Author Archives: mdoyle

Cap fuel oil costs

From the Fairbanks Daily News Miner August 7th, 2008

Passing even more of private energy costs in Alaska to state government is a policy fraught with long-term peril, but since the current emergency has made action inevitable, the Legislature should adopt a simple, limited program with a clear expiration date.

The program that best fits those criteria would pay only for the cost of heating oil above a particular price. The payments would not go to individual Alaskans but to oil distributors, which already keep the necessary records. The dealers would charge customers a set price, say $2.50 per gallon, and collect the rest of the market price from the state.

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Cold climate researchers bring modern building to Anaktuvuk Pass

From the Fairbanks Daily News Miner August 8th, 2008

FAIRBANKS — The last remaining Nunamiut Inupiat Eskimo community settled Anaktuvuk Pass just 60 years ago, trading in nomadic life for village life in a valley tucked 2,200 feet up in the central Brooks Range. In the one-airstrip town with no roads in or out, some 300 residents live crowded into 1970s era wood-frame houses perched on the windswept, arctic mountain pass.

But innovative designers now want to help the villagers build homes following a modern design that is actually inspired by the sod igloos that the Nunamiut first carved from the land.

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Efficient windows offer more than a view

BY: Mike Musick, Cold Climate Housing Research Center
Energy Focus: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner August 7th, 2008, Section A3

A few days ago I received a phone call from a remodeling contractor who was very concerned that quite a number of Fairbanks residents were buying cheap slider type windows from one of the newer building supply stores.  He suggested that we issue a consumer warning on this issue.

 

I shared his concern regarding sliding windows having lived in an old home with single pane double-hung windows with exterior storm windows.  The windows were covered with ice until we learned to apply a shrink wrap clear plastic window kit.  This solved the icing problem but still allowed a lot of heat to pass around the perimeter of the windows.  This summer we replaced those windows with triple pane units with 2 low E coatings and argon gas in the two chambers.  We did a fair amount of research prior to making this investment.

 

 

 

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Alaska state stalemate continues over energy relief bill

From the Fairbanks Daily News Miner  August 7th, 2008

JUNEAU — With one day left in this special session, lawmakers are still without an agreement on an energy assistance bill.

The Senate likes its two-year, $1.3 billion package that includes a $500 payout for most Alaska residents and assistance with heating and utility bills. It passed the upper chamber on Monday night.

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Governor Unveils Short-Term Energy Plan

From the Office of Governor Sarah Palin, May 15, 2008.

May 15, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today unveiled a short-term energy plan to address the skyrocketing costs of energy in Alaska. The package includes two parts – returning surplus funds through a grant to all electric utilities to reduce ratepayer bills and an Energy Debit Card for the next 12 months.      

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