HomeMy WebLinkAboutNREL support letter KachemakTidal420 L Street, Suite 305 Anchorage, AK 99501 Ph: 907.271.3633 www.nrel.gov
November 9, 2009
Walt Wrede, City Manager
City of Homer
491 East Pioneer Avenue
Homer, AK 99603
Dear Mr. Wrede:
This letter is to affirm NREL’s support of the City of Homer’s efforts to implement a tidal energy
feasibility study for Kachemak Bay and your Alaska Renewable Energy Fund grant application.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the nation’s primary laboratory focused
on energy efficiency and renewable energy. NREL is a government-owned-contractor-operated
facility managed and operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (“Alliance”)
under U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308.
Through the US Department of Energy, NREL has recently located staff directly in Alaska in
recognition of the energy challenges and opportunities throughout the state. NREL is well aware
of Alaska’s ocean energy potential, including over 90% of the entire nation’s tidal energy.
Harnessing this energy is both an exciting and important initiative that could catapult Alaska and
the nation into the forefront of clean energy production.
Combined with in-stream and other tidal hydrokinetic projects throughout Alaska, this feasibility
study could contribute important information and help to develop a critical mass for the tidal
energy industry in the state. In particular, assessing the feasibility of Kachemak Bay for tidal
energy production is a necessary first step to determine if this long-held vision can become a
major contributor to Railbelt energy security. Your collaborative approach with other government
agencies, private industry, and communities is innovative and holds promise as a model for other
project development efforts.
NREL is in the process of expanding its own ocean and in-stream hydrokinetic energy expertise
throughout the country and by next summer will have a full technical team in place that you will
be able to access if this project continues to advance. Please contact me if you have any questions
or would like additional information. Best of luck on your application.
Sincerely,
Brian Hirsch, Ph.D.
Senior Project Leader – Alaska
Brian.Hirsch@nrel.gov