Sustainable Energy for Remote & Underserved Communities

While more than 75% of Greenland’s energy comes from hydropower, most small coastal communities, such as Qaanaaq in Northern Greenland, lack flowing rivers or other alternative energy sources. Sunlight availability on the scale of months rather than hours, and tidal energy under a frozen fjord require innovative adaptations of mid-latitude renewable energy resources. Upon the invitation of citizens of Greenland, this stakeholder-driven pilot project aims to partner with the citizens of Qaanaaq to identify and articulate their needs and future energy goals, gather data, and identify potential renewable energy sources, energy conservation measures, and attitudes toward current energy policy in North Greenland. The co-generation of knowledge in this study will establish a foundation toward the renewable energy revolution in Qaanaaq, reaffirm Dartmouth’s commitment to engaged and advanced study in the Arctic, and it will also set the stage for a larger effort to be proposed to NSF.