WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that it will work with 12 competitively selected remote and island communities across the United States to help strengthen their energy infrastructure, reduce the risk of disruption and improve their future energy and economic prospects. . Through the Energy Transition Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), DOE and its national and regional partners will support projects in communities that, due to their geographical isolation, often face high energy costs and vulnerable energy infrastructure due to increased risk of natural disasters and climate. to change. ETIPP further supports the Biden administration’s goal of ensuring a fair transition to a carbon-free future. Watch this video to learn more about the ETIPP program.
“As climate change intensifies, remote and island communities, which have higher energy costs and may lack the financial resources and expertise to make their energy system more resilient, are more exposed to extreme weather conditions,” he said. U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE will connect 12 more communities with our world-renowned national laboratories to deliver strategic and locally tailored solutions for clean energy and resilience, driving the nation’s fair transition to a net zero economy.”
ETIPP will leverage the expertise of world-class experts from DOE and National Labs to advance local clean energy solutions and improve resilience for the 12 selected communities, which, like other remote and island areas, often lack funding and access to planning experts. clean energy transition. ETIPP employs community leaders, residents and organizations for a community-led and inclusive approach by identifying each community’s energy challenges and providing strategic assistance to help them determine and guide their energy transition.
The 12 selected communities are:
- Aquinnah and Chilmark, Massachusetts – The neighboring cities of Aquinnah and Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard will work together on technical assistance in three areas to help them achieve 100% renewable energy by 2040 with the reconstruction of municipal buildings, distributed energy resources and micro-networks. The project will help both cities identify appropriate energy efficiency and high-impact renewable energy solutions to improve energy resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Bainbridge Island, Washington – On Bainbridge Island, a suburban island to Seattle, ETIPP will help analyze the feasibility of renewable energy options such as solar and hydropower to move the city toward its goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2040. This project will help islanders understand the benefits and challenges energy resilience solutions such as solar and residential battery storage in the community.
- Beaver Island, Michigan – Beaver Island will use its help to identify opportunities for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to improve energy security through local production and storage, while reducing energy costs and strengthening economic opportunities. This project will consider the impacts on income and employment of the transition from fossil fuels, which have been the historical economic driver of the community.
- Guam Power Authority, Guam – The Guam Power Authority (GPA) is seeking assistance for the integration of renewable energy sources, improved utility planning and energy security, and to establish a performance management system for its Clean Energy Master Plan. These efforts support GPA’s commitment to Guam’s ambitious renewable energy targets, which require 50% of renewable energy production by 2035 and 100% by 2045.
- Hau’ula Association, Hawaii – Hui o Hau’ula, a community organization in Oahu, is coordinating the planning and development of a community resilience center, which will include energy production and storage for the surrounding Koolauloa district. To achieve this, Hui o Hau’ula seeks help to assess energy needs and assess the portfolio of renewable energy technologies for the Resilience Hub. The project will develop technical guidelines and documentation for energy resilience to storms and disasters across Koolauloe.
- Igiugig, Alaska – The Igiugig community receives assistance to analyze the efficiency of electricity distribution, energy conservation and the impact of increased renewable energy on the grid. The project will work with the Tribal Council to increase communication and community engagement on energy transition issues. The results will help Igiugui move towards its goal of improving energy self-sufficiency by using local, renewable resources and its own workforce, while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining its cultural identity.
- Makah Tribe, Neah Bay, Washington – ETIPP assistance to the Makah tribe will be aimed at assessing the opportunities and challenges associated with the integration of renewable energy in planning the relocation of critical infrastructure and increasing their ability to generate their own energy. The project will focus on deeper community engagement by helping Makah staff to communicate renewable energy options to community members and integrate their priorities, perspectives and knowledge into their planning.
- McGrath, Alaska – With ETIPP technical assistance, McGrath (landlocked Central Alaska) aims to increase its energy independence and resilience while reducing energy prices. This project will assess the potential for renewable energy in this area, including hydrokinetic, wind, solar, green hydrogen and micro-nuclear resources. This project will also aim to take advantage of local economic opportunities through community-building capacity-building efforts.
