Alaska’s rural residents are separated by great distances, have limited access to many resources and pay a higher cost of living than their urban cousins. Improvements to infrastructure in rural Alaska can reduce the cost of living and improve the quality of life. Areas to consider are housing quality, transportation and utilities. Improvements made to the community infrastructure and quality of life improves the success of economic development efforts. A circle of benefits is associated with efficient housing, dependable transportation, affordable energy and local employment through new industries. Affordable energy using appropriate power generation technology is one important consideration.
Power System Components - Providing electrical power to a home or business involves four components. They are energy resources, power generation, power distribution and consumers. The hallmark of commercial electrical utility operation is the rate and location of customer pull or use. High concentrations of large users help justify capital investments in large-scale generators and distribution systems. Large power plants are often located near readily available natural deposits of coal, oil or natural gas. Distribution lines transport the power to population centers and industries. High volumes of use or concentrations of users dictate placement of commercial utilities. Large-scale power distribution systems are not appropriate for use in rural Alaska. Technology may provide the ability to better utilize natural wind, tidal, solar and water energy to produce power.