ARENA Program Showcases Alaska’s Energy Ingenuity

The Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA) starts this week in Fairbanks.

The 17 participants from around Canada, remote Alaska, and Greenland will see examples of Alaska’s energy ingenuity including energy efficient housing designs, arctic septic systems, and remote energy installations.

The participants will meet with Alaska community leaders to share their knowledge on project development and overcoming challenges in remote communities.

Greenland’s two participants include electrical engineers from Greenland’s energy Utility that boasts 70% from renewable energy sources, mostly hydroelectricity. Greenland is looking to wind power to help boost their renewable portfolio.

The seven Canadian participants cover a broad pallet of expertise including community design and development, environmental management, community leadership, and indigenous clean energy programs.

Eight Alaska ARENA participants include a retired renewable energy utility manager, community leaders, renewable energy project leaders, and graduate students focusing their studies on sustainable Alaska communities.

Participants will also travel to Kotzebue and Nome to see, firsthand, successful renewable energy development and to speak with the project developers and operators.

And, Iceland's focal for the ARENA on-site in Reykjavik this November will be attending the Alaska program, providing insights from the UN University Geothermal Training Program and to facilitate effective transition into the Iceland-based on-site.

Photo: 2017 ARENA participants in Coleville Lake NWT, Canada.  Photo by A. Byrd/ACEP