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ACEP student awarded $7,000 renewable energy scholarship

April 24, 2026
By Yuri Bult-Ito

Matteo Kuizenga, a junior mechanical engineering student at UAF and student assistant with ACEP, has been awarded the Larry Bekkedahl Scholarship from the .

Kuizenga was selected from a competitive pool of 90 applicants and is one of four recipients of the foundation’s highest annual award.

The recognition reflects not only his academic performance but also his early immersion in applied energy research in �ֻ�ֱ��, an environment where energy systems are both complex and consequential.

Kuizenga credits his experience with ACEP as a key factor in receiving the award. He began his work as a , where he was introduced to the intricacies of the Fairbanks energy landscape.

“Matteo combines a forward-thinking passion for renewables with a deep, community-minded love of his home community of Fairbanks,” said Emilia Sakai Hernandez, who was Kuizenga’s mentor during his internship.

Kuizenga said he learned a lot about the Fairbanks energy ecosystem as an intern. “That knowledge helped me speak directly to the challenges and opportunities for renewable energy resources in Fairbanks.”

He has since continued his work with ACEP’s Grid Edge research team and those experiences are already shaping his trajectory.

“Working closely with the Grid Edge research team and at the Solar Photovoltaic Test Site in Fairbanks has given me a wealth of ideas about research projects I could pursue,” he said.

Kuizenga is currently working on the effect of wildfire smoke on solar energy production. As smoke in the atmosphere affects the productivity of solar panels, his work may help grid operators prepare for potential power drop-offs on a smoky day.

“Matteo brings great enthusiasm and curiosity to his research,” said Michelle Wilber, who leads the Grid Edge research team. “His work on the effects of smoke on solar production has broadened the whole team’s knowledge.”

For Kuizenga, the scholarship is as much about opportunity as it is about recognition. He will travel to Portland, Oregon, in May for a reception with fellow recipients and professionals in the field — an experience he sees as critical at this stage of his career.

“I think building connections and finding ideas is most important right now,” he said.

His path reflects the broader role ACEP plays in training the next generation of energy innovators.

“I hope that I can continue to carve out a pathway to pursue renewable energy in �ֻ�ֱ�� as my career, using this [recognition] as one of my biggest successes to date,” he said.

Since 2016, the Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation has supported over 170 students across the Pacific Northwest who demonstrated success in their academic pursuits in renewable energy and related fields. Kuizenga now joins that network as he continues to explore how research and engineering can shape the future of energy in �ֻ�ֱ�� and beyond.