Tag Archive for: clean energy

Federal Funding Cuts (and Backtracking) Creates Chaos

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President Trump’s first weeks in office have produced a flurry of executive orders and confusing directives for federal programs nationwide, with many experts identifying the moves as unlawful. On Tuesday, January 27th, the President’s office released a memo directing a “pause” on grants, loans, and financial assistance from the federal government. This announcement, coupled with an abrupt Medicaid portal outage, sparked distress for millions of Americans whose lives are impacted by federal funding. 

Federal funding supports a large number of crucial social services and public assistance programs that we rely on in Alaska. From childcare to food security to the environment, threatening to take away these sources of support hurts families across our state. Federal dollars are crucial to many of our communities, and President Trump’s executive orders remain a threat to our way of life. The Alaska Center will continue to monitor and advocate for federal funds appropriated to Alaska, but we need your help!

The immediate confusion caused by this directive led to chaos nationwide and at home, leading the administration to rescind the order shortly after the memo was published. The original memo specified that the majority of federal funding would need to be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure alignment with the president’s priorities. The memo explicitly named areas the President seeks to gut, including crucial climate investments that are poised to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Alaska.

These confusing directives take place on the heels of several recent executive orders aimed at slashing federal spending and agency operations. You can read more about these actions in our most recent blog. 

To further the President’s interests laid out in these executive orders, in the same week, the administration announced a “buyout option” for the majority of full-time federal employees via email. Current employees will have until February 6th to decide if they will resign in exchange for about 8 months of pay. Workers that remain in their roles were told that they would not be provided with certainty that their agency or position would not be eliminated in time.

In the background of all of this, President Trump has appointed Russell Vought to lead the OMB. Vought is one of the primary authors of Project 2025 and a staunch opponent of government spending. Despite a boycott from Democrats, the Senate Budget Committee advanced Vought’s nomination 11-0. A procedural vote for Vought’s nomination is set for Monday, February 3rd. 

We encourage you to reach out to your representatives and let them know how you feel about this disastrous nomination. You can find the telephone number for your Senator here. 

President Trump’s actions stand to put incredible strain on federal programs and resources in Alaska. Our schools, non-profits, and local governments deserve better than the chaotic leadership we are currently experiencing. Together, we need to work to ensure the Trump Administration operates within the bounds of the law, and puts hard working people – Alaskans included – before Project 2025’s wishlist. 

Make your voice heard! Use this pre-filled email form from the League of Conservation Voters to tell your Senators that OMB nominee Russell Vought is the wrong choice for Alaska.

For a thriving Alaska,

The Alaska Center

Alaska’s Clean Energy Future: What’s at Stake Under Trump

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During the Biden Administration we saw a wave of unprecedented funding for our nation’s infrastructure. Both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), two pieces of legislation aimed at investing in American infrastructure, included substantial investments for green technology and clean energy projects. While many states have already begun to benefit from these federal dollars, we now risk a rollback that could reverse progress on our energy independence in Alaska. 

Before entering office, President Trump and his transition team promised voters that his administration would make sweeping cuts to our national budget starting on Day One of his presidency. 

On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order on American energy. The executive order directs all government agencies to pause the “disbursement of funds” appropriated through the BIL and IRA. It goes on to direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review plans for future spending against provisions laid out in the order. These actions put unspent funds at risk of reallocation or new restrictions. 

A good portion of BIL and IRA funding has already been obligated, and therefore is more likely to be distributed as planned. This has done little to ease fears for funding recipients still in the early stages of project implementation, however, who worry that unspent dollars could end up being the subject of future litigation – leading to project delays and added expenses. 

Monday’s executive order is likely just the beginning of directives aimed at federal infrastructure funding. The President has made it clear that Congress should not have the final word on federal spending. A president withholding appropriated funds (known as impoundment) is illegal, but Trump has promised to challenge the limits of this process in order to exercise complete control over the national budget. 

President Trump has not been hesitant to test the limits of impoundment in the past. During his previous term in office, the Government Accountability Office determined that President Trump illegally withheld 91 million dollars appropriated for the development of cutting edge energy technologies under the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Programs funded through the BIL and IRA have been very popular in blue and red states alike, particularly as Americans contend with rising energy costs and utilities struggle to meet increasing consumer demand. It’s unclear how precisely this upcoming budget battle will play out. What is clear is that President Trump is putting millions of dollars of investments in Alaska at risk.

