The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is soliciting competitive grant applications from qualified applicants for renewable energy projects to be funded by the Alaska State Legislature. AEA is seeking to recommend projects based on applications that clearly demonstrate a public benefit from the proposed project. From Round III applications received, AEA will make project recommendations to the Legislature for FY2011 funding. AEA must receive Round III applications no later than 5:00 PM Tuesday, November 10, 2009.

If you recall, in 2008 the Alaska Legislature established the Renewable Energy Fund and authorized AEA to administer the procedures for awarding the grants and distributing grant funds. AEA received more than 230 Round I and Round II applications which were thoroughly evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in the legislation. Following AEA's recommendations, the 26th Legislature in the 2009 session approved 107 Round I and Round II renewable energy projects totaling $125 million.

In other alternative energy news, the Denali Commission recently announced the winning proposals for its Emerging Energy Technology Grant program. The projects are all quite innovative, and include a seawater heat pump system, organic Rankine Cycle waste heat recovery, and psychrophiles for heating gas generation (we're not exactly sure what that means either...may want to look it up). You can read more about the program here. We hope the Commission will be able to continue this worthy program, which could prove valuable for rural Alaska.

A little less than a month ago, the Obama administration released the first glimpse of a plan to strengthen the way the nation manages the oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes. President Obama's Ocean Policy Task Force - comprised of 24 officials from the U.S. Department of Interior to the U.S. Navy - recommended creating a new National Ocean Council with power to coordinate and hold accountable myriad federal agencies in conservation and marine planning efforts.

"Right now (ocean policy) is done on a piecemeal basis, one agency regulating fisheries, one shipping, one water quality, another national security and there's no real mechanized thinking on how sectors interact with each other," said Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a task force member. The Task Force toured Alaska in August for an Arctic Observance tour to learn more about how climate change is affecting the Arctic region. Have a first look at the plan here.

As a gentle reminder, SWAMC's Annual Membership Meeting & Economic Summit, also known as "the conference," will be held February 4-5, 2009 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. As we've done with the past couple of years, we will also hold an energy work session the day before the official start of the conference, along with the President's reception on day one and a banquet on the final night.

We've been putting together various ideas and multiple iterations of the conference agenda, but we assure you that it will again serve as a valuable platform of knowledge and networking for SWAMC's members and friends. That being said, we also entertain ideas for topics that might be of interest to Southwest Alaskans. You can send along those suggestions to mcatsi@swamc.org, or call the office at 907.562.7380. Look for more information coming soon. Hope to see you in February!