- Microgrid of the Mountain, Puerto Rico – The Puerto Rico Hydroelectric Cooperative will use ETIPP assistance to refine its inter-municipal micro-grid plan, and develop and design specifications for batteries, distribution and other improvements. The project will also support the technical audit data of the cooperative regarding the implementation of the new system. The project will help the cooperative deliver affordable, resilient energy to residents of four remote inland mountain communities.
- Mount Desert Island, Maine – The goal of Mount Desert Island for its technical assistance is to understand the optimal approaches for the transition of its network to clean energy while increasing the energy resilience and capacity of the community. The project will assess opportunities for the integration of renewable energy, energy storage and efficiency, as well as the sustainability of the micro-grid that will make the island resilient during extreme weather events. The results of this project will support future decarbonisation plans for this area.
- Nikolski and St. George, Alaska – In Nikolsky, Alaska (Unmak in the Western Aleutian Islands) and St. George’s in Alaska (an island a few hundred miles north), aid will focus on assessing existing wind turbines and plans to reconfigure them using a new combination of renewable energy sources. In addition to helping reduce each community’s reliance on expensive imported diesel, this project will train local equipment maintenance staff and assess the sustainability of battery storage.
- University of Hawaii, Hawaii – Hawaii University project plans include an analysis of the potential for geothermal cooling in buildings on its 10 campuses. The project will model shallow geological conditions and the heating and cooling load of buildings on each campus to recommend geothermal technologies, materials and design approaches that improve energy efficiency and significantly increase sustainability in campus communities. Outcomes will include increased capacity for geothermal energy analysis at the University and opportunities to apply project results in similar environments.
“The availability of clean energy is one of the keys to unlocking the future of renewable, reliable and affordable energy,” he said. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King (ME) in a joint statement. “As the home of one of the jewels of the American National Park, Mount Desert Island has long been a model for environmental management and has made significant strides in preserving the natural wonders of Acadia. We welcome this investment, which will help the community accelerate its plans to increase local network resilience and move to a clean energy future. ”
“The geography of Alaska, frequent natural disasters and harsh climates require us to be innovative as we work to implement affordable and resilient energy systems. I have supported our National Laboratories for a long time and I was convinced first hand of the benefits of Alaska from their research, ”he said. US Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK). “While we have many challenges in Alaska, we also have unique opportunities to find the next level of ingenuity, innovation and great solutions. Today’s announcement will help us build those forces and enable more resilient energy infrastructure in the communities of Igiugig, McGrath, Nikolski and St. George. I look forward to seeing the partnerships that will be established between the people of Alaska and the Department of Energy, and the lasting solutions they will find for some of our state’s most urgent energy needs. ”
“It is time to power our homes, schools and communities with clean, affordable and reliable energy produced in America. That is why I am overjoyed that the Ministry of Energy is cooperating with Aquinnach and Chilmark from Martha’s Vineyard “, he said U.S. Senator Edward Markey (MA). This collaboration will not only support communities in the Massachusetts Islands to realize their dreams of a future driven by wind and solar energy, but will reduce energy costs and improve air quality for all residents. ”
Six regional organizations – the Alaska Center for Energy and Energy, the Institute for Coastal Studies, the Hawaiian Institute for Natural Energy, the Island Institute, the Alaska Renewable Energy Project and Spark Northwest – will help selected communities prioritize their energy resilience needs and communicate results through their projects. Experts from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of DOE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory will work with communities to implement technical activities to help decision makers plan sustainable upgrades to their energy systems.
Beginning in 2021, the first ETIPP participants were composed of 11 communities from Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and North Carolina. Read about all ETIPP community projects.
These ETIPP projects are funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy DOE.
For more information, visit the ETIPP website.
Courtesy of Energy.Gov.
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