The EARNEST Consortium, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is dedicated to identifying and advancing solutions for the future of the U.S. electricity system. As part of its public engagement, EARNEST is launching its first webinar series, focused on “U.S. Grid Reliability and Resilience.”

This second session will highlight ongoing work by the EARNEST research team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Alaska’s electric grids are not connected to the continental U.S. grid, and many function as small, stand-alone microgrids serving only a few thousand customers or fewer. These systems often rely heavily on diesel generation, which is costly and logistically complex to supply. In response, many communities are incorporating wind, solar PV, battery storage, and other technologies to increase reliance on locally available energy resources.

As part of the EARNEST Alaska Pilot, our research investigates the economic and technical implications of this ongoing energy transition. In particular, we examine the potential role of long-duration energy storage and increased electrification in supporting resilient and reliable Arctic microgrids.