Shining light on Alaska's solar energy future: engineering bright ideas and installations.

• Author: Anderson, Tom
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Engineers & Architects

What is 4.6 billion years old, 864,938 miles in diameter, 10,000 Degrees Fahrenheit in its photosphere and 92,960,000 miles from the Earth?

Perhaps an easier question to answer is what shines light on Earth of such intensity that humans can harness its radiant energy to power buildings, equipment, and appliances?

Right-the sun.

The proliferation of solar energy applications in Alaska is benefitting our environment, pocketbooks, and the industries that focus on solar technology. From the design stage of panels and harnessing the sun's enormous energy to the complexity of engineering and integration to the actual installation and implementation of the technology, the sun has become a partner in Alaska commerce and infrastructure. As the future brightens for business and development, when it comes to solar power and synergy, Alaskans may just be getting the best end of the deal.

Let there be Lime--The Design Phase

Jesse Moe and Chet Dyson were high school pals in Anchorage. They shared interest in owning their own business and being entrepreneurs. They both had an affinity to burgeoning technologies evolving in the world of alternative and renewable energy. Dyson pursued an education and trade skills in construction. Moe enrolled in the University of Alaska Anchorage's engineering program and became an electrical engineer. They partnered in 2011 and formed Lime Solar.

Lime Solar sells solar modules and thermal equipment for homes, businesses, and government facilities and offices. The company's inventory includes wind turbines, batteries, and inverters. Lime Solar also offers design consultation and direction for projects large and small.

Over the last three years Moe estimates he has designed the majority of grid-tie solar projects in state. "One of the primary reasons I entered the renewable energy market in Alaska is the lack of expertise in the state. The myriad benefits of utilizing solar power range, from cost savings to the reduction of carbon emissions, were also important considerations," says Moe.

Over 2014, Moe designed projects including an 80kw (kilowatt) solar panel array in the Glenn Square commercial center in Anchorage's Mountain View neighborhood. The installation will be completed in 2015 for the Cook Inlet Housing Authority.

Another set of designs was made for 38kw and 40kw solar panel systems within low income housing units on Lake Otis. The project was encouraged by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and is intended to alleviate tenant electricity costs. One housing unit is built and the remaining will be completed in 2015.

In Fairbanks, Moe designed a 12.5kw array for the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Sustainability Program. This solar project had a dual purpose: UAF students could study the technology and application while lowering building electricity costs, which in a small but cumulative way beneficially affects the state budget and tax payer liability. In the same region, Lime Solar designed a 19kw solar array for dormitories on Eielson Air Force Base to reduce electricity costs.

"A real champion of alternative energy partnership is Golden Valley Electric Association [GVEA] in Fairbanks," adds Moe. "GVEA's clean energy incentives, earned through its SNAP program, encourage smaller renewable energy projects in conjunction with net metering and power grid...