Young Leaders’ Summit on Northern Climate Change

Last week the Arctic Energy Alliance’s Linda Todd and Leanne Robinson led a session at the Young Leaders’ Summit on Northern Climate Change in Yellowknife.   Leanne and Linda spoke about how stories can be used to affect change and how the Arctic Energy Alliance uses storytelling to educate the public on energy efficiency and renewable energies. In Leanne’s and Linda’s words, “We were impressed, moved and inspired by the discussions that ensued with the youth and thank the Pembina Institute and Ecology North for inviting us to share with these young folk and for putting on such a great event.”

The picture below was taken by Angut Pederson

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AEA Attends NWT Tourism Conference and Tradeshow

AEA staff attended the NWT Tourism Conference and tradeshow in early November. The purpose of attending was to promote the Arctic Energy Alliance’s recently released Best Practices Guide for Remote Facilities. AEA’s John Carr and Nick Walker attended and said the conference turnout was great and they had the opportunity to speak with many companies and lodge owners about energy efficiency.
The Best Practices Guide for Remote Facilities notes the following steps should be taken to reduce energy usage in remote facilities:

• Track Energy Use – First, know how much energy you use and keep a record of it.
• Energy Conservation – Use energy only when needed.
• Energy Efficiency – Ensure energy use is efficient as possible (switch to light bulbs that use less energy and Energy Star appliances).
• Generator Efficiency – Size your generator to one that will run the most efficiently for your needs.
• Electricity Storage (Batteries) – Batteries will store excess energy that will allow the generator to shut down during low load times.
• Renewable Energy Systems – Now that you are using less energy and using it more efficiently, why not look at renewable sources.

Fort McPherson Visit

On Nov 7, 2011, 3 members of the Arctic Energy Alliance Team, Linda Todd, Donald Andre and Steve Outlet arrived in Fort McPherson. Linda spent 2 days delivering a “Burn it Smart” workshop (how to efficiently burn wood) which included lots of wood stove related advice. Linda also delivered an Energy Star and Energy Efficiency and Incentive Program (EEIP) workshop which is designed to encourage people to buy energy efficient appliances and to inform the public about EEIP rebates available from the Arctic Energy Alliance. Lots of people attended and everyone loved the energy efficient door prizes.

Steve stayed on for 8 days helping to install 10 wood stoves with Donald, Richard John Blake and Clifford Vaneltsi; both residents of Fort McPherson. Most of the stoves were new installs and the homeowners were very happy with their new renewable heat source. 

Steve also visited the Chief Julius School and spoke with students in Stewart Chisolm’s class about energy efficiency. Steve also visited several homes to give advice on everything from wood heating to building additions. As Steve said, “It was wonderful to spend a longer time in the community and get to know people.”

Donald spent all his time with Richard and Clifford showing them proper WETT certified installation procedures. This will give them a great start on their WETT training and certification process. Both Richard and Clifford have a great deal of practical experience and Donald enjoyed working with them a great deal.

This was a very productive working visit for AEA staff and we look forward to more partnering with the community of Fort McPherson and other communities throughout the NWT

