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Title: Comprehensive Renewable Energy Feasibility Study for Sealaska Corporation

Abstract

The purposes of this project were: (1) to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to determine the potential sustainability of wind and/or small hydroelectric power plants on Southeast Alaska native village lands, and (2) to provide the villages with an understanding of the requirements, costs, and benefits of developing and operating wind or small hydroelectric power plants. The program was sponsored by the Tribal Energy program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy. The Contractor was Sealaska Corporation, the Regional Native Corporation for Southeast Alaska that includes 12 village/urban corporations. Most villages are isolated from any central electric transmission and use diesel-electric systems for power generation, making them prime candidates for deploying renewable energy sources. Wind Energy - A database was assembled for all of the candidate sites in SE Alaska, including location, demographics, electricity supply and demand, existing and planned transmission interties with central generation, topographical maps, macro wind data, and contact personnel. Field trips were conducted at the five candidate villages that were deemed most likely to have viable wind resources. Meetings were held with local village and utility leaders and the requirements, costs, and benefits of having local renewable energy facilities were discussed. Twomore » sites were selected for anemometry based on their needs and the probability of having viable wind resources – Yakutat and Hoonah. Anemometry was installed at both sites and at least one year of wind resource data was collected from the sites. This data was compared to long-term data from the closest weather stations. Reports were prepared by meteorologist John Wade that contains the details of the measured wind resources and energy production projections. Preliminary financial analysis of hypothetical wind power stations were prepared to gauge the economic viability of installing such facilities at each site. The average wind resources measured at Yakutat at three sites were very marginal, with an annual average of 4.0 mps (9 mph) at 60 meters above ground level. At Hoonah, the average wind resources measured on the 1,417 ft elevation ridge above the village were very low, with a six-month average of 3.9 mps (8.7 mph) at 60 meters above ground level. The wind resources at both sites were not sufficient to justify installation of wind turbines. In summary, although there are several known windy spots in SE Alaska (e.g., Skagway), we were not able to identify any isolated Native American villages that utilize diesel-electric power generation that have commercially viable wind resources. Small Hydroelectric - The study focused on the communities associated with Sealaska Corporation that use diesel-electric for electricity and have a potential for hydroelectric power generation. Most of them have had at least an assessment of hydroelectric potential, and a few have had feasibility studies of potential hydroelectric projects. Although none of the sites examined are financially viable without substantial grant funding, Hoonah, Kake, and Yakutat appear to have the best potential for new hydro facilities.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sealaska Corporation, One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 400, Juneau, AK 99801
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
891952
Report Number(s):
17
TRN: US200719%%812
DOE Contract Number:  
FC36-02GO12105
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
17 WIND ENERGY; ECONOMICS; ELECTRICITY; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; ENERGY FACILITIES; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; GROUND LEVEL; HYDROELECTRIC POWER; HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS; PERSONNEL; POWER GENERATION; PROBABILITY; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; SUPPLY AND DEMAND; VIABILITY; WEATHER; WIND POWER; WIND TURBINES; Wind energy; tribal program; anemometry

Citation Formats

Lynette, Robert, and Larry Coupe, John Wade:. Comprehensive Renewable Energy Feasibility Study for Sealaska Corporation. United States: N. p., 2006. Web. doi:10.2172/891952.
Lynette, Robert, & Larry Coupe, John Wade:. Comprehensive Renewable Energy Feasibility Study for Sealaska Corporation. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/891952
Lynette, Robert, and Larry Coupe, John Wade:. 2006. "Comprehensive Renewable Energy Feasibility Study for Sealaska Corporation". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/891952. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/891952.
@article{osti_891952,
title = {Comprehensive Renewable Energy Feasibility Study for Sealaska Corporation},
author = {Lynette, Robert and Larry Coupe, John Wade:},
abstractNote = {The purposes of this project were: (1) to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to determine the potential sustainability of wind and/or small hydroelectric power plants on Southeast Alaska native village lands, and (2) to provide the villages with an understanding of the requirements, costs, and benefits of developing and operating wind or small hydroelectric power plants. The program was sponsored by the Tribal Energy program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy. The Contractor was Sealaska Corporation, the Regional Native Corporation for Southeast Alaska that includes 12 village/urban corporations. Most villages are isolated from any central electric transmission and use diesel-electric systems for power generation, making them prime candidates for deploying renewable energy sources. Wind Energy - A database was assembled for all of the candidate sites in SE Alaska, including location, demographics, electricity supply and demand, existing and planned transmission interties with central generation, topographical maps, macro wind data, and contact personnel. Field trips were conducted at the five candidate villages that were deemed most likely to have viable wind resources. Meetings were held with local village and utility leaders and the requirements, costs, and benefits of having local renewable energy facilities were discussed. Two sites were selected for anemometry based on their needs and the probability of having viable wind resources – Yakutat and Hoonah. Anemometry was installed at both sites and at least one year of wind resource data was collected from the sites. This data was compared to long-term data from the closest weather stations. Reports were prepared by meteorologist John Wade that contains the details of the measured wind resources and energy production projections. Preliminary financial analysis of hypothetical wind power stations were prepared to gauge the economic viability of installing such facilities at each site. The average wind resources measured at Yakutat at three sites were very marginal, with an annual average of 4.0 mps (9 mph) at 60 meters above ground level. At Hoonah, the average wind resources measured on the 1,417 ft elevation ridge above the village were very low, with a six-month average of 3.9 mps (8.7 mph) at 60 meters above ground level. The wind resources at both sites were not sufficient to justify installation of wind turbines. In summary, although there are several known windy spots in SE Alaska (e.g., Skagway), we were not able to identify any isolated Native American villages that utilize diesel-electric power generation that have commercially viable wind resources. Small Hydroelectric - The study focused on the communities associated with Sealaska Corporation that use diesel-electric for electricity and have a potential for hydroelectric power generation. Most of them have had at least an assessment of hydroelectric potential, and a few have had feasibility studies of potential hydroelectric projects. Although none of the sites examined are financially viable without substantial grant funding, Hoonah, Kake, and Yakutat appear to have the best potential for new hydro facilities.},
doi = {10.2172/891952},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/891952}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Fri Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}