DEEE0011266

The project objectives are to leverage a strong community partnership between the Sustainable Energy for Galena Alaska (SEGA) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to develop a replicable community-led current energy research and development project in the Yukon River at Galena, Alaska.

While UAF is the prime awardee, this project will fund SEGA to serve as the community representative project manager (CRPM) throughout the project to lead the coordination of Galena stakeholders through all phases of the proposed project. The SEGA board includes appointed representation from Louden Tribe, City of Galena, and the Galena City School District as well as two representatives from the community at-large.

To complete the project objectives, this project integrates: [I] community leadership engagement through the local energy non-profit, [II] co-production of knowledge around current energy project siting and risk mitigation, and [III] producing environmental, grid integration, and turbine performance data necessary to facilitate community energy transition and replication to other communities.

This approach will remove barriers to development of riverine hydrokinetic energy projects in Alaska’s 90+ riverine microgrid communities with a combined average annual electrical load of approximately 20 MW. Barriers addressed through this effort include lack of local capacity, uncertainty of technology readiness for Alaska conditions, and concerns about environmental impacts, in particular to subsistence fisheries resources.

Through a multi-disciplinary and community-centric approach, this project will maximize the success and replicability of this effort. At the end of this project, a river energy system at Technology Readiness Level (TRL 8), having been qualified through testing and demonstration in Galena is expected to be ready for consideration by the utility and/or an independent power producer (IPP) for long-term grid-connected operation.

The specific objectives for Phase1/Budget Period (BP) 1 are to complete the team formation effort initiated for this proposal and complete a community-led process to identify deployment sites of interest and key technology characteristics to drive the Phase 2 technology selection process. Several technology developers at the TRL6 to TRL8 level will present proposals to the community for consideration in the context of local knowledge and priorities.

End of project goals (full Phase 1-5):
1. Develop a microgrid-connected current energy project in Galena, Alaska and operate for a full summer season.
2. Transition the project to an ongoing asset to the community through an IPP or other innovated model that maximizes benefits to the community.
3. Develop a replicable model for project development and implementation that reduces barriers to riverine energy development in Alaska’s 90+ riverine microgrids.

University Of Alaska Fairbanks

THROUGH THIS FOA, DOE WILL INVEST $35,000,000 UNDER SECTION 41006(A)(2) TO FUND THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE INVESTMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT TIDAL AND/OR CURRENT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION (RD&D) SITE IN THE U.S., WITH THE AIM TO POSITION TIDAL AND/OR CURRENT ENERGY GENERATION AS A KEY CLEAN ENERGY CONTRIBUTOR READY FOR NET-ZERO EMISSIONS POWER SECTOR WHILE CREATING GOOD JOBS. AN ADDITIONAL $10,000,000 UNDER SECTION 41006(A)(2) WILL BE INVESTED IN A COMMUNITY-LED TIDAL AND/OR CURRENT ENERGY PROJECT, WHERE BALANCING COMMUNITY ENERGY PRIORITIES AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION WILL ACCELERATE TIDAL AND CURRENT ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE GENERATION OF POWER TO PROMOTE THE RESILIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES.

81.087 - Renewable Energy Research and Development

Golden Field Office (GFO) [DOE - EERE]

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) [DOE]

Fairbanks, Alaska United States

City-Wide

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW (BIL), SECTION 41006(A)(2): U.S. TIDAL ENERGY ADVANCEMENT (DE-FOA-0002845)