on other nuclear energy development in Alaska. Members also provide input into DOE’s Arctic Strategy, which outlines DOE’s role in leading the safe integration of small, modular, and mobile nuclear energy. Since 2021 when Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks began a pilot project to prove viability at military installations, interest has ramped up. According to Gwen Holdmann, UAF’s associate vice chancellor of research, these advanced reactors are “really envisioned as small and modular so that several of them can fit together to be part of a single, larger system,” she said in a video about micro nuclear in Alaska. She added, “There is a small amount of nuclear material in any nuclear reactor design, plus their passive design does not require backup power.” Plus, she pointed out that they provide stable energy costs, baseload power--including heat and electricity--and zero emissions.  As the technology evolves and is tested, the working group also expects to provide input on future studies and any future state roadmap. If you are in Alaska and want to join the group, register here.

ARENA Explores Solar, Wind, Biomass

During Visit to Yukon Territory, Canada

The Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy group visited Whitehorse, Canada in January 2023. Photo by Amanda Byrd.

The diverse energy landscape in Whitehorse, Canada was the focus of the Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy's (ARENA) third site visit from Jan. 15-22. The program agenda was designed to familiarize the group with Canadian energy communities that have integrated solar, wind and biomass into local power grids and provide overviews of existing diesel- and LNG-powered projects.

The robust agenda provided a whirlwind of transportation options unique to the Arctic, including travel by charter plane, snowmobile and even dog sleds. The group visited the Old Crow Solar Project, the T’loo Klut Cultural Site, the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Sky High Wilderness Adventures at Fish Lake, McBride Museum, and Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre to visit the solar and biomass energy projects while also participating in community feasts, traditional games and regional tribal culture. The Whitehorse agenda also included sessions led by ARENA 2017 alumni, including Jordan Peterson and Erika Tizya-Tramm.

DOE helps to sponsor ARENA, which brings energy professionals together from the circumpolar North to share knowledge and build community resilience and energy sustainability. The program is held in partnership with Canada, Gwich’in Council International, the U.S. and Iceland. 

"It is my hope that through their shared experiences, they feel more empowered, equipped, and supported to successfully tackle energy-related projects in their community and region," said ARENA Coordinator Carolyn Loeffler about program goals. "Because remote and islanded communities are often isolated from the peer-to-peer networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities inherent in large population centers, the ARENA program seeks to overcome these barriers to energy innovation and career acceleration through a mentor and peer-to-peer supported cohort model."

The current cohort’s first trip occurred in July 2022 to visit Kotzebue Electric Association's solar and wind farms, battery storage and diesel plant. While the group was not able to see several small villages’ renewable energy and battery projects, it was a great perspective on how remote communities have integrated renewable energy into local microgrids. The second on-site visit was in October 2022 to learn about Iceland’s geothermal resources.

"When we think about resiliency, adaptability and sustainability, understanding the diverse range of options on the table for each community is key," said Loeffler. "Relying on a single source of energy makes a remote or islanded community vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, price fluctuations, extreme weather events, etc. The realities and opportunities for energy integration will differ from region to region, and thoroughly understanding the trade-offs for each option allows local leaders and project managers to select the energy profile best suited for the needs of their community."

She concluded, "Our global energy future is uncertain, but the more we convene and engage in the public process of solving our shared challenges, the more locally relevant and successful the solutions will be."

Although ARENA 2022-23 came to a conclusion in Whitehorse last week, the cohort looks forward to continuing conversations and cooperation through a robust alumni network. The first virtual meeting is already on the calendar, and there was great enthusiasm among the cohort last week in identifying ways to stay connected into the future.

Upcoming Conferences

• Southeast Conference, Mid-Session Summit, Jan. 31-Feb. 2
• Alaska Forum on the Environment, Feb. 6-10
• 2023 Alaska Rural Small Business Conference, Feb. 14-16
• Arctic Encounter, March 29-31