$6.5 Million to 19 Projects in Indian Country Granted by US Department of Energy

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

Tribal Energy Development

WASHINGTON - As part of the Obama Administration's commitment to strengthening partnerships with Tribal Nations and supporting tribal energy development, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu Thursday announced that 19 clean energy projects to receive more than $6.5 million.

These competitively selected projects will allow Native American Tribes to advance clean energy within their communities by assessing local energy resources, developing renewable energy projects and deploying clean energy technologies. These projects will help Tribal communities across the country save money and create new job and business opportunities.

“The awards announced today will help Tribes across the country advance a sustainable energy future for their local communities, spur economic development, and advance innovative clean energy technologies.”

Said Secretary Chu.

The Energy Department has taken a number of steps to strengthen its support for Tribal energy development and empower Tribal leaders to make informed decisions that promote community economic development. Over the past year, the Department has established the Indian Country Energy Infrastructure Working Group with Tribal leaders from across the country and launched programs to provide technical assistance and support to help Tribal communities, colleges and universities deploy energy projects and gain skills in energy development and financing.

Since 2002, the Energy Department's Tribal Energy Program has provided $36 million to 159 tribal energy projects.

The projects selected for negotiation of award today fall under three project areas:

$3.6 Million for Feasibility Studies - Thirteen projects will receive $3.6 million to assess the technical and economic viability of developing renewable energy resources on tribal lands to generate utility scale power or study the feasibility of installing renewable energy systems on buildings to reduce energy use by 30 percent.

$1.7 Million for Renewable Energy Development Projects - Four projects will receive $1.7 million for pre-construction development activities. Three are developing more than 250 megawatts of new renewable energy generation, and one, when implemented, would reduce the need for diesel fuel for heating by 80 percent - or 9,600 gallons annually.

$1.3 Million for Installation Projects - Two projects will receive $1.3 million to deploy renewable energy technologies to convert waste and other biomass to energy. Once installed, the projects will generate 5 megawatts of energy per hour using municipal solid waste and using cordwood for heating to save between 2,500 and 3,200 gallons of propane.

Below is a description of each of the 19 projects.

Feasibility Studies

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Pablo, MT
$850,000
This project will evaluate the technical and economic viability of a co-generation biomass fuel power plant. The plant would use fuels from tribal forest management activities to provide between 2.5 to 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity to heat tribal buildings or sell on the wholesale market.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Fort Yates, ND
$430,982
This project will perform a feasibility study over the course of two years on three tribal sites to support the future development of 50 to 100 MW of wind power.

Navajo Hopi Land Commission (NHLCO), Navajo Nation
Window Rock, AZ
$347,090
This project will conduct a feasibility study to explore potential renewable energy development on the 22,000 acre Paragon-Bisti lands in northwestern New Mexico. The study will examine the viability of developing up to 4,000 MW of solar power and the potential to deploy other forms of renewable energy at the site.

Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone - Battle Mountain Colony
Battle Mountain, NV
$337,236
This project will assess the benefits and impact of a 5 MW photovoltaic solar energy system in the Battle Mountain colony of the Te-Moak Tribe. The Energy Park, if developed, would provide power for export to Nevada and California, as well as job training, employment, and revenue for the Tribe.

Pueblo of Zia
Zia Pueblo, NM
$278,987
This project will analyze the integrated development of solar, geothermal, and wind energy resources at Zia Pueblo and will assess the potential to augment these resources with gas-fired generation to provide a dependable power supply.

White Earth Reservation Tribal Council
White Earth, MN
$247,118
This project will assess the feasibility of deploying a biogas/biomass-fired combined heat and power facility to generate 2.7 MW of electricity for tribal buildings and for space and domestic water heating.

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc.
Anchorage, AK
$221,911
This project will study the viability of the current tidal resource near False Pass, provide an economic analysis of developing a tidal energy project there, and provide environmental and permitting analyses.

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Palm Springs, CA
$214,415
This project will complete a feasibility study to evaluate the potential to develop a 10 MW combined wind and solar power generation project on the Tribe's Whitewater Ranch trust lands in Southern California.

San Carlos Apache Tribe
San Carlos, AZ
$212,922
This project will conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to develop a solar energy generation facility on tribal trust lands within the Tribe's reservation.

Gila River Indian Community
Sacaton, AZ
$210,000
This project will evaluate the feasibility of installing solar energy systems on local facilities and developing commercial scale solar and biomass projects to export electricity.

Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Tucson, AZ
$105,975
This project will assess the viability of 1 MW of commercial and community scale solar development on Tortuga Ranch. It will also examine the potential to install solar photovoltaic and hot water systems on tribal buildings to supply a minimum of 30 percent of the facilities' energy needs.

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Towaoc, CO
$63,746
This project will conduct a feasibility study to identify the most logical, cost effective, and beneficial approaches to develop a proposed 1 MW solar farm on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation.

Stockbridge-Munsee Community
Bowler, WI
$50,000
This project will conduct a feasibility study to assess the viability of installing a geothermal heat pump, biomass power generator, and solar photovoltaic and hot water systems to supply electricity and heating and cooling for the tribal clinic.

Renewable Energy Development

Penobscot Indian Nation
Old Town, ME
$1,000,000
This project will complete the pre-construction activities required to secure funding for the proposed 227 MW Alder Stream Wind Project, including development of engineering designs, identification of power purchasers, completion of state and tribal permitting requirements, and negotiation of interconnection agreements required to deliver energy.

Pueblo of Jemez
Jemez Pueblo, NM
$301,113
This project will complete all remaining solar development activities for a 4 MW photovoltaic solar facility, which include acquiring a power purchase agreement, completing site-related project requirements such as site surveys and lease approval, and finalizing project financing.

To'Hajiilee Economic Development, Inc.
To'Hajiilee, NM
$300,000
This project will conduct pre-construction activities to secure funding for the Tribe's planned 30 MW Shandiin Solar Farm Development in To'Hajiilee, New Mexico.

Port Graham Village Council
Port Graham, AK
$113,721
This project will conduct pre-construction activities, including permitting, design, financing agreements, and operation and business plans, for a biomass-powered heating system. When operational, this system will provide heat to five community buildings, reducing diesel consumption by 9,600 gallons annually.

Installation of Renewable Energy

Oneida Seven Generations Corp.
De Pere, WI
$1,146,870
This project will build a state of the art waste gasification energy recovery facility capable of converting 150 tons of municipal waste into 5 MW of electricity per hour. Under this Oneida energy project, four sets of generators will be purchased and installed to convert synthetic gas generated from municipal solid waste.

Jemez Pueblo
Jemez Pueblo, NM
$146,775
This project will install a cordwood-fired biomass energy system using locally available wood to heat the Tribe's visitors center. Once installed, the system will provide up to 90 percent of the facility's heating needs.

The tribal energy projects announced were selected as a result of a Department of Energy funding opportunity announcement issued last year.

posted February 17, 2012 9:30 am est