A summary of the May 23, 2022 ArcticX event in Anchorage, Alaska, co-hosted by the Arctic Energy Office and the Office of Technology Transitions.
June 10, 2022
minute read time
The ArcticX Summit: Committing to a Sustainable Arctic was a catalyst for advancing energy innovation and commercialization in the Far North and showcasing our mission to bring the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its resources to the Arctic and the Arctic to DOE. From our 12 DOE National Lab partners and Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) colleagues who set the agenda, to the panelists and diverse Summit participants who provided their insight and enthusiasm, the event gave us all the chance to connect a cross-section of partners with resources and expertise in regional energy priorities.
Dr. Geraldine Richmond, DOE’s Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, experienced this first-hand, “On my way to this meeting, I was fortunate to have visited your communities that have significant energy needs, and where your work is having impact. I was in Kotzebue and traveled to Noatak and Shungnak to meet with village elders, tribal councils, Native Corporation executives, utility managers like Alaska Village Electric Co-op and local Alaskans. I saw an entire community operating almost 10 hours a day on solar energy with battery storage which will save $200,000 a year and offset 10%--with the goal of 30%--of diesel fuel operations.”
She continued, “I learned that through technical assistance, capacity building efforts and an ongoing relationship with NANA and the Northwest Arctic Borough, the region relied on DOE’s expertise, guidance and funding to develop this project, which we hope to replicate across several other villages.” Dr. Richmond also announced an upcoming DOE partnership that will continue that innovative spirit—a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sandia National Lab and the Port of Alaska to further sustainable and resilient port operations while providing energy security for the port’s military base neighbor.
Those types of connections were also highlights for keynote speaker, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, as she reflected on the need to address the region’s high energy prices, climate change, and energy innovation potential. She said, “When I look across the room, I see Clay Koplin, the [former] mayor of Cordova, who is just making things happen in his community. [He is] innovating to meet the needs of a remote fishing community using [his] own grid and using [his] own resources and then partnering with DOE for the technologies to help build out that battery storage. So many great things will come from Alaskans working with DOE.”
Developing and strengthening partnerships between DOE and the people and organizations of the Far North were the main goals and takeaways for Arctic Energy Office Director George Roe and OTT Principal Deputy Director Marcos Gonzales Harsha. “The goal of the ArcticX Summit is to showcase America’s leadership in energy innovation and commercialization by shining a light on the unique Alaskan experience. And we are pleased to have a window into different experiences and contexts in the makeup of our attendees today, from investors to entrepreneurs, members of industry and academia, Alaska Natives and government leaders. A theme of today is seeding new partnerships,” Gonzales Harsha said.
I saw that potential first-hand as I staffed our Arctic Energy Office booth and heard from Alaska Natives, energy industry managers, non-profit educational organizations, lab researchers, environmental stewards, investors, academics, utility workers and more. They were excited not only to hear about the technology innovations but also to re-connect with friends and colleagues they had not seen for some time and to find new funding or training resources. While we sparked those conversations during our webinar series, this in-person Summit provided the opportunity for those partnerships to gain momentum, including a conversation started at ArcticX between an Alaska Native interested in developing a wind project to reduce diesel use in his community and renewable energy technology experts at two of the DOE’s national laboratories.
Dr. Richmond addressed this desired partnership outcome by saying, “While this event is the culmination of the ArcticX series, the work will continue on a range of commercialization efforts and exciting partnerships long into the future. We hope you will all stay engaged over the long run.”
Sen. Murkowski expressed the confidence that participants will do just that. She concluded by saying, “To our friends in DOE, know you have willing and capable partners here in this state and we’re ready to put our pioneering spirit and our ingenuity and our resolve to work for the good certainly of our state but also for the country as a whole. This might be the end of the ArcticX series at least for now, but…there is so much more to come--so much more to do--and really only one way to do it and that is together as partners.”
Carolyn Hinkley
Carolyn Hinkley is a communication specialist in the Office of Electricity (OE). In this role, she helps to manage executive communications and internal and external communications, including OE's website.
She previously served as the Acting Communications Director for the Arctic Energy Office, where she managed all aspects of external and internal communications for DOE's only placed-based office in Alaska. Her role included representing Alaska Native concerns on DOE's Tribal Energy Steering Committee. Carolyn joined the Arctic Energy Office from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)'s communications team, where she managed the organization's multiple websites and oversaw stakeholder outreach tools and digital best practices. In this role, she also edited a national renewable energy newsletter and provided executive communication support to the organization’s senior leaders.
Before joining EERE, Carolyn provided public affairs support to Western Area Power Administration, specifically in the areas of hydropower generation and transmission and marketing.
She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a master's degree in information and communication technology from the University of Denver.