The Cost of Energy Taskforce has been asked to take a look at specific opportunities that exist in Fairbanks that can be deployed in the near term.

Our short term goal will be to evaluate a fuel source that can be moved into production.

Our long-term goal is to create an Energy Research Center and selection of an energy production business model to reduce the cost of energy in Fairbanks.

There are several issues looming in Fairbanks that will need to be addressed, such as:

PM 2.5 (Particulate matter above 2.5 microns)

Waste Stream use (paper, plastics, tires and metals)

Cost of energy (our original goal: to reduce the cost of energy)

Sustainability

Global Warming (CO2 reduction), the new buzz is reduction of greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide.

The apparent target to beat is the best combined-cycle gas turbine running on natural gas.

Green energy (helping ourselves and others meet renewable portfolio standards (RPS)

Economic Development (local jobs and economic diversification and growth)

Wildfire mitigation zones (fire buffers around populated areas)

The fuel supply should be vertically integrated, economic, long-term stable priced, and sustainable.

There are several options with differing strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats:

1) Waste-to-Energy - Uses municipal waste stream

          Paper and plant based fuel

                    CO2 neutral

2) Trucked LNG-Cost Stable

            Reduced Particulate

3) Coal Gasification - Water remediation

           Reduced CO2 over PC technology

                      Uses waste coal

4) Biomass gasification - Green fuel

CO2 neutral

          Wild fire mitigation

Big step toward RPS

 

5) Biomass extraction - Green fuel

Sales of ethanol for automobiles

CO2 neutral

Cellulose for for waste-to-energy

Sale of other extracted chemicals

Wild fire mitigation

Big step toward RPS

 

 

The work product from this effort should be a completed SWOT analysis and a feasibility study that identifies a range of costs per million BTU for each energy option.

If you would like to participate, please subscribe to our 'think tank' e-mail list and we will make sure you receive all the pertinent information!

 

 

Meeting Schedule

The Cost of Energy Taskforce and various sub-groups meet on varied days. Please call FEDC at 452-2185 for an up to date schedule!

 

 

Meetings are at 7:30 am at FEDC

 

Meeting Minutes

Archived minutes