Arctic Energy

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average as a result of human-caused climate change, driven primarily by burning fossil fuels around the globe. The Arctic, home to Indigenous communities, critical seafood populations, unique ecosystems and cultures, and millions who have made it their home, is a key part of the U.S. through Alaska and stronghold for national security, climate solutions, and energy resources. Learn about this work here.

Highlights

DOE’s Arctic Strategy

Advancing Arctic energy, science and security is the goal of the U.S. Department of Energy's Arctic Strategy. The Strategy outlines DOE’s coordination with Arctic stakeholders from Indigenous Peoples to international partners to grasp Arctic challenges, ensure energy equity, and work together to apply solutions. DOE’s Arctic Energy Office leads this coordination to address these challenges.  

For economic, cultural, environmental, geopolitical, equity, and security reasons, DOE and the nation’s commitment to science-informed and evidence-based decisions and investments are essential to the entire region’s future. 

 

Alaska Critical Minerals Accelerator

The Arctic Energy Office is partnering with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to drive economic expansion around innovative critical minerals processes and create a new green mining workforce in underserved Alaska Native communities. 

 

Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project in Alaska

DOE’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) has supported 15 communities in Alaska since it launched in 2021. With the support of multiple national laboratories and regional partner organizations, the technical assistance program aims to strengthen the resilience of energy systems in island, costal, and remote communities across the United States through strategic energy planning, analysis, and modeling. Communities in Alaska have engaged in ETIPP projects that include exploring the potential for wind, hydroelectric, and solar power; electrifying fishing vessels; and improving building energy efficiency.

 

Solar Energy in the High North

With the launch of the Alaska Solar Microgrid Working Group in 2024, the Arctic Energy Office is supporting collaboration and knowledge-sharing. There is currently a game-changing investment from the federal government to fund energy infrastructure that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes clean energy demonstrations in Alaska. Collaboration across the region will be critical for project success.  

Microgrid and Grid Resiliency Support for Arctic Communities

Providing support to underserved and Indigenous U.S. communities in remote, rural, and islanded regions, including Alaska, is a DOE priority, This includes developing or improving microgrid systems--local power grids that can be disconnected from the main grid and work independently. DOE launched a pilot Community Microgrid Assistance Program to support microgrid deployment planning and support, The pilot will focus on communities including those in Alaska and Tribal lands.  This support advances DOE’s energy justice goals.

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Hydrogen Potential in the Arctic 

Hydrogen energy solutions are garnering national and local attention in the energy transition. In-depth research is increasingly important to evaluate hydrogen’s place in the context of rural, remote, and underserved regions of Alaska. The Arctic Energy Office leads the Alaska Hydrogen Working Group and spearheaded the publication of the Alaska Hydrogen Opportunities Report in 2024. The Office is working to further understand and demonstrate energy generation and storage technologies in Alaska. 

 

International Dialogue

DOE’s Arctic equities are guided by the National Strategy for the Arctic Region and the DOE Arctic Strategy. The United States seeks to promote and maintain peace, cooperation, and prosperity. This work encourages sustainable economic development and the building of climate-friendly transportation across the region. 

 

Geothermal Gaps Analysis and Roadmap

Alaska is prospective for geothermal energy, but exploration and resource assessments are poor relative to those for the conterminous United States. As a result, Alaska is often omitted from nationwide deployment studies for geothermal energy. DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office is funding work to prepare a gaps analysis on existing demand-side and subsurface data for geothermal heat pumps, direct use, and power, and to develop a roadmap to improve geothermal resource assessments in the state.

The Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program will distribute funding to states, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations, over five years based on a formula that includes factors such as population size, land area, probability and severity of disruptive events, and a locality’s historical expenditures on mitigation efforts. The states, territories, and tribes will then award these funds to a diverse set of projects, with priority given to efforts that generate the greatest community benefit providing affordable and reliable energy. 

The Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program is also helping enhance grid flexibility and improve the resilience of the power system against extreme weather by accelerating the deployment of transformative projects in Alaska. 

Arctic Energy Resources

Solar array with wind turbine in the background in Kotzebue, Alaska.

This page aims to help you find the resources, projects, events, and funding opportunities.  

Arctic Energy Resources

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