Top Takeaways from the Energy Retreat

New natural gas production projects are years away. 
The current forecast for Cook Inlet gas production is dropping off as early as 2027 (shown in blue below), so Mayors from across the Southcentral Region are monitoring the progress of new production projects. Those projects are years away from fruition, but if they can navigate permitting and legal requirements, they could cushion the blow (shown in green). 

The rising cost of energy is sneaking up on those it will hurt the most. 
Polling by the Alaska Venture Fund shows that only half of Anchorage residents are aware of the looming natural gas shortage. Looking at residents making less than $60k per year, less than 40% know about the shortage, meaning the people who will be most affected by rising costs aren't expecting them.

Alaska is well-positioned for Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH). 
The Municipality's proposed solution to the Eklutna Hydropower Project builds on our natural assets: abundant water and mountainous topography. Pumped Storage Hydro pumps water uphill to store energy so it's available to withdraw before turning to natural gas stores.

The Municipality is making strides in energy resilience. 

• The Port of Alaska is developing a microgrid and emergency backup generation to maintain operations in the event of outages while exploring decarbonization strategies to align with market trends.

• Solid Waste Services (SWS) is capturing landfill gas for energy production, piloting electric vehicles, and exploring waste-to-energy initiatives to turn trash into treasure. 

• Although Public Transit uses more than 550,000 gallons of diesel fuel every year, those 2.8 million rides means fewer cars on our roads and more efficient travel. That's why Public Transit is focused on reducing emissions citywide by increasing ridership.

• Public Works has implemented LED streetlights, solar panel projects, and transitioned to year-round all-season tires to extend road lifespans by as much as 30%. 

• Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) uses hydroelectric turbines to generate electricity from gravity-fed water systems, powers facilities with recovered energy, and collaborates with utilities on innovative heat exchange systems that improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.

Energy resilience makes good financial sense. 
When the Municipality's energy costs go up, residents foot the bill. But choosing energy efficiency upgrades and adding alternative energy solutions has never been more affordable, thanks to new grants, technical support, and rebate programs available. Good news for the Municipality is that we are standing up a new grants team in 2025 to go after these opportunities.

Whether you're a Municipality with 132 buildings and 3.15 million square feet, a small business making ends meet, or a single household with mouths to feed, making energy-conscious choices large and small is best for us all.​