The University of Alaska-Fairbanks’ groundbreaking Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA) program has brought together a multinational community of energy representatives from throughout the Arctic region for comprehensive training, including using HOMER Pro to model the most effective systems for Arctic renewable energy optimization. ARENA education focuses on developing, operating, and managing sustainable, renewable remote energy microgrids via a mix of capacity building, online training, in-person site visits and sessions, and networking. ARENA education on energy in Arctic environments includes technical, economic, and social issues as well as toolkits.
“The intention is to take energy champions from remote communities across the Arctic and give them the skills, knowledge, and network so they can develop and build renewable energy programs for their own communities,” Robert Cooke, ARENA’s curriculum developer, told Motherboard recently. “It’s much better to have people from the areas driving forward these projects than having some industry or some government coming from the south and putting in an extremely expensive wind project that fails.”
Ahead of the upcoming Alaska Wind-Diesel Conference (link), ARENA’s Program includes HOMER training, enabling participants to use HOMER Pro to its fullest, bringing participants the modeling knowledge they need to address their energy challenges. After an online session held today between the participants and HOMER director of energy engineering John Glassmire, the Arctic renewable energy group will reconvene for additional HOMER training right before the opening of the Alaska Wind-Diesel Conference June 20 in Fairbanks.