Alaska Center for Energy and Power

09/03/2026

The Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership webinar on Sept. 24 will feature a presentation by experts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks ACEP titled, “Controls and SCADA best practices for microgrid operations.”

Learn more in the ACEP news: https://tinyurl.com/2dvkammd

Presenters will break down what reliable day-to-day microgrid operation looks like, focusing on how to use controls and real-time monitoring systems effectively.
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ACEP is a partner in C-MAP, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity program. The series is managed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies .

09/02/2026

The zombie horde has reached the Fairbanks campus. The power is out and there's no way to restart the generators. How will humans create energy and try to survive?

This week Energy in the North features Anna Beth Icke, one of two ACEP summer interns who has been working on the Zombie Apocalypse project. In the event of a natural disaster, how would UAF’s power plant start back up with no outside power?

Listen to the radio show live on KUAC this Wednesday morning: https://listen.streamon.fm/kuac
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Energy in the North airs every Wednesday, broadcast on KUAC FM 89.9 and streaming on KUAC online, around 7:45 a.m., 8:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Alaska time.
Learn more about this project and Anna Beth's research partner, Catelin Mo, in the ACEP news: https://www.uaf.edu/acep/news/2026/Energy-in-the-north-on-the-zombie-apocalypse-project.php

09/01/2026

The AURORA-AI project, short for Alaska Utility Resilience and Optimization using Real-time AI, will use advanced artificial intelligence to improve electric power systems serving rural and coastal communities.

The project is expected to improve forecasting accuracy, reduce diesel fuel consumption and strengthen the resilience of isolated power systems. Learn more in the ACEP news:

08/26/2026

This week on Energy in the North features ACEP summer intern Declan Goldhawk, who is exploring how geothermal solutions inspired by Iceland could help heat Anchorage homes and ease the Cook Inlet gas crisis.

Listen live on KUAC radio this Wednesday morning: https://listen.streamon.fm/kuac

The series airs every Wednesday following the 7am and 8am KUAC newscast and during All Things Considered program.
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Amanda Byrd’s series explores the importance and opportunities that energy and power provide to Alaska and its people. Visit the ACEP website to learn more about and listen to the past episodes of the “Energy in the North” series: https://www.uaf.edu/acep/stories/energy-in-the-north-radio-series.php

08/25/2026

Thereʻs still time to register for fall Introduction to Sustainable Energy online class! Tuition assistance may still be available!

08/25/2026

The Alaska Nuclear Energy Working Group meeting today at 11 a.m. will feature a presentation and update from Orano’s Alexander Hoppes.

Hoppes will discuss Orano’s nuclear waste reprocessing in France, the country with more than a 70% share of nuclear energy in its domestic energy supply portfolio — the highest in the world. Orano provides cradle-to-grave services, from mining to processing, fuel fabrication, recycling and disposal. It recovers 96% of reusable materials in spent fuel, recycles them and manufactures new fuel, dramatically cutting waste.

When: 11 a.m. AKDT, Tuesday, Aug. 25
Learn more on how to register in the ACEP news:

The Alaska Nuclear Energy Working Group meeting in August will feature a presentation and update from Orano’s Alexander Hoppes on its nuclear waste reprocessing in France.

08/25/2026

Across Alaska, coal remains part of several energy systems and contributes to the state’s energy security. When coal is burned, it produces a powder-like waste material known as “fly ash,” which travels up the chimney of coal-fired power plants. This material is often difficult to dispose of safely and efficiently.

This raised an important question: Could this byproduct be repurposed for something useful?

Read the full story in the ACEP news: https://www.uaf.edu/acep-blog/kick-starting-entrepreneurship-through-innovation-grants.php
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This work relates to the Department of Navy award N00014-22-1-2049 issued by the ONR. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ONR.

Ever wonder how ideas become real-world solutions? In Alaska and the Arctic, innovation drives resilience across extreme climate, distance and resource constraints. Through two seed-funded projects, the UAF Center for Innovation director Peter Webley shows how early-stage research becomes practical....

08/06/2026

Meet Max Johnson, who launched his career with ACEP as a summer intern. The hands-on experience he learned at ACEP built the skills he relies on today.

As part of the ARCTIC Program’s commitment to workforce development, this series highlights former interns and researchers whose experiences helped launch careers supporting Alaska's energy future. Learn more about the ARCTIC Program at https://thearcticprogram.net or by tapping the link in the bio.
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This work relates to the Department of Navy award N00014-22-1-2049 issued by the Office of Naval Research. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ONR.

08/04/2026

"When I moved from California to Fairbanks, I quickly realized how challenging it can be to plan for Alaska winters. In Interior Alaska, the long cold season makes heating essential, and many households rely on expensive, imported heating oil. Yet most residents have little access to detailed, day-to-day information about how much fuel they use..."

Read more of ACEP reseacher Alana Vilagi's story on developing home monitoring tools in the ACEP news.

In Interior Alaska, where winter temperatures can plunge for months, heating isn’t just a utility, it’s survival. Yet most homes run on expensive fuel oil with little insight into how it is actually used day to day. ACEP’s Alana Vilagi describes the development of a new monitoring apparatus, w...