Tag Archives: Energy

Bills aim to foster geothermal power

From Alaska Dispatch, Thursday, February 11, 2010:

In terms of punctuation marks, Railbelt natural gas supplies are a bit of question mark, and fuel prices in the Bush are a big exclamation point. So, it’s safe to assume Alaska’s electricity producers and consumers would appreciate a little stability. At least one company wants to transform Alaska’s geothermal resource into a reliable source of electricity, and is hoping for a way around an oddball state law that taxes hot water pulled from state land.

Click here to read the full story.

President Touts His Alternative Fuels Plan

From The New York Times, Wednesday, Februrary 3, 2010:

President Obama moved on Wednesday to bolster the nation’s production of corn-based ethanol and other alternative liquid fuels and ordered the rapid development of technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of coal.

The president is trying to expand the portfolio of American energy sources to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, a factor in global warming, and spur advances in alternative technologies. Last week he expressed support in his State of the Union address for increased generation of nuclear power and offshore drilling for oil and gas.

Click here to read the full story.

Get in the know about plugging in your car

By CCHRC Staff home life.

ASK A BUILDER

Q: Is there anything I need to be cautious about when plugging in my automobile?Q: I’ve seen that there are now roof shingles that are solar panels.While a wide range of solar technologies work in Alaska and other cold climates, photovoltaic roof shingles are still too new and untested for cold regions. The basic concept of solar shingles is excellent because the space is usually wasted and basic support structure is already in place. But remember, things perform differently in our extreme climate. If the shingles are glued on, you have to check how that glue performs in cold temperatures. When it comes to solar technology, there are some general rules to be aware of. Anything that applies to solar means you have to have a good exposure to the sun, preferable facing south.Q: What is a heat recovery ventilator and what does it do?

The “Ask a Builder” series is dedicated to answering some of the many questions Fairbanks residents have about building, energy and the many other parts of

For starters, there are the basics of electrical safety: when you are plugging in anything, you do not want to make direct contact with the circuit because of the risk of electric shock. Besides that, a lot of Fairbanks car fires can be attributed to improperly maintained vehicles. Oil leaks, fuel leaks or other heating elements can be ignited by a small spark. Because winterizing cars in Fairbanks includes installing electrical heating devices, people need to be more cautious about leaks because of the risk of fire.

So if you have leaks, get them checked out and perform any other standard car maintenance.

 

Could those work in Alaska?

 

The shingles are going to be covered with snow, so how will that factor into their

East or west might work too, depending on how your roof is built and the pitch of the roof. Consider all the options before choosing a system.

 

A Heat Recovery Ventilator, or HRV, is designed to bring fresh air into your home. The “tighter” your home is (fewer leaks in insulation, doors and windows), the more essential an HRV is to the safety of the occupants. The other important part of an HRV, heat recovery, means it captures as much of the heat that is leaving the building as possible. You have already heated the air in the house.

To bring fresh air in, you are going to have to expel stale air, but that air has heat in it that you do not want to waste. So the HRV acts as a heat exchanger. As cold fresh air moves in, the warm stale air moves out. When the two air flows pass by each other, the heat from the warm, stale air is transferred to the cold, fresh air through a heat exchanger. These devices will help keep your home warmer in the winter, while saving you energy and money because you do not have to reheat the air coming into your home quite as much.

Alaska HomeWise articles promote home awareness for the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC). If you have a question, e-mail us at akhomewise@cchrc.org. You can also call the CCHRC at (907) 457-3454.

Small-scale turbines get big praise in two villages

From The Tundra Drums, Monday, December 21, 2009:

Two Western Alaska villages spinning power from small wind turbines say they’re saving thousands of dollars a year.

“I’m still amazed at what they’re doing,” said Gerald Kosbruk, president of the tribal government in Perryville on the southern Alaska Peninsula.

However, the head of the largest utility in rural Alaska, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, cautioned that such wind turbines have their drawbacks.

Click here to read the full story.

Solar-powered Christmas lights – a festive way to go green

From The Christian Science Monitor, Tuesday, December 1, 2009:

There are those who love huge outdoor displays of Christmas lights — life-size reindeer up on the roof and all the trees in the yard covered with glowing bulbs — and those who groan at the sight of a weather-proof extension cord.

If you’re in the latter group, this post isn’t for you. But if you decorate with outdoor lights, you might be interested to find that you can now buy solar-powered decorative outdoor lights.

Click here to read the full story.

UAF awarded $4.6M for geothermal study

From The Associated Press, Tuesday, December 1, 2009:

A $4.6 million grant will help University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers study geothermal exploration techniques.

The Department of Energy grant will aid researchers at UAF’s Alaska Center for Energy and Power.

They will use remote sensing to identify potential geothermal resources throughout Alaska and determine their potential.

The grant requires a $1 million match. The university will seek matching funds through the state Renewable Energy Fund.

The remote-sensing technique is being used for volcano research. Data obtained will be verified through traditional, ground-based geophysical surveys and drilling.

Pilgrim Hot Springs near Nome will serve as a testing site.

Wood energy becomes increasingly popular

From The Tundra Drums, Sunday, November 29, 2009:

For the Bethel region of Alaska, the heating fuel of the future might be a throwback to the past.

A business and organizations there, including Bethel’s city government, are increasingly turning to firewood in an effort to replace the costly heating fuel that often exceeds $6 a gallon.

They’re getting the wood any way they can get in the often treeless Southwest Alaska region.

Click here to read the full story.

Kenai regulates turbines

From Peninsula Clarion, Tuesday, November 24, 2009:

Kenai is doing more than any other city in the state in terms of encouraging wind turbine development within city limits, a leader in Alaska wind energy installation said.

On Nov. 4, the Kenai City Council passed an ordinance establishing the rules for building generators in the city. Nadia Daggett, Alaska Wind Industries’ owner called it the most progressive set of urban wind turbine regulations she’s seen in Alaska.

Click here to read the full story.