Solar Energy in the Arctic: A Case Study of Northwest Alaska

Much of the North American Arctic remains dependent on fossil fuels, both for heating and electricity generation. Such dependence creates greater economic and energy insecurity, and increased health impacts for those relying on older, less efficient generators. In remote areas where the sun stays below the horizon for months in the winter, the idea of investing in solar energy that is intermittent and reliant on natural sources may seem counterintuitive. However, the findings in this paper indicate that the case for solar electricity in the Far North may be stronger than previously thought. The populations in the Arctic regions of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and parts of Russia are stable or declining. Over the last decade, electricity demand growth has been flat overall in these regions. There are two local exceptions: 1) where electricity is being used to supply a load formerly provided by direct fuel use, such as heating, and 2) where an additional load has emerged, such as a new mineral extraction project. Neither exception is common, although the latter will expand if demand for strategic minerals, such as rare earths, leads to new mining projects.