Iqaluit: World Wildlife Fund Canada announced the formation March 31 of a group of six organizations to help remote Canadian Arctic communities transition to renewable energy and reduce dependence on importing relatively “hazardous” and costly diesel fuel. The initiative comes after a recent commitment from the leaders of Canada and the United States to end the use of diesel power generation in the Arctic, and the latest Canadian federal budget, which allocated funds for renewable energy projects in indigenous and northern communities.
The Arctic Renewable Energy Expert Committee consists of the following organizations:
• Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE)
• Alaska Centre for Energy and Power (ACEP)
• Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
• Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA)
• Tugliq Energy Co.
• Pembina Institute
• World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada)
WWF Canada comments that while the Arctic is one of the most challenging environments on the planet for renewable energy, there are successful examples in both Alaska and Canada that show the way for greater energy diversification in the Arctic. More than 70 communities in Alaska are on hybrid renewable systems that substantially reduce the need for diesel energy.
Gwen Holdmann, director of the Alaska Centre for Energy and Power, said: "We have long been committed to helping Alaska utilities and communities reduce reliance on imported diesel fuel through strategies such as integrating local renewable resources. However, we recognize that the challenges we face, including the high cost of energy and complexity of delivering reliable services in remote, harsh environments, are common across the arctic. Sharing knowledge related to best practices for maximizing use of renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies is critical to make sure future systems take full advantage of the tremendous body of knowledge and expertise that exists across the Arctic."