Wilber Helps Southeast Community Plan for More Renewables

Last week, Michelle Wilber of ACEP traveled with Jodi Mitchell of Inside Passage Electric Cooperative, Robert Venables of Southeast Conference, and William Thomas with the Governor’s Office to Southeast Alaska’s Organized Village of Kake.

Wilber presented to the Kake City Council meeting on renewable energy integration challenges, limiting future grid-connected rooftop solar, and paths forward for more solar and renewables integration in Kake.

The group left Juneau in low-visibility weather and arrived to a beautiful sunny day in Kake — illustrating the microclimate that has piqued interest for solar in this Southeast community.

Several solar photovoltaic systems have already been installed in the community. Run-of-river hydropower at Gunnuk Creek is scheduled to go online this summer and should provide about half of the power needed throughout the year. ACEP is helping to look into ways to increase the use of renewables in a cost-effective manner, including storage, solar and rate structures that would encourage the use of excess renewable energy for electric heat pumps or perhaps even electric vehicle charging.

For more information on this visit, please contact Michelle Wilber at mmwilber@alaska.edu.

 

From left, William Thomas, Michelle Wilber, Robert Venables and Jodi Mitchell traveled to Kake last week. Photo courtesy of Michelle Wilber.