Electrifying Sitka
Michelle Wilber speaks to Sitka community members about beneficial electrification at the Sitka Electrification Expo on March 18.
April 04, 2023
With a milder Southeast climate and hydropower as the main energy source, Sitka is an ideal place for electrification. In fact, electric cars and heat pumps are a common sight in town and can save residents significant costs. However, electrical load growth is likely to soon strain the available power from existing hydroelectric projects. So, an energy transition must also include combinations of efficiency and new generation in any large-scale move away from fossil fuels for heating and transportation. To help with this transition and to explore its options, Sitka is part of an Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Michelle Wilber and Nathan Green, researchers with ACEP, participated in Sitka’s Electrification Expo on March 18.
Wilber and Green are both part of ACEP’s Beneficial and Equitable Electrification Initiative. Michelle is also on the Solar Technologies program team and Nathan is ACEP’s Southeast regional representative. The Expo was organized by Transition Sitka and was very well attended with many community members seeking more information on solar power, electric vehicles, and electric heat pumps. Information was available about local heat pump installers, weatherization/conservation, electric vehicles/electric bicycles, marine decarbonization, the Sitka Electric Department, Alaska HeatSmart and the Sitka Carbon Offset Fund.
ACEP’s web tools for calculating the costs and benefits of behind-the-meter solar and electric vehicles were on display at the ACEP booth.