Governor Dunleavy visits ACEP’s Fairbanks office
July 25, 2024
ACEP intern Liam Chelkowski speaks to Governor Dunleavy about his research on the carbon baseline data collection on the Railbelt.
Data, energy storage and geothermal energy were the topics of discussion during a July visit to the Alaska Center for Energy and Power by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The group also discussed how large factories and data centers, similar to those in the Lower 48, could benefit from Alaska’s cooler climate and take advantage of waste heat.
ACEP summer interns Liam Chelkowski and Jenae Matson introduced their research, showcasing the important and applied work the interns are conducting.
Chelkowski is working to identify the baseline data for the Railbelt, the electrical grid that stretches from Fairbanks through Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. His focus is on the potential carbon reduction of and alternative fuel usage for the many thousands of commercial and cargo flights that fly through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
Matson focuses on data storage and management research. Her work will significantly increase the discoverability and accessibility of energy data produced by ACEP researchers, greatly improving industry, academic and public access to valuable energy information.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Dan White and ACEP Deputy Director Ken Papp were able to thank the governor in person for the R1 and Alaska Energy Data Gateway funding that was recently signed into the state budget.
R1 research status will help UAF gain global recognition for our research strength, increasing our ability to attract top-tier faculty, staff and students. R1 is a top-tier status in the university research world in the U.S., a reflection that a university has a significant dedication of research money and graduate students over a three-year period. UAF has identified achieving R1 research status as a Strategic Plan goal.
The Alaska Energy Data Gateway funding will revitalize a project to develop and implement a long-term data governance strategy, including updating statewide energy data hosting platforms, databases, documentation and metadata, dashboards and multi-agency data integrations.