JUNEAU – Southeast Conference, in a partnership led by Alaska Heat Smart and support from the Alaska Municipal League, will receive millions in federal funding to help families offset the cost of converting from residential oil-heating systems and electric resistance heat to energy-efficient heat pumps in Alaska’s southern and central coastal communities.

 

Southeast Conference and Alaska Heat Smart, both Juneau-based agencies, were awarded $38.6 million through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s competitive Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program (CPRG).

 

“Southeast Conference has long worked with Alaska’s distressed coastal communities to displace imported fossil fuels and utilize clean, renewable resources,” said Lacey Simpson, Southeast Conference Board president and City of Ketchikan assistant manager. “We are grateful for this award, which will make transformational changes toward our shared mission of sustainable, vibrant communities with a healthy environment.”

 

The program will provide financial incentives for heat pump installations to 6,100 households spanning Southeast Alaska and Southcentral coastal communities from Ketchikan to Kodiak. Rebates will vary, from $4,000 up to $8,500, depending on household income level. Heat pumps generally save households 25% to 50% on heating bills.

 

In addition to the monetary benefits for Alaskans, the grant award will produce positive environmental impacts, displacing 3.3 million gallons of heating oil annually (547 gallons per household) and removing 633,898 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through 2050.

 

Grant partner Alaska Heat Smart has assisted over 1,000 households to navigate pathways to home electrification, breaking down the barriers that stand between a home and utility bill savings, climate action, and the ability to reap the benefits of Alaska’s renewable energy resources. The CPRG-funded Accelerating Clean Energy Savings in Alaska’s Coastal Communities (ACES – AK) grant program will supercharge these efforts.

 

“This is coastal Alaska’s ‘ticket to ride,’” said Andy Romanoff, executive director of Alaska Heat Smart. “Not only will this opportunity bring the myriad benefits of air source heat pumps to thousands of Alaskan families, but it also confronts head-on the challenges of energy and climate justice. The ACES – AK program will save families hard-earned income and will eliminate the hazards and costs inherent in burning and transporting fossil fuels. ACES – AK will allow families to ‘heat locally’ by drawing heat from the surrounding air, versus an oil-dependent, thousands-of-miles long pipeline and barge journey from the drilling platform to the furnace.”

 

Other program benefits include providing direct financial incentives to those most burdened by home heating costs, with more than half of the program benefitting applicants in Tribal communities and disadvantaged communities. The program is supported by the Kodiak Area Native Association and Tlingit and Haida Regional Housing Authority.

 

“Alaska’s coastal communities face unique challenges with high heating and electricity costs,” said Mike Pfeffer, CEO of Kodiak Area Native Association. “This grant will provide valuable energy education and financial incentives, helping families on Kodiak Island and beyond to reduce their energy expenses and improve their quality of life. We are excited to support this initiative and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our communities.”