The Northwest Arctic Borough ( NAB ) Energy division just completed a new free standing Solar World , high performance , 23Kw panel that feeds energy directly into the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative ( AVEC ) grid . The panel offsets the cost of energy and will potentially lower the cost of electricity for all consumers in Noorvik . “ This is the largest and first utility sized array in the region ,” said Ingemar Mathiasson , the Northwest Arctic Borough ( NAB ) Energy Manager . “ This is all part of a larger collaborative effort of installing
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solar in the region between NANA , NAB , KEA [ Kotzebue Electric Association ], IEC [ Ipnatchiaq Electric Company ], Buckland Electric and AVEC ” he said .
The Noorvik array will be tested to ensure its latest cutting edge solar arrays can withstand an Arctic environment . It was built with Coastal Impact Assistance Program ( CIAP ) funding awarded this year .
Installation of solar panels and micropiling for the Deering and Buckland project will tentatively start in 2017 . ■
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Dave Schilke , a survey office technician at WHPacific ’ s San Diego office , has taken the first step to obtain an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration for Unmanned Aircraft Systems ( UAS ). UAS , or drones as they are more commonly referred to , are rapidly becoming a huge game changer in the surveying industry . Dave has obtained his certificate for “ Part 107 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems ,” and as a licensed pilot he has made this process go much more efficiently than it would without a license . “ We strive to stay in front of this exciting and quickly-changing technology to best
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serve our clients ,” Mike Stys , San Diego ’ s operations manager , said . “ Our clients have and will continue to ask about this technology , so we will continue to work to develop business-oriented applications , when and where it makes sense .”
This certification will allow the company to legally use this technology for commercial purposes . The use of drones for surveying work will become more prevalent in the years to come , with the technology offering more accurate aerial photography and remote sensing . WHPacific will keep working hard to continually enhance their technology and innovation for their client ’ s needs . ■
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