Arctic Renewable Energy Atlas (http://arcticrenewableenergy.org/)

An Endorsed Project of the Sustainable Development Working Group of the Arctic Council Co-led by the United States and Canada

Overview: To contribute to sustainable development and healthy, resilient communities in the Arctic, the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) has initiated work on an online Arctic Renewable Energy Atlas (AREA) http://arcticrenewableenergy.org/. AREA provides solar, wind, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic resource maps within an easily accessible website. AREA will also overlay existing energy generation capabilities to allow easy visualization of localized supply and demand and encourage clean energy prospecting and investment. In an effort to profile and share good practices gleaned from traditional and local knowledge, AREA will add videos from Arctic community stakeholders discussing successes and challenges found in developing clean energy projects. AREA is available free of charge to the public, investors, policy makers, researchers, and Arctic public officials to raise awareness on energy efficiency opportunities and renewable energy development potential. By combining multi-layer data visualization and promoting local solutions, AREA will expand the capacity of Arctic residents and scientists to manage and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Description of Activity: Stakeholders across the Arctic have indicated a need to share scientific data, research and development, and local knowledge to promote the application of renewable energy and energy efficiency to meet their energy demands. By bringing together maps, resource data, research activities, and storytelling into a single tool, AREA will enhance knowledge of the good practices and local adaptation actions on renewable energy within the Arctic region. AREA components:

  • Renewable Energy Atlas – including Wind, Hydro, Solar Thermal, Geothermal, Biomass, Tidal
  • Community Energy Production, Consumption and Efficiency Database
  • Good Practices Guide for Remote Community Renewable Energy Integration and Efficiency
  • Community Energy Stories – Videos profiling local energy projects, challenges and opportunities

Identification of Good Practices

The AREA project is searching for good practices across the Arctic. Good practices are projects or programs led by an agency, organization, community or company and deliver meaningful outcomes related to sustainable development. Good practices should describe process or technological innovation, community engagement, clean energy or energy efficiency deliverables, and ultimately result in cost-savings and/or carbon emission reductions.

We encourage project proponents, utilities, Indigenous organizations, government agencies and research institutes to complete the form below to submit your nomination for a good practice. The project team will review submissions and include accepted practices in the project website – http://arcticrenewableenergy.org/. Already online are some sample project and videos, as well as the data visualization map.

Please complete the form below to submit a “good practice” for inclusion in the Arctic Renewable Energy Atlas database. The project team will review all submissions and the projects and programs verified will be added to the project library and geo-located on the AREA map.

Limit any one answer to 200 words, and feel free to attach information about the project or program, which will complement its inclusion in the library.