Kotzebue Electric Association (KEA) has been on the cutting edge of using renewable energy since the early 1990s.
Wind Power
- 1997 – KEA started generating wind power, using some of the first generation “utility-scale” wind turbines
- Those wind turbines have been used beyond their useful service lives
- Finding parts for repairs is becoming increasingly difficult
- Today – Current generation wind turbines are more efficient, more reliable, and easier to maintain
- Our wind and solar displaces 350,000-400,000 gallons of diesel fuel every year (that’s about 30% of annual power needs)
State of Alaska Renewable Energy Fund
- 2012 – With funding through the State of Alaska Renewable Energy Fund, KEA was able to install:
- 2 EWT 900 kilowatt (kW) direct drive wind turbines
- A 1 megawatt (MW)/1 megawatt-hour (MWh) lithium-ion battery
- Beneficial electrification heating for some public facilities
- The EWT turbines have performed well and the battery provides the reserve power needed for a more reliable power source for Kotzebue
- We also provide excess renewable power to the local hospital for heating, saving about 25,000 gallons of heating fuel per year
Our Renewable Energy Goals
- KEA has set a goal of producing 50% of its electrical energy from renewable resources in the next 5 years
- We will be able to achieve this goal by increasing the capacity of renewable energy generation and energy storage capacity
- By achieving 50% renewable power generation and enabling renewable electric heating, federal facilities in Kotzebue will be able to meet federal mandates for clean energy sources
Benefits of Renewable Energy
- Affordable energy is vital to sustain and grow remote communities
- Producing more energy from renewable resources makes our community more affordable, resilient and sustainable for the long term
- Displacement of 50% of diesel dependency will significantly reduce costs to:
- KEA members, by reducing home electrical bills
- Operational costs of Kotzebue businesses and facilities, including those of the State of Alaska and the U.S. government
- With diesel fuel averaging $8 per gallon locally, KEA’s renewable power represents significant savings for our community
Our Plan
KEA will continue to work toward utilizing and integrating more renewable energy sources to produce electricity for our members.
In order to meet our goals, KEA needs to upgrade and expand its existing system by:
- Integrating additional solar energy
- Installing 2 additional 1,000 kW wind turbines
- Purchasing larger lithium ion batteries for increased energy storage
- Utilizing excess renewable power for beneficial electrification (heating and EV charging)
With this enhanced and expanded system, KEA is anticipating that in warmer months there will be days when no fossil fuels are used at all for power generation.