Site suitability analysis of hydrokinetic river energy resources at community microgrids on the Kuskokwim River, Alaska

Abstract

A simple multiparameter tool for quantifying site suitability for riverine hydrokinetic (HK) energy project development is presented and applied to sites in Alaska. Given the high energy costs and diesel fuel dependence of small islanded microgrid communities and adjacent river energy resources, many communities in Alaska are excellent candidates for early adaptation of HK technologies. Seven isolated communities located along the Kuskokwim River in southwest Alaska are evaluated using this method to determine whether riverine HK projects are likely to succeed. While similar models have been developed for wave and tidal energy, to our knowledge, no such tool exists for riverine HK energy. Factors considered in the analysis include the economic viability, energy demand, distance to power distribution lines, HK resource, presence of environmentally sensitive areas, population, and climate change risk or usteq at each community. Modeling of the technical resource adjacent to each community indicates that HK technology could meet or even exceed the energy requirements of the communities during the ice-free open water season (June to October). Although the communities have similar characteristics, the site suitability varies due to variations in the economic, environmental, and technical constraints among the communities. Based on these factors, the most promising community for a riverine HK installation is Aniak, although the highest resource was observed at Chuathbaluk. The approach is easily adaptable to other regions of Alaska or elsewhere with similar hydrologic and geographic constraints.