| August 25, 2006 A Letter To Mayor Begich On Renewable Energy In Anchorage by Brian Yanity, insurgent49 Dear Mayor Begich, First of all, I want to thank you for initiating some climate change initiatives at the municipal level as part of the U.S. Mayors Climate Agreement. We can all be proud that Anchorage is the first city in Alaska to agree to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent compared to 1990 levels. I am also very proud that the next national mayoral conference on climate change will be held in Girdwood on September 16-18. Most of the forty or so mayors from around the country will be jealous of the renewable energy potential contained within and near the Municipality of Anchorage. Now is the time to start promoting renewable energy development within the city. In all likelihood, oil and gas will no longer be Alaska’s economic mainstay in the year 2040, which is well before the current generation of Anchorage high school students will reach retirement age. Due to its proximity to great natural resources, Anchorage could become a center for the renewable energy industry of the northern Pacific Rim, creating new businesses and jobs. Increased funding for university research on renewable energy within the University of Alaska system would be essential for this effort. To this end, described below are the proposed Crow Creek hydroelectric project near Girdwood, which is the subject of my master’s thesis at the UAA School of Engineering, and the much larger Anchorage Green Energy Plan. I hope that the municipal government will be supportive of these proposed renewable energy projects. Crow Creek Hydroelectric Project A few far-sighted residents of Girdwood have proposed the development of a hydroelectric plant for Crow Creek. The plant is planned to have a generation capacity of about 125 kW, enough to provide both electric power and all-electric heating to the thirty or so homes along upper Crow Creek Road. The plant’s water intake would be just below the Girdwood Mine, at the bridge over upper Crow Creek, and the penstock (pipe that carries the water from the intake to the powerhouse) will be buried along Crow Creek Road for a total distance of one mile. The penstock will terminate downhill at a small powerhouse near Crow Creek Mine, with a Pelton water turbine driving an AC generator. The electric cable will be buried next to the penstock, also along the side of the road. Buried cable is more expensive that above-ground poles for distribution of power in the neighborhood, but it is out of sight. The hydroelectric project will be designed to be mostly underground, and invisible to passers-by. Due to downstream waterfalls near its confluence with Glacier Creek, no fish run in Crow Creek. No fish impacts are expected, though a full environmental study needs to be carried out before site construction is approved. The natural flow of Crow Creek is too low for 125 kW of energy production during about two months of the year (March-April), so more conventional diesel generation would have to pick up the slack during this period. However, ten months per year of solid hydropower production would mean only one sixth the amount of diesel would be needed than before. At present, almost all of the heat and electricity needs of the thirty homes along upper Crow Creek Road are met by fossil fuels such as diesel or propane. Thus, any displacement of these fossil fuels with local hydropower would result in a reduction of carbon emissions. Other possible small hydroelectric sites in the Girdwood area include California Creek on lower Crow Creek Road, Alyeska Creek, and Virgin Creek. One of the goals of the Crow Creek hydroelectric project is to help make Girdwood a showcase community for sustainable energy and environmental stewardship. Girdwood could serve as a positive example for not only for other towns in Alaska, but communities around the world. Anchorage Green Energy Plan The goal of a ‘green energy plan’ for the entire Municipality of Anchorage would be to power the city with 100% renewable energy by the time Cook Inlet’s natural gas reserves are exhausted. Such a plan could consist of some of the following elements: - Hydroelectric power production should increase from numerous smaller hydro plants close to the city such as the South Fork of Eagle River, Crow Creek, or other streams in the Girdwood. - Tidal energy production in upper Cook Inlet, with Knik Arm already under study by upstart tidal energy firms. - Exploration of geothermal energy production in the Mt. Spurr area. - The proposed Fire Island wind energy project, which your administration already supports. - A methane gas power project should be tested at Anchorage’s municipal landfill. Various measures need to be taken to improve energy efficiency in Anchorage, including the reduction of private automobile use through improved public transit. All of the renewable energy sources listed above would be controlled by Alaskans for Alaskans, not by multinational corporations based in Texas or England. Anchorage has potential to set a world-class example for the urban utilization of renewable energy. I sincerely hope that the municipality will support concrete renewable energy developments as part of an Anchorage Green Energy Plan. Sincerely, Brian B. Yanity Graduate student, UAA School of Engineering General Overview Map of the Crow Creek Hydroelectric Project
 Brian Yanity is a graduate student at UAA, activist and freelance writer. He resides in an undisclosed location in Southcentral Alaska, and can be reached at byanity@insurgent49.com. |
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