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Alaska Opens Its First Geothermal Power Plant

Alaska has more geothermal resources than any other state in the country, and the first geothermal power plant in the state has come on-line at Chena Hot Springs, just outside Fairbanks. On August 4, Chena Hot Springs/Chena Power and United Technologies jointly announced the successful commissioning and startup of the plant. “This project represents a major milestone in the utilization of low temperature geothermal resources,” commented Gwen Holdmann, VP for New Development of the Chena Hot Springs Resort. Chena Hot Springs it is now also the site of the lowest temperature resource (165F) ever used for commercial power generation in the world, noted Bernie Karl, Proprietor of the resort. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the 200 kW geothermal power plant is scheduled for August 20th, with Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and Governor Frank Murkowski scheduled to be among those participating. The dedication will be the highlight of the 1st Annual Chena Renewable Energy Fair which offers free to the public workshops, site and project tours, and vendors displays representing the range of renewable energy technologies. Chena is the first geothermal distributed generation project, allowing the resort to meet its power needs without relying on a utility grid, and […]

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A Novel Way to Reduce Home Energy Bills

By Sara Schaefer Muoz, August 15, 2006 In the latest bid to trim energy bills, some consumers are harnessing wind power in their own backyards — as long as their neighbors don’t balk. While wind energy is commonly associated with massive turbines churning in desolate, windy areas, a new generation of smaller systems made for areas with moderate wind is hitting the market. The latest small turbines, which resemble a ship propeller on a pole, have three blades, are up to 24 feet in diameter and are usually perched on stand-alone towers between 35 and 140 feet high. The systems have the potential to save consumers between 30% and 90% on their electric bills, manufacturers say, and promise to make no more noise than an air conditioner. But tapping so-called small wind using a high-tech windmill can be costly, and homeowners may find themselves battling zoning officials and annoyed neighbors who find the towering devices unsightly. Interest in small wind has jumped recently: the American Wind Energy Association, an industry trade group in Washington, estimates that U.S. sales of small-wind systems totaled $17 million in 2005, up 62% from 2004. At the same time, systems designed for residential use are […]

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