In Alaska, planning is already underway for the rollout of Solar for All funding directed to benefit both household and community solar installations across the state funded by IRA legislation. The DOE and Environmental Protection Agency have also awarded funds to Alaska that would increase communities’ energy resilience during extreme weather, and boost the energy sovereignty of Alaska Native communities. Together, these programs would grow economic opportunities within the state and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
As Alaskans are well aware, our building season is short, and even minor delays can have huge repercussions for project success. While the fate of new infrastructure projects born from the IRA and BIL remain uncertain, The Alaska Center is committed to ensuring federal funds for green energy stay in Alaska over the next four years. Join us in advocating to protect these funds while we also seek new clean energy investments from our state and local leaders.

With determination for Alaska’s future,
The Alaska Center

Beyond Juneau: Renewable Regulations and You!

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If you joined us in celebrating some major policy wins with us this summer, you may have started to wonder what comes next. While we set our sights on our next policy goals for 2025, we also have important opportunities to continue to move toward a clean energy future for Alaska by engaging in the world of regulations. 

On August 13, Community Solar was signed into law by Governor Dunleavy. Now, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) has one year from the effective date to determine exactly how this program will function. The RCA regulates public utilities and pipeline carriers throughout the state, making decisions about rates, compliance with regulations, quality of service, safety, and more. In addition to support staff and analysts, the RCA is structured to be led by five full-time Commissioners, but currently only has four serving Commissioners. 

With our partners, we have written about some of the specific decisions the RCA will need to make, including whether to extend its full net metering policy to community energy facilities so that subscribers are equitably compensated for the energy produced. As the RCA considers exactly how Community Solar will be structured, we encourage members of the public to make their voices heard. At the beginning of each biweekly public meeting of the RCA, members of the public are invited to speak for up to five minutes. During this period, you can introduce yourself and make a comment about Community Solar, clean energy, or anything else relevant to their work (as long as it is not related to an open docket). 

Meanwhile, the Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC) is also making key decisions in the world of renewable regulations. This body, created by the legislature to create a more reliable and efficient railbelt energy system, is directed by a fourteen member board of stakeholders with an interest in railbelt reliability, representing the state’s Alaska Energy Authority, consumer advocates, environmental advocates, independent power producers, the electric utilities, and unaffiliated representatives. 

The RRC has been moving forward toward the creation of an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for the railbelt, which will lay out the energy priorities for the railbelt for a twenty year period. This process includes identifying how much renewable energy should be brought online, what transmission and grid upgrades are necessary for proper integration and exchange of renewable energy, and how to ensure the overall system functions well (or how to ensure reliability across the system). Each of the railbelt utilities has created or will create their own version of an IRP, but an overarching plan will be an opportunity to build out the railbelt’s renewable energy generation most efficiently. 

This multi-year planning process is underway with the Board currently working on establishing certain reliability standards that must be created before an Integrated Resource Plan is completed. The RRC currently aims to begin the IRP process in earnest by the first half of 2025, and complete that in a year. Additionally, the RRC’s Public Involvement Committee has been working hard to create clear opportunities for public outreach and engagement throughout this process. 

Members of the public are always welcome to attend RRC Board meetings or Public Involvement Committee meetings, and to give feedback to the Board during the public comment section of their meetings. Information about upcoming meetings, including agendas, can be found on the RRC website.

Interested in learning more about the regulatory process or attending one of these meetings with support? Email Alex at alex@akcenter.org or stay tuned for future opportunities.

With energy for the future,
The Alaska Center

The Alaska Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, Two Years Later

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This Op-Ed was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News on August 14, 2024. It is authored by our board members, Gavin Dixon and Griffin Plush, who share their insights on the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Alaska over the past two years.

Two years ago this week, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed, marking a generational investment in energy and climate infrastructure. This funding is now beginning to flow into Alaska, benefitting our homes and communities in myriad ways. With numerous new tax credit programs, financing tools, and grant funding opportunities, the IRA has created so many funding opportunities that people are beginning to take advantage of all across our great state.

Alaskans are starting to benefit from the IRA through a wide variety of programs, including rebates on new efficient appliances such as stoves, dryers, heat pumps and water heaters; tax credits for home energy efficiency improvements; and expanded tax benefits for installing renewable energy and battery energy storage on homes. These new programs help keep money in Alaskans’ pockets, encourage job creation and investment in our homes and businesses, and help reduce energy costs. These direct energy and financial improvements for individuals will be even more important to help mitigate the negative impacts of escalating energy costs on the Railbelt due to the natural gas crisis in Cook Inlet.

