Grid Edge team advances energy research and collaboration
May 6, 2026
Michelle Wilber gives a presentation on smart energy solutions for and by Alaska at the University of Vermont in April.
April was a busy month for the Grid Edge research team, filled with conferences and collaborations on topics ranging from smart energy solutions to agrivoltaics.
Michelle Wilber, the Grid Edge team lead, visited the University of Vermont, or UVM, as a at the university’s Gund Institute. During her visit, she participated in several events, including delivering a talk at the seminar titled “Smart Energy Solutions for and by Alaska.” She also presented on electric vehicles in the North for the .
Wilber worked closely with UVM partners Bindu Panikkar, Jayashree Rajaram Yadav and Mads Almassalkhi on their project, “Integrated renewable energy community microgrid transitions and energy sovereignty in remote communities in Alaska,” funded by the Sloan Foundation.
In addition, Wilber attended the “Electrify Vermont” conference on campus, where she engaged with researchers and practitioners discussing electrification strategies with an emphasis on affordability and resilience.
While Wilber was in Vermont, other members of the Grid Edge team were making strides in different parts of the country. Cam Dolan, Grid Edge’s research engineer, presented his work on electric vehicles at the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference in Bethel. The annual conference, which rotates among Western Alaska communities, brought together speakers from various fields, including archaeology, climate science and local tribal and city leaders.
Cam Dolan explains his work during a poster session at the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference in Bethel.
Dolan described the experience as one of the best conferences he has attended, noting, “The conference was one of the best in Alaska.”
He said he learned a lot about research in the state, both in and outside the energy and power sector. He particularly appreciated the community storytelling, blending scientific presentations with narratives from young community members and village elders.
Meanwhile, Grid Edge project manager Christie Haupert attended the , part of the held annually at venues across the country.
Haupert’s participation was tied to the ongoing “Agrivoltaics: Unlocking Mid-Market Solar in Northern Climates and Rural North America” project at the Houston Solar Farm in Alaska. The project, which integrates agricultural activities with solar production, has shown promising early results, with no measurable impact on solar output from crops grown between the solar panels.
“Having the only agrivoltaics research project in the state of Alaska, attending conferences like the Solar Summit enables our project to gain a fresh perspective on what the industry and research community are doing,” Haupert said.
The summit also provided Haupert with an opportunity to strengthen connections with other universities, national laboratories and industry leaders, including Stacie Peterson, executive director of the American Solar Grazing Association. Peterson visited the Alaska agrivoltaics site in 2024 and expressed excitement to Haupert about the potential of agrivoltaics in the region. Due to the wide row spacing and height of solar panels in Alaska, these designs are considered ideal for co-location with agricultural production. The final season of crop growing at the Alaska agrivoltaics research site will take place the summer of 2027.
As the Grid Edge research team continues to make strides in the energy and sustainability sectors, these collaborations and conferences represent an important step in advancing smart energy solutions in remote communities in northern climates.
For more information on Grid Edge research, visit the program page or contact Christie Haupert at clhaupert@alaska.edu.