ACEP Director Testifies at Cordova Field Hearing

ACEP Director, Gwen Holdmann, was invited by Senator Lisa Murkowski to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources during a field hearing in Cordova on June 10th, 2017. Cordova has been a leading community in working toward solutions that can define Alaska’s energy future.

The theme of the field hearing was Innovation in Action - Microgrids and Hybrid Energy Systems.

In her testimony, Holdmann gave many examples of progress made in microgrid technology in Alaska including substantive progress in developing the Alaska Hub for Energy Innovation and Deployment (AHEID) where Alaska can serve as a ‘living laboratory’.

In support of the AHEID Program, the Office of Naval Research has committed to fund an energy ecosystem in Alaska incorporating energy research conducted through ACEP. ACEP is joined in this endeavor by the Alaska Network for Energy Education and Employment (ANEEE) managed by Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) and Launch Alaska, a business accelerator specifically working on energy issues.

Holdmann ended her testimony by stating “Alaskan communities live and breathe change while residing in some of the most adverse conditions in the nation. This enterprising spirit has developed in Alaskans a finely honed early-adopter skillset. This skill set, coupled with the widespread experience in dealing with constrained resources and challenging operational conditions, can provide an excellent venue for hardening U.S. technologies prior to deployment in emerging markets.”

Photo by Latitude 64 Photography.