Beyond the individual tax credits, the IRA has also established Direct Pay, a system for non-taxpaying organizations such as nonprofits, Tribes, local governments and utility cooperatives to benefit from these clean energy tax incentives for the first time. By enabling creative financing options like this, we are starting to see movement toward clean energy across sectors.

New financing and grant opportunities have also been secured for Alaskans, with many millions more to come. The Alaska Energy Authority and Tanana Chiefs Conference and their partners Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium together received more than $120 million from the IRA’s Solar for All Program, which will support rooftop solar, community solar programs and utility-scale solar for communities all around Alaska primarily benefiting low-income residents and Tribes over the next five years. Golden Valley Electric Association received $100 million from the IRA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy to develop grid infrastructure that will improve reliability and enable the development of large-scale solar in Nenana. Southeast Conference received nearly $40 million from the IRA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program to install thousands of residential heat pumps all over southeast Alaska to reduce energy use and heating costs for residents. These infrastructure projects will reduce energy costs, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and help to improve the resilience of our electrical systems across Alaska. That’s to say nothing of IRA investments in fisheries research and protection, forest fire mitigation programs, transportation infrastructure and much more.

Alaskans are excited to see the investments of the IRA propel Alaska’s transition towards more sustainable, local and clean energy. We look forward to communities and families around the state fully leveraging the IRA. We are thankful to the federal and state agencies working to implement these programs correctly, and to the elected officials, like Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Mary Peltola, who continue to support these smart investments that build the framework for growing our state’s clean energy economy, fighting the impacts of a changing climate, and building a brighter, more resilient future for us all.

– Gavin Dixon and Griffin Plush volunteer together as board members of The Alaska Center; they are both lifelong Alaskans who work professionally with energy projects across the state.

New Name, Same Old Coal

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This month, a company named Flatlands Energy has been making the rounds at Southcentral Alaska’s electric utilities, cheerily describing a future where coal power is safe and environmentally responsible. We know better. The vision they present of “carbon capture and storage” on a coal power plant relies on unproven technology and a number of false assumptions, and Alaskans are smart enough to see through these claims and refuse new coal development in our state. 

While the rest of the United States, and most advanced economies throughout the world, are working to phase out coal usage, Flatlands proposes developing a brand new coal power plant in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. This is not a conversation about mitigating the emissions from existing projects – this would be starting from scratch with coal, fully aware of its many environmental and health impacts. A new open-pit coal mine along with a power plant fitted with carbon capture infrastructure would be constructed near the proposed pipeline to Donlin Mine. 

Carbon capture technology on power plants has not been proven successful. In fact, existing projects have been consistently under-performing when it comes to the actual carbon captured. Notably, Flatlands claimed during its presentation at Chugach Electric Association that coal with carbon capture would put out lower emissions than even wind and solar with natural gas backup. However, that claim relies on the system capturing a whopping 90% of carbon emissions, which is completely unrealistic. Petra Nova, the only coal plant to operate with carbon capture in the United States, also aimed for a 90% capture, but likely only captured 55-70% of emissions while it was online. Including methane emissions from coal mining itself also significantly drops the amount of carbon that can be captured. 

What’s more, these projects fail consistently on economics alone. Even with substantial government funding, carbon capture projects have not been profitable. Flatlands bets on a future of tax credits that is not guaranteed, and key players like the Mat Su Borough Assembly claim this will reduce the cost of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, a new coal mine and coal power plant would certainly not be online soon enough to offset LNG imports. 

Instead of getting distracted by false promises, our electric utilities should continue their work to conserve as much gas as possible and move toward the most cost-effective mix of energy for the Railbelt, which includes 76% renewable energy generation.

Alaskans will not be fooled: coal power is the past, not our future.

Energizing Change: Reflections on Chugach Electric Board Elections and Future Goals

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Early this spring, we endorsed two pro-renewable, pro-union incumbent candidates for the Chugach Electric Association Board: Mark Wiggin and Sam Cason. We worked hard alongside volunteers and partners to knock nearly 3,000 of our neighbors’ doors, call over 15,000 community members, and send over 4,500 texts to friends, family, and other voters about the candidates. 

