Alaska Leadership Lab fellows explore energy innovation
September 9, 2025
ELA fellows and staff gather in front of Sheridan Glacier near Cordova, Alaska.
Nineteen fellows from across Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the mainland U.S immersed themselves in Alaska’s varied and innovative energy landscape with visits to Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Anchorage and Cordova during the 10-day Alaska Leadership Lab this spring.
The Lab is the in-person segment of the six-month virtual program, which aims to empower local energy leaders in remote, islanded communities across the Caribbean, Pacific and Arctic.
The fellows connected directly with local leaders, utilities and community energy champions who are advancing emergent energy solutions in remote and islanded microgrids.
“In Alaska, our community partners are experts in leadership, resiliency and contextualizing solutions to their specific place,” said Annalise Klein, who is the ELA program lead. “This ability to nest emerging technologies within the unique strengths and needs of an off-grid community is incredibly exciting to highlight for our fellows.”
The participants explored how energy research, workforce development and utility innovation intersect with community leadership. The group toured the Power Systems Integration Laboratory in Fairbanks, learned from Kotzebue’s pioneering wind-diesel hybrid systems and spoke with ’s leadership about fostering a culture of innovation and risk tolerance.
Time was also dedicated for reflection, leadership development workshops and peer-to-peer capstone project coaching, which deepened both technical and leadership skills critical for driving equitable energy transitions in their own communities.
Tom Atkinson and Rocky Jones from Kotzebue Electric Association lead ELA fellows through the diesel power plant in Kotzebue, Alaska.
“The city of Kotzebue is the definition of when challenging circumstances meet preparation,” said ELA Fellow Shiquoi Issac from the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The obstacles faces can truly be devastating for some just from a logistics standpoint, but they have shown that even in remote areas the implementation of renewables is possible.”
ELA is made possible through support from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s and is delivered by the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the ҵ and the .
and learn about ELA and its fellows’ experience.
Contact Annalise Klein at asklein@alaska.edu or to learn more about ELA.