With 2022 behind us, we’re reflecting on all the exciting accomplishments and advances for clean energy in Indian Country. Here are the top five activities of the year from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy.
#5: Tribal Energy Webinar Series
Each year, the Office hosts a monthly webinar series to share information on energy efficiency, energy technologies, project development, and so much more! This year, the series theme was “empowering native communities and sustaining future generations.” With a total of approximately 1,120 attendees throughout the year, we are glad to offer these educational opportunities for Indian tribes and Alaska Native village members and anyone interested in learning more.
Revisit any of the monthly webinar recordings on the webinars archive page. You may also register for our first 2023 webinar on federal funding opportunities happening on January 25 on the webinars page.
#4: 2022 Office of Indian Energy Program Review
This year, the Office hosted its 20th Program Review, an annual event providing an opportunity for Indian tribes and Alaska Native communities to meet, learn from other tribes who are pursuing energy self-sufficiency, and share in each other's successes. With over 200 attendees, the review highlighted nearly 40 tribal energy projects across the nation co-funded by the Office of Indian Energy.
Watch the recap video and view the presentations from the 2022 Program Review.
#3: $44 Million More to Support Tribal Clean Energy Projects
Building on more than $120 million invested in over 210 tribal energy projects, the Office of Indian Energy announced an additional $44 million in funding in 2022 to promote and support tribal clean energy projects.
In March, we announced $9 million in funding to 13 American Indian and Alaska Native communities. These projects are estimated to result in 3.3 megawatts of new clean energy generation and provide a combined $48.5 million in savings over the life of the systems to these communities. Read the full announcement.
In November, the Office also issued two funding opportunities valued at $35 million, specifically geared toward affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The projects are competitively selected and negotiate agreements for co-funding with the Office of Indian Energy. Learn more and apply before the February deadlines.
#2: White House Tribal Nations Summit
On December 1, DOE launched a new inter-agency initiative to support tribes transitioning from conventional to clean energy during the White House Tribal Nations Summit. During the event, Secretary Granholm entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation among and between the Navajo Nation, DOE, the U.S. Department of Interior, and other U.S. federal agencies. Specifically, the parties intend to collaborate to build capacity, provide technical assistance, and identify funding needs and opportunities for the Navajo Nation.
Read all of the announcements, memorandums, and policies put into place at the Summit in the White House fact sheet.
#1: Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships
In accordance with President Biden’s January 26, 2021 Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships, DOE, including the Office of Indian Energy, continue the commitment to strengthen tribal sovereignty and self-governance. Regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with American Indian and Alaska Native communities is a prerequisite for strong nation-to-nation relationships between the United States, its federal agencies, and tribes. To that end, the Office of Indian Energy participated in several activities to strengthen these relationships:
- A virtual consultation session on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (March 2022)
- Two listening sessions on energy access and reliability (November 2021 and July 2022)
- The Tribal Clean Energy Summit (October 2022).
Original source can be found here
