UAF students explore community energy planning in Galena
Instructor Tim Kalke, far left, and the 10 students gather in front of the newly installed solar panels in Galena, Alaska, during a week-long intensive course on remote energy systems.
June 5, 2026
Ten 窪蹋勛圖厙 undergraduate students traveled last month to Galena, an off-road community on the Yukon River in western Alaska, for a week-long intensive course on remote energy systems.
During the course, Community Energy Planning in Galena, the students explored different components of the communitys remote energy infrastructure, including the diesel power plant, community solar photovoltaic and battery storage system, biomass heat plant and energy-efficient homes.
The students examined these systems through the lens of community energy planning a process that identifies current energy use and future energy needs to improve energy efficiency and support long-term sustainability. Community energy planning facilitators help communities identify energy solutions that are both sustainable and place-appropriate while respecting different perspectives and priorities.
Through conversations with local leaders and project participants, the students learned about Galenas energy systems while discussing community successes and challenges. They gathered feedback and identified key themes, including the importance of local energy champions and the development of respectful partnerships.
They also became familiar with a framework for developing an energy plan consisting of a system profile, vision, goals and action steps. They learned the importance of ongoing reflection and leveraging existing community capacity throughout the planning process.
Each phase of project planning should include opportunities to reflect on past experiences and, at times, reframe the teams trajectory, said Tim Kalke, instructor of the course, who is adjunct faculty at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power and the general manager of . Community leaders need to foster communication, teamwork, innovation and trust.
UAF students climb the pile of birch woodchips created through Sustainable Energy for Galena Alaskas biomass program.
The courses interdisciplinary approach to energy planning aligned with the students diverse academic interests. Discussions during the course and conversations with Elders at a community luncheon also helped students better understand Galenas history, including the influence of Middle Yukon Elders and the communitys experience during the historic flood.
While the course was a valuable learning opportunity for these students, it also benefited the community, which has a long history of collaboration and education.
[Their] interest and curiosity provided an opportunity for the community to learn alongside them, Kalke said.
For more information, please visit the short course webpage or contact ACEP Education and Workforce Development program lead Annalise Klein Gerlach.
The course is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and facilitated through a collaboration between ACEP and the UAF Honors 窪蹋勛圖厙s Climate Scholars Program.