As a child, Jessica Miller trekked down to the creek every couple hours to turn solar panels toward the sun. Her family harnessed energy from the sun and the wind to pump water from the creek, to power the 12-volt refrigerator, run the vacuum.
She grew up in a remote cabin about 20 miles from McCarthy, completely off the grid.
Sometimes it was a pain, said the 26-year-old who now lives in Anchorage. But, "It was just normal to me."
It's decidedly abnormal to most Anchorage residents, but interesting to those attending the third annual Bioneers In Alaska conference (think "biological pioneers") at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Miller was one of several hundred people at a bunch of weekend workshops, exploring all things eco-friendly, from how to run a biodiesel- fueled car to the value of locally grown foods.
In a workshop Sunday on renewable energy, Miller was the only one of about 20 participants who raised a hand when the group was asked if anyone had actually lived with alternative energy.
Miller, a UAA graduate now working on a master's degree in environmental science, contracts part-time with Conoco Phillips. Her family now uses the alternative-energy cabin during summers only; they moved out when she was in her teens. Her parents live in Valdez.
Martina Dabo, the wind program manager for the Alaska Energy Authority, said the authority is working with communities to get wind turbines pumping in remote, off-the-grid parts of the state.
"Wind is the fastest growing source of energy," Dabo said.
Its time may have come. Energy costs are soaring and some Bush communities face unpayable fuel bills that threaten the survival of basic public services. Wind turbines could help.
And, they don't contribute to global warming, she said.
Alaska has a lot of wind, and that's a good start. But the biggest needs are in remote places, which makes construction a challenge. Huge pieces of equipment have to be flown to tiny, roadless villages. Sometimes bears attack and destroy equipment set up in their territory.
Several communities already use local wind power systems -- sets of giant windmills that turn wind into electricity -- including Kotzebue, Kasigluk and Toksook Bay.
The Alaska Energy Authority is working with other agencies toward establishing a wind farm on Fire Island near Anchorage.
The Millers' wind turbine was way smaller than any of those discussed Sunday. One turbine was mounted on top of the barn, reaching 30 or 40 feet high, she estimated, where it could grab breezes in an area that wasn't all that windy.
Her dad shut it down in the summers -- when solar power was most plentiful -- because of bird fatalities. The small wind turbine spun so fast birds couldn't see the arms, and flew into the death trap.
The energy authority studies bird migration patterns when assessing sites for wind farms, Dabo said. If birds look like a potential problem, they choose another site, she said.
At the Miller's cabin, solar panels and the wind turbine connect to a large bank of batteries, which powers all sorts of normal appliances including a TV, VCR and a microwave. They used a fuel-burning generator sometimes.
Miller's dad Jerry Miller bought solar panels when they were first available in the 1970s. Her father is always looking at progressive ideas, she said. Now he drives a Dodge pickup with a camper powered by solar panels. He brought it up for the conference.
Using alternative energy makes people extremely conservative with energy use -- they don't leave lights on unless they're being used. Jessica Miller said her family was always watching the weather because they depended on it for electricity. And when the family system was still in its infancy, she learned to read by kerosene lamp.
"Alternative energy is a great idea. I know it can work," she said. "It surprises me that more people don't try it."
The costs of getting set up can be steep, but over the years, not having utility bills adds up to savings. A small turbine can cost from $3,000 to $35,000, according to a guide from the U.S. Department of Energy called "Small Wind Electric Systems." The length of time it takes to pay back that investment depends on a lot of factors.
Wind energy is practical for residential use when a home's electricity bill exceeds $150 a month, and if the home is on a large, remote lot that gets consistently strong winds, the guide says.
The Alaska Energy Authority does not assist with home-size renewable energy systems, Dabo said.
Daily News reporter Anne Aurand can be reached at aaurand@adn.com or 257-4591.
