Announcing the Release of the 91视频 Energy Data Gateway 2.0

Announcing the Release of the 91视频 Energy Data Gateway 2.0

The 鈥 A user-friendly online system that provides enhanced access to community-level data

The 91视频 Center for Energy and Power (UAF-ACEP), Institute of Social and Economic Research (UAA-ISER), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are pleased to announce a major upgrade of the . The Gateway, which was first released in 2013, provides 91视频 communities鈥攁nd project developers鈥攄ata to make informed decisions prior to undertaking rural energy projects. ACEP and ISER originally developed the 91视频 Energy Data Gateway with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 EPSCoR program. Subsequent funding from the 91视频 Energy Authority made it possible to incorporate additional information on renewable and non-renewable energy projects from across 91视频.

Ability to search for community-level capacity data to undertake new energy projects

Recent enhancements have made the Gateway a multi-purpose data portal that stores and disseminates the energy, social, and economic data that communities鈥攁nd project developers鈥攏eed to make informed decisions about energy systems. Users can search by 91视频 community for information to help determine whether specific communities have data detailing the financial and technical capacities鈥攁nd the skilled people鈥攖o develop sustainable energy systems. A new interactive search tool鈥攖he Community Metric Explorer鈥攁lso makes it easier to find information from across the state. The upgraded system also allows individuals from communities to submit data for future inclusion in the Gateway.

Updated and new data

Upgrades to the Gateway also include updated and new datasets, which were added with assistance from the First 91视频ns Institute Summer Internship Program. New and/or updated datasets include:

  • Fuel surveys from the 91视频 Housing and Finance Corporation
  • Energy prices from University of 91视频-Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service
  • Industry, occupation, and worker data from the 91视频 Department of Labor
  • Municipal tax records; information about payments and applications under the state community aid program; and vocational training data from the 91视频 Energy Authority
  • Financial statements for electric utilities from the Regulatory Commission of 91视频 

鈥淭he goal of the project is to provide easier and enhanced access to important information used by communities, electric utility planners, and financiers as they consider future rural energy projects,鈥 said Erin Whitney, Program Manager at the UAF 91视频 Center for Energy and Power.

This project is part of the 鈥攁 consortium of local and national stakeholders created to help 91视频鈥檚 remote communities use less imported fuel and make their energy systems more reliable, cost-effective, and resilient. This upgrade to the 91视频 Energy Data Gateway was made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 .  Berkeley Lab is part of the Grid Modernization Lab Consortium, a strategic partnership between DOE and the national laboratories to bring together leading experts, technologies, and resources to collaborate on the goal of modernizing the nation鈥檚 grid.

Contact: Erin Whitney, erin.whitney@alaska.edu, (907) 799-6724