This year’s total turnout was 14%. While this is slightly lower than last year’s record-breaking turnout, it is still significantly higher than the historic average of about 10% participation. As we spoke with folks in person and on the phones, we heard our hopes confirmed: many of our community members are aware that they have a right to vote in utility elections. We are thrilled to see this greater awareness, and hope the trend continues.

One of our endorsed candidates, Mark Wiggin, won his seat for another four years, while opponent Dan Rogers beat out our other endorsed candidate, former Board Chair Sam Cason. At the first Board meeting after the election, Mark Wiggin was voted in as the new Chair of the Board in a 5-2 vote. 

We are eager to see Chair Wiggin continue his leadership on this Board, and for the entirety of Chugach Electric Association to move forward with its work to get more renewable energy online. After we have rested and recharged, it is time to support the Directors in charting the course that is best for our communities and achieves the triple bottom line of reliability, affordability, and sustainability. Member-owners of the utility are always permitted to attend and comment at the public meetings of the Board, which you can find listed on the Chugach website. 

Some of the Board’s current focus areas include: the new 500-kilowatt community solar project that will start taking subscriptions later this year; a potential wind power development which could provide 20% of Chugach’s total power needs; updating its facilities to include solar panels on site; and the One Campus plan which will bring all former Municipal Light & Power employees onto the same working campus as the pre-existing Chugach Electric teams. 

Additionally, the Board is hearing from experts on emerging technologies, like tidal power. At the most recent Board meeting, Ocean Renewable Power Company presented about the potential in Alaska, which is home to the vast majority of tidal energy in the United States. 

If you are interested in getting more involved with your electric utility, but aren’t sure where to start, contact Alex Petkanas at alex@akcenter.org to figure out the best way for you to plug in. Board elections are over – now it’s time to get to work!

With Renewable Enthusiasm,
The Alaska Center

Shifting to Transmission

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Two weeks ago, several members of our team went to Juneau, in Á’akw Kwáan territory, for the Just Transition Summit. Over the course of four days, we heard from Indigenous leaders, youth, elders, labor movement experts, legislators, and other partners of ours about efforts to transition our economy away from extraction and toward resilience and regeneration. 

We discussed a wide swath of issues related to a just transition, including building a true multi-racial democracy, circular economies and waste, and Indigenous Knowledge. We also made time for conversations around healing, and found opportunities to connect with one another between sessions. You can watch some of the keynote panels, and see a complete list of speakers on the Just Transition website. One highlight we are especially proud of: a legislative lunch and learn about transitioning our energy system, featuring three wonderful panelists. Our Alaska Fellow, Marta Ditzler, worked tirelessly on coordinating this over the past few months with support from the rest of our team, and we are so grateful for her work.

From left to right: Sally Rue (The Alaska Center Board Chair), Leila Pyle (AYEA Program Manager), Chantal de Alcuaz (Co-ED), Alex Petkanas (Climate and Clean Energy Program Manager), Marta Ditzler (Organizing Fellow), Jenny Marie-Stryker (Political Director), Vicki Long-Leather (Co-ED)

While there, The Alaska Center staff met with twelve legislators to discuss our energy policy priorities for the remainder of this session. We outlined the importance of things like Community Solar, a Renewable Portfolio Standard, annual net metering, and opposing any new coal projects. All of our conversations, however, turned to one key topic: transmission planning and upgrades.

The “transmission system” refers to all of the infrastructure that allows us to send energy from one place to another along the railbelt – which serves about 75% of the population in Alaska. When we talk about transmission planning, we are referring to a process that currently rests with the Railbelt Reliability Council. This group has been carefully organized to include stakeholder representation of small consumers, environmental groups, labor, regulators, and utility providers. They have been tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a holistic, efficient plan for the railbelt to get energy to everyone from Fairbanks down to the Kenai Peninsula. 

Multiple issues are popping up related to this transmission system in the legislature. One current bill (SB 257) would take planning responsibility away from the Railbelt Reliability Council and create a new organization with less oversight and stakeholder input to handle planning. The Alaska Center has raised concerns about this proposal, as we believe this would result in less public input and transparency in planning. Other proposals would reduce the cost of sending energy back and forth by removing something called “wheeling fees” which utilities currently charge to one another. Another crucial issue is providing a state match for the federal Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) funding that will go toward transmission upgrades. 

As the legislative body focuses on energy and transmission, The Alaska Center strives to be a resource on energy policy. We are working collaboratively with our partners to advocate for clean energy and transparency, and have provided legislative staff with our positions on these transmission issues while continuing efforts to bring our other policy goals to the forefront. We will continue our work throughout the rest of this session and will keep our supporters updated on opportunities to provide public testimony or otherwise get involved.

