Photo from US National Park Service
When:
Thursday, July 18th, 2024
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Renew Rebuild Hawaii Zoom
Like Hawaii, rural communities in Alaska are separated by physical barriers on land or sea that make the transportation of fuel expensive. As a consequence, the energy burden faced by many of their citizens, particularly Alaska Natives, is high despite the state's great natural resources. It is not unusual for many Alaskans in rural communities to pay $800 per month for heating and electricity bills.
In the past, Alaska’s great wealth from its oil resources has helped offset these expenses. Since statehood, Alaska has generated $180 billion in revenue from oil, but now the state's oil production is running low.
In 2023, Alaska had its lowest oil production in 47 years. Consequently, there is now great urgency to find alternative means to generate electricity through renewable energy. This is particularly true for Alaska Natives.
Alaska Native Peoples make up 20% of Alaska's population (733,500), the highest percentage of indigenous peoples in any state. Approximately half of Alaska Natives live in rural areas, and they have been at the forefront of obtaining renewable energy grants and projects from the federal government. In the last year, Alaska Natives won $125 million in federal spending for solar energy, but they made sure that it also included funds for hydroelectric, wind, and solar power. Among the new solar projects in Alaska are the Tuntutuliak Village, the Thayer Creek Hydroelectric Project, the Tyonek Native Corporation, and the Tebughna Foundation solar project.
David Karabelnikoff is the Alaska Program Manager of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers no-cost capacity-building support to tribes. He is an associate member of the Knik Tribe of Alaska and a descendant of the Unangan and Dena’ina people. As an advocate for renewable energy solutions, David works to integrate indigenous perspectives into renewable energy discussions. In his role, he empowers Native communities to lead renewable energy transitions and helps progress Alaska Natives’ renewable energy projects.
Working at the forefront of this effort in Alaska is AJ Perkins of Tech Flow Inc. AJ is an internationally recognized expert on microgrids and has been instrumental in creating microgrids in Alaska and California. He is part of the Alaska Hydrogen Energy Working Group and has been working on microgrids and sustainability plans with Alaska Native communities. AJ is a Native Hawaiian and has three children who have lived in Anchorage, AK for the past 8 years. His oldest daughter is a sophomore at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and is part of the team that won the first round of the American-Made Solar Prize 7.
Working with him is Jade Garrett, one of the foremost “connectors” in the United States and the founder of Positive Deviancy, a company that promotes start-ups in renewable energy. Connectors are entrepreneurs who help energy start-ups develop their ideas and obtain funding. Many of these new start-ups involve Alaska Natives.
Please join us on July 18th for a stimulating conversation with our speakers.
Please send all questions & comments to: renewrebuildhawaii@gmail.com
Copyright 2024 RENEW REBUILD HAWAII
Speakers Include:
David Karabelnikoff
David Karabelnikoff is the Alaska Program Manager of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy and an associate member of the Knik Tribe of Alaska. David is an advocate for sustainable energy solutions and his commitment to environmental sustainability is deeply rooted in indigenous perspectives. He actively integrates these perspectives into discussions about renewable energy, aiming to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern technologies.
AJ Perkins
A Kamehameha School and University of Hawaii graduate. He is an author and successful entrepreneur. He is the Director of Strategy and Development at Tech Flow, one of California’s leading microgrid integrator companies. He is also the executive director of the Native & Indigenous Coalition for Clean Earth.
Jade Garrett
Jade Garrett is the founder of Positive Deviancy. As one of the best-known “connectors” of renewable energy projects in the United States, she has helped over 250 energy start-ups receive $10 million in innovation funding from the US Department of Energy's American-Made Challenges. She is currently working with Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians to develop new solar opportunities.