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PROTECTING ALASKA'S COOK INLET WATERSHED AND THE: LIf=E IT SUSTAINS
November 3, 2009
Alaska Energy Authority
813 West Northern Lights Boulevard
Anchorage, AK 99503
Re: Support for Ormat's AEA Renewable Energy Fund, Round III, Application for
Mount Spurr Geothermal Exploration
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Cook Inletkeeper is a community -based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting
the Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains. Among other things, Inletkeeper increasingly
recognizes the considerable threats posed by rapid climate change and ocean acidification to
Alaska's spectacular resources and the people and economies they support. As a result,
Inletkeeper writes now to strongly support Ormat's application for a $2 million grant from the
Alaska Renewable Energy Fund to pursue geothermal exploration at Mt. Spurr on the west side
of Cook Inlet.
Several Western U.S. states (e.g., California, Nevada and Hawaii), as well as several countries
(e.g. Iceland and New Zealand), already recognize the sizable benefits of geothermal power as a
significant source of base -load, reliable and cost-effective renewable energy that produces
significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fuel sources.
We strongly support Ormat's efforts to explore the potential of geothermal development at
Mount Spurr. If Alaska is indeed fortunate enough to have a utility -sized geothermal resource
within reasonable proximity to Anchorage, developing a 50-100 MW power plant at Mount
Spurr will serve to:
1) Fight climate change by reducing green -house gas emissions from fossil -fuel based plants;
2) Push Alaska forward in its efforts to secure increasing amounts of power generation from clean,
cost-effective renewable sources;
3) Strike the right balance between development and sustainability. The suggested geothermal
technology is widely acknowledged in its low environmental footprint, with low emissions, low
water consumption, low depletion of the geothermal resource, low visual impact, low noise, etc.
While road and transmission line impacts will need to be addressed if a commercial project
appears viable, we are confident those impacts can be mitigated sufficiently.
F.O. box 5269, Homer, Alaska 9?603 • P. 907.255.4068 • f. 907.235-4-069 • www.inletLceFer.org
4) Decrease the need to mine and burn coal and other greenhouse emitting fuel sources in
Southcentral Alaska and beyond, and establish the markets and expertise to make Alaska a
worldwide leader in renewable energy production and technology.
Of the various ideas for both renewable and non-renewable energy generation currently under
consideration in Alaska, the Mount Spurr geothermal project seems to be one of the most
sensible from economic and environmental standpoints. Accordingly, we urge AEA to grant
Ormat Resources $2 million to share some of the high exploration costs inherent in a project of
this nature.
Thank you and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at 907.235.4068
x22 or bobLajnletkeepenorg.
Very truly yours,
/; 714-V
Bob Shavelson
Executive Director