Whether you write to your representatives, call in to testify during public hearings, or author op-eds about your priorities, you are a key part of making sure the Alaska state legislature is acting in the best interest of the people. Looking for ways to participate? Sign up to volunteer with us!

Together for Alaska’s Energy Future,
The Alaska Center

Beyond Bill Numbers: Clean Energy Update

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It’s the year of energy legislation in Alaska – and we’ve seen lots of big ideas introduced in Juneau. As bills make their way through committees and amendments, none of them come out looking exactly the same as the version that was introduced. To that end, we want to highlight the clean energy issues that have popped up in various bills, and update you on our focus: getting clean energy online now.  

THE GOOD NEWS 

We have seen multiple efforts to create new standards along the railbelt for renewable/clean energy generation. The Chugach Electric Association passed a resolution supporting a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) in general, but has not publicly taken a position on any specific bill. While the details of these proposals look different, the basic effect is that utilities along the railbelt (like Chugach Electric Association, Homer Electric Association, and others) would be required to get some amount of their energy from renewable or clean energy sources by a certain deadline. Many states have standards like this, and it is imperative that we develop similar standards in Alaska to achieve our vision of a Just Transition. Critically, these standards mean nothing unless backed by either an enforcement mechanism or a significant incentive for utilities to meet these goals – we have seen nonbinding aspirations like 50% renewable by 2025 fail to materialize without these things. 

Legislation has also been introduced that would make renewable energy more accessible to many Alaskans through a program called Community Solar. This would allow Alaskans who cannot directly install solar panels on their property to subscribe to a solar array elsewhere, opting into renewable energy even if they rent, have a suboptimal property for generation, or do not have the upfront capital to install solar panels. It would also allow Alaskans to develop solar arrays or run of the river hydro projects, and sell the energy generated directly to the local utility provider. This tool for getting more renewables online and in use has been rolled out in 43 states – which gives us the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others as we get things started here. 

Bills to create a Green Bank have been introduced in both the House and Senate in Alaska, which would create an energy independence fund to leverage private financing and invest in renewable energy technology. This could fund things like heat pumps, electric vehicle charging stations, and more critical infrastructure that a traditional financial institution is less likely to finance. More information about Green Banks can be found here. 

And finally, we’ve heard calls to match the federal government’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) funding awarded to Alaska. The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated $206,500,000 to the Alaska Energy Authority for railbelt resiliency, which will allow our state to modernize transmission infrastructure and make our grid more efficient and affordable across the railbelt. This funding requires the state to make a dollar-for-dollar match. We strongly urge the legislature to allocate a state match to federal GRIP funding in order to secure these critical infrastructure upgrades.

THE BAD NEWS 

At the same time, we’ve seen some troubling things put forth that threaten Alaska’s energy future. While you may have heard about the shocking inclusion of coal as “clean energy,” here’s what else we find concerning about proposed energy legislation this session. 

Rather than focusing on transitioning to alternative energy sources, some legislators are making efforts to expand oil and gas production within our state. One bill suggests creating a working group made up of resource developers and related legislators, whose sole purpose would be “to determine methods to increase oil and gas exploration and production in the state.” Others suggest pouring more public money into subsidizing the oil and gas industry directly, or reducing taxes for gas exploration and production. Whatever the method, we oppose formalizing the favoritism of an extractive industry over renewable energy development. 

Finally, we’ve heard concern that new renewable energy cannot be brought online until grid transmission upgrades have been made. We disagree. Though our railbelt transmission system is in need of physical and policy upgrades, we must move forward on every step of the transition process now in order to reach our decarbonization goals by 2040. 

THE TAKEAWAY

As we close in on the first half of the 2024 legislative session, you can call your legislators and let them know that you support investment in renewable energy for Alaska. While bill numbers may come and go, our message is simple: we must use every tool we have to transition to renewable energy sources now. In order to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change and secure a liveable future for ourselves and generations to come, we cannot afford to wait.

Thank you for standing with us in pursuit of clean energy. Let’s make 2024 a turning point for renewable energy in Alaska!

