This is the third and last column dedicated to making the case that Alaska, like the rest of the world, can move beyond oil and into the clean energy economy. <\/p>\n
[Read the first column here: “Beyond oil: Where the rest of the world is going<\/a>” and the second column here: “Beyond oil 2: How far we’ve come<\/a>“]<\/p>\n From arts and parks galore to supreme seafood, from wired wilderness to a global cargo center, from health care to federal spending, Alaska has many strong economic blocks to build upon. Add in the projected slow but steady growth in the health care, tourism, retail trade and air cargo sector and Alaska\u2019s economic future is on the positive side. University of Alaska Anchorage Institute of Social and Economic Research economist Mouhcine Guettabi did an analysis on \u201cWhat\u2019s Happened to the Alaska Economy since Oil Prices Dropped?<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n After noting where job losses and gains occurred, Guettabi concludes, \u201cTo build a healthy economy for the long run, the state needs to balance the budget.\u201d Assuming this happens, then policy makers and investors could focus on accelerating growth in the more stable parts of our economy; making it possible to not be dependent on more oil or the next big mega project. Furthermore, there are opportunities from engaging in the clean energy economy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s often said the cheapest energy is the energy you don\u2019t burn. According to Chris Rose, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP), \u201cWe estimate that Alaskans are spending about $5 billion a year on heating, electricity and transportation. We also estimate that we are wasting about 20 percent of that. That means we\u2019re burning about a billion dollars\u2019 worth of energy every year without any benefits. With a robust program to finance and promote energy efficiency measures, Alaskans could instead work toward re-circulating that $1 billion in our economy, creating thousands of jobs in the process,\u201d Rose explains.<\/p>\n Another opportunity lies with joining regional efforts to reduce emissions through carbon caps and trades. Instead of looking to sell coal to China, Alaska should be looking to get paid for leaving its coal in the ground. The reason this \u201ccarbon offset\u201d opportunity exists is because the rest of the world accepts that if there is to be any chance at all of not exceeding the 2 degree Celsius threshold all coal must stay in the ground.<\/p>\n Perhaps the biggest opportunity lies with our wealth of renewable energy and our vast experience running microgrids throughout rural Alaska. Wind-diesel hybrid systems are already displacing tens of thousands of gallons of expensive diesel every year. Because much of the developing world is not connected to major energy grids, Alaska\u2019s microgrid expertise could be exported; making Alaska a world-leader in the integration of renewable energy in remote diesel grids.<\/p>\n