Wind Turbines at the Diavik Diamond Mine

Who better to mine the air’s energy than a mining company? After all, harnessing air’s value makes good business, energy and environmental sense.
The Diavik Diamond Mine, owned by Rio Tinto and Harry Winston Diamonds, is 300 kilometres from the nearest power pole and has always generated electricity from burning fossil fuels, like many tiny outposts in Canada’s North. Operating a diamond mine in the tundra of the Northwest Territories is challenging, even for a mining conglomerate with Rio Tinto’s experience, capacity and global breadth. So when this company acts, it’s wise for others to watch and learn.
In the early 1980s, the Northwest Territories Power Corp. explored the possibility of using wind power to supplement diesel power plants in many smaller, remote communities. It was a short-lived experiment – equipment failures and difficulties finding experienced maintenance people soured the corporation’s take on this emerging technology.
But like the wind, time doesn’t stand still – the wind energy and mining sectors have evolved over the past 30 years in the face of unrelenting economic and environmental challenges. Enter Diavik’s commitment to use four 2.3-megawatt wind turbines at the mine site in order to reduce diesel consumption by 10 per cent (four million litres) and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – a first for Rio Tinto or any other mining company in the world.
This is a business decision, pure and simple. But it will have reverberations across the North and for other industrial operations and communities not connected to a conventional power grid. And like any business decision, Diavik thought this through very carefully. It spent three years collecting wind data, researching wind turbines and designing the project.
The mine’s initiative is beginning to reshape public- and private-sector thinking about wind energy in the NWT. Diavik donated its weather tower to local companies, Det’on Cho Earth Energy and Ryfan Wind, and has offered to share its know-how in wind-power engineering, project management and operations and maintenance with the territorial government and the NWT Power Corp.
Unlike the NWT, Alaskan communities have ventured into wind energy is a big way. The state has a combined 12.65 MW of community-scale wind-diesel systems operating in 16 communities. The NWT has none, but if its 33 remote communities follow in Alaska’s footsteps, we can expect to see much more wind-generated electricity. Tuktoyaktuk is looking to be the territory’s first community with a 300-KW wind-power system that could displace 10 per cent of its diesel consumption.
The NWT government is currently assessing wind in seven communities. Early research indicates that most communities do not have the world-class wind resource of 7.3 metres per second, as exists at Diavik, which is above the tree line. But as the economic and environmental costs of diesel continue to rise, Diavik has proved that wind energy can certainly be a part of the energy solution.
This mine will be home to the world’s largest remote wind-diesel power installation. The NWT has the opportunity to watch and learn. Diavik’s business model of partnering with governments, sharing expertise and leaving a lasting legacy is a beacon for northern communities.
 

Louie Azzolini is executive director of the Arctic Energy Alliance and a professional planner with 25 years of private- and public-sector planning experience. He lives in Yellowknife.

Powering Norman Wells

Norman Wells has been featured in a piece done by the Arctic Energy Alliance for a national multimedia weekly written by and featuring leading global innovators.

.......A small NWT town discovers what happens when they lose the energy source that most people are currently relying on.  What happens when the bulk of a community needs to do a complete energy switch?  Do they innovate and go green?  Or do they go with the conventional?  Who decides and what type of support do they receive?  One community is about to find out..... Read it all here

Northerners Taking Action

Energy and dollar-wise Northerners collected a total of $35,138.96 in Energy Efficiency Incentive Program (EEIP) rebates in November 2011. That brings the total of rebates this fiscal year (April – November) to $157,404.01 for 568 rebates.

EEIP recipients for November included Greg Griffiths from Yellowknife who received a $1750 rebate for upgrading his insulation and Darrel Miller of Norman Wells who received a $700 rebate for purchasing a pellet stove.

Go to Northerners Taking Action

What Are We Doing?

In November the Arctic Energy Alliance partnered with the City of Yellowknife to offer a three part course entitled “Know your Home” for people interested in home renovations, energy efficiency and the effective operation of wood stoves. The first two sessions were well attended and received. The last session will be held in early December. 

AEA partnered with the Pembina Institute to make their Young Leaders Summit on Northern Climate Change carbon neutral.  AEA purchased 15.23 tonnes of CO2e gold standard carbon offsets for the delegates travel.

AEA attended a hydrokinetics workshop organized by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation this past month. Hydrokinetics is a form of renewable energy involving harnessing the energy of water movement but without the use of dams.  We appreciate having been invited to this discussion about the current work being done in this field as well as the future potential of this technology in the NWT.

During November AEA staff travelled to the communities of Norman Wells, Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Whati and Fort Simpson.  We performed home energy evaluations in Norman Wells and offered "Burn it Smart" workshops in Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Whati, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife.

What Can You Do?

Funding Programs Available: Alternative Energy Technologies Program

Improve Your Energy Efficiency:  Tips

Use Renewable Energy: Wood Pellet Heating
 

Go Carbon Neutral: Carbon Neutral North