Warmly,
The Alaska Center

2024 Chugach Electric Association Endorsements

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At The Alaska Center, we work to elect Alaskans who stand up for our clean air and water, healthy communities, and a strong democracy at every level of public leadership: from the federal government down to local board elections. One of these local elections this spring is so small that many people don’t know they have the right to vote – but this Board holds a key role in transitioning us to a sustainable and independent energy future. 

Chugach Electric Association is the largest power provider in Alaska, servicing over 144,000 customers in the Anchorage area. Most of that power currently comes from natural gas – which is rapidly becoming less available in Alaska. As the Board holds elections for two open seats this spring, we must elect leaders who can set realistic goals to achieve energy independence in Alaska quickly. 

Director Sam Cason and Director Mark Wiggin will do just that. Both of these candidates have been serving on the Board and have filed for reelection this year. The Alaska Center is proud to endorse both candidates, and support them in their efforts to continue their hard work of setting and implementing policy goals for Chugach Electric Association. These candidates are proven community leaders who support harnessing renewable energy here at home, rather than paying exorbitant fees to rely on importing liquefied natural gas long term. We believe that re-electing Directors Cason and Wiggin will keep us on the right path for a fiscally and environmentally sustainable future in Alaska. 

“Reliable and cost-effective electric power is an essential part of maintaining a stable community and robust economy.” said Director Mark Wiggin on why he’s running for re-election. Director Sam Cason, when asked why he was running again, stated: “I view this as a generational opportunity to move towards a sustainable and prosperous future for our system, our economy, and our kids.”

Do you get an electricity bill from Chugach Electric Association every month? If so, that means you’re a member and you can vote in Annual Elections to make your voice heard! 

Mark your calendars: Voting opens on April 17. Members will receive an email with information on electronic voting. If you do not receive your ballot or have other questions, call (907) 762-4489 to make sure your information is up to date. Electronic voting closes May 17th, but members can also vote in person on May 17th at the Chugach Electric Association Annual Meeting. 

Your vote in this election is crucial in shaping our energy future in Alaska. Vote Cason and Wiggin to ensure that the Chugach Electric Association Board keeps Alaska’s best interests at heart.

Breaking Down the Alphabet Soup: Big Win for Renewable Energy!

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Navigating the clean energy world can feel like staring at a bowl of alphabet soup. “Did you hear GVEA & CEA voted for an RPS that would fall under RCA and RRC jurisdiction?” For those of us who didn’t totally follow that, we’ll break down what happened during the first few weeks of the legislative session, and what that means for clean energy in Alaska – without using any acronyms. 

During the week of January 22, the two largest electric utility providers in Alaska passed resolutions in support of a Renewable Portfolio Standard.

A Renewable Portfolio Standard would establish a timeline for utility providers along the railbelt to transition to more renewable energy sources. We believe that this transition is not only critical for addressing our rapidly changing climate, but also for securing stable and reliable opportunities for Alaskans as the clean energy sector jobs continue to expand and oil and gas jobs decrease. 

In Fairbanks, the Golden Valley Electric Association unanimously adopted a statement that indicates general support for the goals of a Renewable Portfolio Standard, but outlines specific concerns about the current version of the bill in the state legislature. The following evening in Anchorage, the Chugach Electric Association passed a resolution supporting the establishment of a Renewable Portfolio Standard for the state. 

We are thrilled to see these utility providers recognize the importance of a Renewable Portfolio Standard, and now we’re asking the legislature to take the next step.

The current Renewable Portfolio Standard bills in the state legislature are Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 121, which propose a transition to 80% renewable energy by 2040. In order to work out the details and address concerns raised by utilities, legislative committees must hold public hearings on these bills and allow the legislative process to function. Call your legislators and let them know you would like to see a hearing scheduled! 

Also before the end of January, the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 152, which would establish a Community Solar program. This program would allow Alaskans to purchase shares in solar gardens that are not on their own properties, opening solar power up to many more consumers and creating more job opportunities in our state. It would create standards for all utilities along the railbelt that are subject to the oversight of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. 

Great news: this is widely popular! Several of you called or wrote in to testify in support of Community Solar, and many more of you signed a petition online supporting the bill. No action was taken on the issue following the hearing, as legislators had additional questions for utility providers who were unable to be present due to weather conditions. 

Don’t let the alphabet soup get in the way of advocating for your community. All of these acronyms add up to big potential for our state, and you don’t have to be an energy expert to take action now. Sign up here to get involved with our advocacy, and stay tuned for how you can continue to support these major policy issues throughout the legislative session!

Together for a renewable future,

The Alaska Center