Alternative Energy - Could we get off the Grid?

I spent last weekend with my wife and daughter up at Chena Hot Springs - we visited on perhaps the coldest weekend of the year, but still managed to enjoy spectacular views of the aurora borealis and a much appreciated warming soak in the hot springs... as odd as that was having icicles hanging off my hair but still overheating!

One of the highlights of the weekend was a tour of the geothermal plant and greenhouses that the geothermal energy powers. Simply amazing to see what was growing when it was -35F outside!

We had a great chat with Bernie Karl, the resort owner and inspiration behind many alternative energy projects in Alaska - it really is amazing what we can do when we practice the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and mimic nature - see chenahotsprings.com. He has agreed to help us think more about helping the ASLC and Seward get off the grid through use of ocean thermal energy conversion (which we already use to cool the ASLC in summer), thus potentially saving us (and the community) a lot of electricity from more expensive and less sustainable sources.