Su Valley's proposed wood fired boiler project receives funding

The Mat-Su Borough has received money from Alaska Energy Authority to produce a feasibility study on the proposed wood-fired boiler system at the new Su Valley Junior and Senior High.

The Denali Commission and the Alaska Energy Authority announced the award of $5 million dollars for alternative and renewable energy projects across the state. Thirty-three different projects received a portion of that 5 million dollars. The Su Valley project is only one of 3 biomass projects awarded money.

The Mat Su Borough is the entity that actually applied for the 20-thousand dollar grant. They will match the AEA grant with an additional 5 percent for performing the feasibility study.

Tami Hamler, one of the local residents working on the proposed project, said she was thrilled and that the proposed project received a lot of support from AEA. She said that AEA had even urged the Borough to apply for a preconstruction grant at the same time. Hamler says the Borough needs convincing of the feasibility of the project before taking any more steps. She says the Borough will likely employ an engineering firm to conduct feasibility studies on the wood boiler system and the biomass project overall.

The Denali Commission and AEA issued requests for proposals months ago that garnered alternative and renewable energy cost reduction projects. The solicitation brought in 96 different proposals from around Alaska for funding projects totaling over 130 million dollars. Only 33 were chosen and rated as to their benefit-to-cost-ratio and Su Valley’s wood boiler system fell in the middle of all 33 projects.

George Cannelos, Co-Chair of the Denali Commission, says that one component of the application process included the development of an inventory of projects that focus on alternative solutions. Commissioners designated funds solely for the purpose of providing alternative energy solutions that will alleviate reliance on diesel fuel.