Alabama's energy revolution and critical minerals

Alaska has abundant renewable resources and vast mineral deposits, the state has unique opportunities to transform its energy landscape while becoming a critical supplier of minerals essential for clean technology. If harnessed responsibly, these assets could enable Alaska to lead the national shift toward clean energy and domestic manufacturing of green technologies. Recent policy moves, such as the proposal for a Renewable Portfolio Standard and the creation of the ACMC, signal growing momentum in this direction. As global demand for clean energy accelerates, and with it the race to secure the materials that power it, Alaska’s resource wealth becomes increasingly strategic. 

Alaska's economy and energy system have historically been dominated by fossil fuels. Since the 1960s, Cook Inlet gas has primarily fueled heat and power for Alaskans, with the state becoming approximately 85% gas-powered after the Bradley Lake hydroelectric plant came online in the early 1990s. This hydroelectric facility remains Alaska's only significant renewable energy source to date. The Railbelt region, the interconnected grid stretching from Fairbanks through Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, currently relies on natural gas for about 80% of its electricity generation.

However, this heavy dependence on natural gas presents growing challenges. The Railbelt relies on natural gas turbines for electricity. And while there is the potential for a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope, securing local natural gas has become increasingly difficult. This supply uncertainty, combined with rising costs, is driving utilities to explore alternative energy options.

Alaska has begun establishing targets to diversify its energy mix. In 2010, the state set a nonbinding, aspirational goal to generate 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. More recently, in March 2023, Alaska Senator Löki Tobin introduced Senate Bill 101 to establish a more concrete Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the Railbelt region, which would require utilities to generate 25% of electricity from renewable resources by December 2027, 55% by December 2035, and 80% by December 2040.

These targets are supported by research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which completed a report in February 2022 finding that the Railbelt could achieve 80% renewable generation by 2040 without impacting customer reliability. The study also concluded that reaching this standard would save billions of dollars in fuel costs over the next two decades. This economic benefit is particularly significant as Cook Inlet natural gas prices continue to rise while the costs of wind, solar, and battery storage technologies rapidly decline.

Developing a fair and sustainable energy system is central to Alaska’s evolving transition away from fossil fuels. Organisations such as Cook Inletkeeper are at the forefront of this effort, working to reduce dependence on oil and gas while supporting the growth of renewable energy across the state. Their Energy Transition programme envisions a future built on clean energy that not only protects Alaska’s natural environment from pollution but also creates opportunities for all communities. This vision is grounded in equity, supporting community-led renewable energy projects, investing in workforce development, and advocating for policies that put public health and safety first. The unique geography of the Cook Inlet watershed, and the communities who depend on it, present both an opportunity and a responsibility to do it right.

Alongside efforts to transform its energy system, Alaska possesses extraordinary potential in the realm of critical minerals. The state is home to 49 of the 50 minerals identified by the U.S. Geological Survey as critical to national security and economic stability. These include antimony, cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel, tin, tungsten, and platinum—materials that are essential for the technologies driving the global clean energy transition. Alaska also holds significant copper reserves, another cornerstone of renewable energy infrastructure. With global demand surging and a collective push to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, Alaska’s mineral endowment is increasingly viewed as a strategic national asset.

Exploration across the state continues to uncover promising new deposits. At the Red Mountain project, Silver47 has identified concentrations of key critical minerals such as antimony, gallium, niobium, and vanadium. Notably, the Dry Creek zone yielded high grades of these elements, up to 6,230 parts per million antimony, 116.4 ppm gallium, and 1,110 ppm vanadium. Elsewhere, the Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska hosts substantial deposits of copper, zinc, cobalt, gold, and silver. The Arctic deposit alone contains enough reserves to support a mine projected to operate for 13 years, producing nearly 2 billion pounds of copper, more than 2 billion pounds of zinc, and hundreds of millions of pounds of lead, gold, and silver. There is also growing interest in the nearby Bornite deposit as a potential domestic source of germanium, a critical input for both clean energy and high-tech manufacturing.

To support the responsible development of these resources, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has established the Alaska Critical Minerals Collaborative (ACMC), housed within the Geophysical Institute and led by Dr Lee Ann Munk. The collaboration brings together researchers and laboratories across the university system to help advance critical mineral discovery, characterisation, and extraction. It aims to support industry, Alaska Native corporations, and government agencies with cutting-edge research and analysis.

The link between critical minerals and the clean energy transition could not be clearer. Alaska’s abundant copper, for instance, is vital for virtually all renewable energy technologies. Gallium, found at the Red Mountain site, is used in electronics and photovoltaic cells, while cobalt and lithium are key components of energy storage systems that support intermittent renewable generation. Developing these resources domestically not only supports the transition to cleaner energy but also strengthens economic resilience and national security.

The strategic implications of Alaska’s mineral wealth have come into sharper focus in light of geopolitical developments, such as China’s export restrictions on antimony and gallium—two elements identified at Red Mountain. These events underscore the fragility of global supply chains and the importance of establishing reliable domestic sources. For Alaska, this translates into significant economic potential. While the state’s economy has long been centred on oil and gas production, critical minerals offer a path to diversification. Gold remains a major contributor to Alaska’s mining sector, accounting for 28% of total mining value in 2018, but the growing importance of other mineral commodities could generate new revenue and employment opportunities in emerging sectors tied to advanced manufacturing and green technology.

Yet Alaska’s vast resources come with logistical challenges. One of the most significant obstacles to mineral development and renewable energy deployment is infrastructure, particularly in remote areas. The Bureau of Land Management’s recent decision regarding the Ambler Road project, which would have enabled access to the mineral-rich Ambler Mining District, had a marked impact on exploration and project development. The decision delayed the permitting of the Arctic mine and highlighted how critical infrastructure access is to project feasibility. The same challenge affects energy security in rural communities. As Olga Stewart notes, some parts of Alaska still rely on coal or wood for heating and power, not because these are the most sustainable options, but because they remain the most accessible. This reality highlights the need for coordinated infrastructure investment that addresses both energy access and mineral development. 

Ultimately, fulfilling Alaska's potential will depend on collaborative and forward-looking strategies. Addressing infrastructure gaps, protecting ecosystems, involving local and Indigenous communities, and creating an enabling policy environment are all essential. By integrating energy transition efforts with critical mineral development, Alaska can build a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future, both for its people and for the wider world.