On Wednesday morning, Alaskans woke up to the news of a federal government shutdown. For many folks across the state, a shutdown will result in furloughs and delayed government benefits. This hits many of our neighbors particularly hard as the cost of living in Alaska continues to rise. In moments like these, when families are already struggling to afford essentials, conversations about energy affordability and resilience become even more urgent. As winter sets in and heating bills climb, we must look not only at short-term relief but also at long-term solutions. That’s part of the reason why the upcoming RE+ Alaska, a clean energy convening in Anchorage, is so timely.

In just over two weeks, clean energy professionals across Alaska will meet in Anchorage to discuss renewable energy solutions to meet the state’s energy demands at Alaska’s first RE+ event. RE+ Alaska will be a one-day conference held on Monday, October 20, and this day of information-sharing will allow elected officials, clean energy industry professionals, and advocacy groups to discuss what’s working, what isn’t, and find opportunities for collaboration and innovation. 

At The Alaska Center, we believe that access to energy, clean air, and clean water are basic human rights and that clean energy solutions are critical to meet those needs for all Alaskans. As Cook Inlet gas wanes and contracts with electric utilities end, The New York Times reports that importing fuel (the most likely short-term option at this point) could “cause electricity and heating costs to rise between 10 and 40 percent.” This drastic cost increase will be detrimental to Alaskans across the state, directly and indirectly. In this context, events like RE+ Alaska are pivotal to making a shift to renewables a reality when deciding how to react to the impending natural gas shortage.

At the conference, we’ll hear about rural energy projects and their alignment with local values and priorities, wind and solar successes, clean energy funding opportunities, permitting for clean energy projects on Tribal lands, and more. We’ve been proud to support and uplift rural energy projects including the creation of a new heat recovery system in Yakutat, home of the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe. The community relies on imported diesel fuel and the new system traps and recycles excess heat that would be lost otherwise. This collaboration between local and federal partners is saving the community money and heating critical buildings including the school, clinic, and public safety building.

We’re particularly excited for the session Railbelt Renaissance: Charting a Course for Decarbonization in Alaska, where speakers from the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP), Municipality of Anchorage, and Chugach Electric Association will examine the “potential of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro, new technologies, as well as storage solutions” on the Railbelt. 

REAP’s executive director Cady Lister, who is on the panel for this session, joined The Alaska Center for our Clean Power Happy Hour last month. Rising energy costs centered the conversation for the evening and with over 45 people in attendance, information about why rates are increasing and how increasing costs for electricity are impacting communities across Alaska was shared with the community. Most importantly, the discussion emphasized that as ratepayers we all have a voice in these member-owned electric cooperatives. Several highly engaged ratepayers commented at the Chugach Electric Board meeting the following week and advocated for prioritizing renewable energy projects. 

Addressing energy affordability and sustainability are key goals at The Alaska Center, and we’re excited to be an Industry Partner at RE+ Alaska. We hope to see you there — and either way, we look forward to sharing what our team learns.

The conference is on October 20 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, and registration is open now. 

For a thriving Alaska,

The Alaska Center