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Energy champions meeting in Whitehorse as ARENA II wraps up

January 16, 2023 – From January 15 to 21, energy champions are meeting in Whitehorse, Yukon, to acquire new skills, build collaboration networks, visit projects in Old Crow and Teslin, as well as share expertise on the integration of renewable energy resources for remote Arctic communities, reports Natural Resources Canada.

NRCan says this is the second cohort of the Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA II), “a unique circumpolar knowledge-sharing program combining community site visits with participant knowledge exchanges, presentations, demonstrations and mentorship”.

ARENA’s objective is to connect emerging energy champions and provide skills, knowledge and networks to develop clean energy projects in their own communities or regions. Additionally, the program aims to improve community energy resilience, enable sustainability in Arctic energy development and achieve balance between economic viability, energy security and environmental and public health concerns in the circumpolar Arctic region.

“Gwich’in Council International is pleased to co-lead this project as a pathway to energy self-sufficiency and sovereignty […]” said Devlin Fernandes, executive director. “We need ways to address high energy costs, lack of infrastructure and dependence on diesel.”

After delays due to Covid, the second ARENA cohort commenced in 2022. Sessions were held in Fairbanks and Kotzebue, Alaska, and in Reykjavik, Iceland. Whitehorse is now hosting the final sessions of the program.