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    Thirteen Native Tribes gaining $9M DOE funding to install Microgrids

    March 23, 2022
    These projects will harness the solar, hydro and geothermal energy resources of the communities and supply them with clean electricity, power residential buildings, install microgrids and expand workforce training opportunities
    Image credit Coeur d’Alene Tribe
    Coeur D Alene Tribe 623b24adae71f

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing a funding of $9 million to 13 American Indian and Alaska Native communities for 14 renewable energy projects.

    These projects will harness the solar, hydro and geothermal energy resources of the communities and supply them with clean electricity, power residential buildings, install microgrids and expand workforce training opportunities. Eventually, these projects will help reduce and stabilize energy costs, increase energy security and resilience and help address the needs of the underserved and rural communities.

    U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, “With this investment, DOE is continuing its work with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to build stronger, more resilient tribal nations.” 

    Altogether, the 14 projects are expected to result in 3.3 MW of new clean energy generation, more than 3.6 megawatt-hours of battery storage and combined savings of $48.5 million over the lifecycle of the systems while serving more than 1,200 tribal buildings.

    ·        The Coeur d’Alene Tribe (Plummer, ID) will use its $68,129 funding for the installation of solar photovoltaic on its new youth recreation center.

     ·         The Colusa Indian Community Council in California will get $517,200 to expand its existing medium-voltage distribution to seven homes and supply reliable power to the new homes by leveraging the Tribe’s existing cogeneration power plant and microgrid.

     ·         The Karuk Tribe will get $1,390,680 for solar PV installation at its Casino and Wellness Center and $426,757 to install a solar PV and battery storage on 39 elder's homes to ensure power reliability during grid outages.

     ·         Kawerak, Inc. (Nome, AK) will use the $1,524,376 award for the installation of an Organic Rankine Cycle system using local geothermal resources at Pilgrim Hot Springs. It will provide power and heat to 18 tribal buildings, a water pump house, a water well and two bathing pools.

     ·         The La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians in California will get $511,610 to install solar PV and battery storage to power the La Jolla Trading Post. It will save more than $1.3 million over the life of the system.

     ·         The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota will spend its $729,049 funding on solar PV installation to power nine existing tribal buildings, helping save more than $2.5 million over the life of the new systems.

     ·         The Lummi Nation (Bellingham, WA) will use its funding to install solar PV on a new 50,000ft2 health and dental facility. It will save money and provide training to seven tribal people. It will receive funding of $158,019.

     ·         The Metlakatla Indian Community will be awarded $967,258, which will be used to rebuild and install the key components of two hydropower turbines and replace an aging battery. The installation and update is aimed at boosting energy production by 20% and decreasing reliance on diesel-powered generators.

     ·         The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe will use its $248,448 amount to install solar PV on three buildings and provide training to members.

     ·         The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians will get $203,866, which will be used to install solar PV on three buildings at the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Rolling Hills Clinic. The installation will result in savings of $36,470 annually and a 94% reduction in electrical costs.

     ·         The Pueblo of Laguna will use the $174,765 it receives to install solar PV on community buildings, resulting in 70% electricity cost savings.

     ·         The Puvurnaq Power Company will use the award amount ($674,330) to buy, install and integrate solar PV into the existing wind diesel battery power system situation in the Village of Kongiganak. The upgrade will help turn off the diesel engines 56% of the year and save more than 48,000 gallons of fuel annually.

     ·         The Navajo Nation Tribal Government-Kayenta Chapter will get $1,185,409, which it will use to install solar PV, a backup propane generator and battery storage to supply clean energy to 24 unpowered homes in the Comb Ridge/El Capitan community.

     Additionally, leadership of federally-recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native Corporations have been invited to a consultation session to guide the department in the development of more than 60 new programs and deployment of $62.5 billion in funding for a positive impact on Tribal communities. 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.