EGEB: DOE helps 11 US remote and island communities adopt clean energy

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• The US Department of Energy helps 11 remote and island communities transition to clean energy.
• Work begins on Japan’s first large offshore wind farms today.
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DOE’s clean energy for remote & island communities

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced last week that it will work with 11 US remote and island communities to bolster their energy infrastructure, reduce the risk of outages, and adopt clean energy. It’s part of the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP).

Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) of Maine said:

As the threats of climate change grow more severe, it is essential that communities across the country make investments in clean, resilient infrastructure.

This is especially true for coastal Maine towns, which have both high risks associated with climate change and an immense amount of untapped natural resources at their disposal.

The 11 selected communities and their ETIPP projects are:

• Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), Sitka, Alaska – Get ALFA’s fishing fleet off diesel and onto hybrid or electric.
• Dillingham, Alaska – The impact and benefits of the Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project. 
• Eastport, Maine – A microgrid that integrates with the existing regional grid.
• Honolulu, Hawaii – A hybrid microgrid opportunity map that identifies the best opportunities to support resilience.
• Islesboro, Maine – Islesboro is seeking to employ energy efficiency for its buildings and researching renewable resources and storage options to be more self-sufficient.
• Kauai, Hawaii (pictured) – Establish a modern, clean transportation system.
• Nags Head, North Carolina – Explore various renewable energy and energy efficiency deployments and work toward securing 48 to 72 hours of backup generation for facilities used by first responders.
• Ocracoke Island, North Carolina – Electrifying its ferry fleet, which residents are dependent on for transportation to the mainland, and analyze the additional grid infrastructure needed.
• Ouzinkie, Alaska – Ouzinkie currently relies on diesel generators and an aging hydroelectric system to power their community and is looking to optimize their use of renewables and storage.
• Sitka, Alaska – Assess the available renewable resources in and around their community while planning for a more modern grid control system.
• Wainwright, Alaska – Located in the Arctic Circle, Wainwright is a fully diesel-fired, islanded power grid looking to employ energy efficiency measures and renewable power.

In fall 2021, new communities can apply to be in the second cohort receiving technical assistance. Learn more about the project in this short video:

Japan’s offshore wind

Installation of Japan’s first large-scale commercial offshore wind power project starts today. It will be located off the coast of Akita Port and Noshiro Port in Akita prefecture, in the northeast of Honshu, Japan’s main island.

Kajima Corporation, the contractor for the $920 million project, is overseeing the installation of 33 Vestas turbines for the 139 MW wind farm. Kajima expects to complete the piling work this year, which should allow the turbines to go live in 2022. Sif of Belgium is supplying the monopiles and transition pieces for the wind farm.

Japan is estimated to have the potential to generate 144 GW from onshore wind and 608 GW from offshore sources, according to GE. The country currently only generates around 4 GW.

In 2020, Japan announced big plans for offshore wind. It intends to install up to 10 GW of offshore wind power by 2030 and up to 45 GW by 2040 in order to achieve net zero by 2050.

Photo: Roberto Nickson/Pexels.com