In Alaska, space heating is a necessity, one that often has high costs. In the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB), most households use heating fuel oil as their primary source of space heating and firewood as a secondary heating source.
The FNSB is not in compliance with air quality standards for outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is associated with negative health impacts. Wood-burning heating devices are the largest source of PM2.5 in the borough. However, wood is a relatively low-cost fuel compared to heating fuel oil. This forces many FNSB households to choose between healthy air quality and more affordable home heating.
Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Texas Tech University and Northern Arizona University are leading a 36-month field study on whether the use of Electric Thermal Storage Heaters (ETSH) can help reduce PM2.5 levels and reduce home heating costs. ETSH could help solve the problem by providing residents with an additional low-cost home heating option that does not generate local PM2.5 emissions.
The main goals of the field study are:
- Determine whether using ETSH can help improve outdoor air quality;
- Learn about home heating costs; and
- Identify low-cost home heating options.
This project is a collaboration between researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Texas Tech University and Northern Arizona University. It is funded by the National Science Foundation Navigating the New Arctic Award #2127430.