How do you build an energy self-sufficient community from the ground up? Amid the vast and untamed wilderness of Alaska’s southeast archipelago, new avenues of electrification are calling for new sources of clean energy to run them. We journey to the town of Sitka, the Alaskan island running (almost) entirely on renewable energy, where cutting-edge innovation meets with indigenous values of conservation to build a decarbonized future for all.

Sitka is a community already at the forefront of renewable energy, with close to 100% of the city’s current electricity provided by their two hydroelectric dams. But Sitka’s need for power is growing, driven by the development of a new hospital and coast guard expansion and infrastructure required to keep up with ever-growing numbers of seasonal tourists. Efforts are also currently underway to electrify in one of the key areas in which Sitka has been reliant on traditional diesel fuel: heating.

Access to affordable heating is a vital necessity for Alaskans amid a challenging climate. Traditional diesel heating is not only a major contributor of carbon emissions, in recent years it’s become a difficult economic burden. For isolated communities like Sitka, diesel must be shipped in by barge or flown in by cargo plane, and with oil prices rising and global supply lines stretched, the costs pose a serious hardship for many.

Electric air source heat pumps are incredibly efficient pieces of technology. Homes that convert to heat pumps cut down on hundreds of gallons of oil use annually, saving big when it comes to cash, and carbon emissions. But expanding electric heating means adding a new source of strain to Sitka’s power grid. To stay ahead of the electrification curve, Sitka’s Electric Department enrolled in the Energy Transition Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), working with local partners like the Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) and the national energy labs to prepare Sitka to meet the increased demand for renewable power that decarbonization will bring.

Installation of electric heat pumps can also represent a substantial upfront cost for home or business owners looking to decarbonize. On the ground level, networks of sustainability-minded Alaskans like the Sitka Carbon Offset Fund and Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) are helping to subsidize heat pump conversions for lower income families and for historic community buildings like the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall. With a community working together across multiple levels to create and supply a clean energy transition, Sitka is a powerful example of a holistic approach to building a sustainably powered future.

The Alaskan Island Running (almost) Entirely on Renewable Energy | American Innovators

Directed by Eric Feigenbaum

Created by Conor Gaughan and Kate Tucker

Written and hosted by Kate Tucker

Produced by Consensus Digital Media in partnership with Remedial Media

Executive Producer - Kate Tucker

Executive Producer - Jessie English

Executive Producer - Eric Feigenbaum

Executive Producer - Conor Gaughan

Featuring:

Chuck Miller (Daanax.ils'eik) – Tlingit Culture Bearer

Kord Christianson – Generation System Manager, City and Borough of Sitka

Scott Elder – Utility Director, City and Borough of Sitka

Clay Good – STEM Educator / Regional Energy Catalyst, REAP/SSP

Evening Star Grutter – Owner, Evening Star Arts Soaps and Salves

Filmed in Sitka, Alaska at Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall, Sitka Electric Department, Blue Lake Dam, Sitka Sound Science Center, and at Evening Star Grutter’s home.

Supervising Producer - Geoff Rock

Editor - Jack Mankiewicz

Assistant Editor - Angaelica LaPasta

Director of Photography - Isaac Rosenthal

Camera Operator - Eddie Bernard

Gaffer / Drone Operator - Fletcher Anstis

Sound Engineer - Tom Eichler

Production Coordinator - John Ryan Gage

Wardrobe - Hollie Van Osenbruggen

Audio Mixer / Sound Design - Dillon Terry

Color Grading - Ind3x

Motion Graphics - Yuriy Netrebyuk

Graphic Design - Stephen Lepsch

Music courtesy of Soundstripe, Audiio, and Artlist