Northwest Arctic Borough held a very informative Energy Summit in Kotzebue July 29th “ 31st. Commission staff attended the summit that brought together several residents from communities surrounding Kotzebue with organizations and individuals that provide services and have expertise for presentations and break-out sessions. The theme was the current and future cost of energy. Discussion focused on alternative energy sources such as wind and hydroelectric power to reduce fuel usage in the future. There was also a strong emphasis on simple, every day energy efficiency upgrades and conservation that can be done now for immediate results without funds from the weatherization program just getting under way.

A concept broached at the summit was a regional energy authority to manage resources and projects in the northwest region. On a similar note, regional energy plans have been discussed lately as a step toward finding solutions to survive the high cost of energy. The Commission has long believed regional management and infrastructure can be more cost effective and sustainable in many of our programs.   As we mentioned last month, coordination between these groups will be critical in creating cohesive plans. We would be interested in receiving information regarding both new and existing plans from other regions, for discussion and review internally and with our Energy Advisory Committee.

During the past year, the Energy Advisory Committee has met several times in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The next planned meeting is the second week of September in Kotzebue, with site visits in Kotzebue and surrounding communities. An agenda will be posted on our web site by late August.

There are some exciting events coming up in August and September. The Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) is holding their fourth annual Alaska Renewable Energy Fair August 9th at Delaney Park in Anchorage. Chena Hot Springs 3rd annual Renewable Energy Fair will be held August 23rd at Chena Hot Springs Resort just north of Fairbanks. Both fairs are free and will have speakers, vendor booths, and activities for kids. The next Statewide Rural Energy Conference is in Girdwood September 16th through 18th this year.  It will provide great opportunities for people from around the state to share ideas and lessons learned about efforts to improve access and reduce the cost of energy.