Native-led renewable energy organizations and projects are blossoming across the United States with the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) serving as the game changing catalyst. The IRA provides Tribes with renewable energy tax credits for the first time (covering up to 70% of project cost) and increases funding for Tribal energy loans from $2 to $20 billion!
Accessing this money, however, is a different story. “The funding is like a fire hose for Tribal communities. It’s great for Tribes that can harness the money with 30% down, but feels like a huge gaslight for the many Tribes who lack development resources, capital funding, or adequate transmission lines to access it,” said Joseph McNeil Jr., Standing Rock Sioux member and Manager of SAGE, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s energy organization. Chantel Greene, Nez Perce member, founder of Xexus Greene Energy, and former vice chairwoman of the Tribal Executive Committee for the Nez Perce Tribe – which is striving to build enough renewable energy to make dams obsolete – explained, “it’s like dangling money just out of reach.”
In the last decade or so, particularly after resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrated tremendous Native power by prioritizing sovereignty and environmental protection, more and more Tribes have been considering renewable energy. Renewable energy can support living in better balance with the earth, address decades of energy poverty, raise revenues for economic development, and increase the workforce by providing job skills and training to Tribal members. Renewable energy projects within reservation lands provide opportunities for environmental stewardship that align with cultural values.
Through incorporation of Indigenous knowledge, sacred teachings, and cultural practices into project planning, siting, and environmental impact assessments, these projects can support cultural preservation while mitigating climate change impacts, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving natural resources for future generations. A variety of Native-led organizations are facilitating this work to build regenerative communities that run on renewable energy. These organizations are filling critical gaps in federal efforts to support Native-led renewable energy, particularly around financing and capacity.
Funding
Most federal funding and technical assistance is solely for feasibility studies or constructing projects, but there are a lot of steps before and in between. As Vanessa Farley, member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy Indians and Director of Tribal Energy Programs for the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) pointed out, a renewable energy project “is the product of a community’s priorities and climate planning – how to reflect the Tribe’s needs and values. These projects don’t happen in a vacuum. A huge amount of resourcing is needed on the front end to get to the point of being able to identify a project and move forward.”
Pilar Thomas, member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, former Deputy Director of the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (OIE) at the Department of Energy (DOE) (2011-14), and trusted legal expert who advises Tribes pursuing renewables, called the next gap in financial support—for steps between a feasibility study and a bankable project—a “valley of death.” New funding announcements therefore, are “bittersweet,” said Chéri Smith, Mi’Kmaq descendent, President, CEO and Founder of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy. It’s like the DOE is saying, “we’re inviting you to dinner at this really nice restaurant, and here’s $75 to go have dinner. But everything on the menu is $100 or more. Where am I supposed to get that 25 bucks? And,‘oh, by the way, you don’t have that 25 bucks? You can’t even sit at the table unless you find it.’ The Tribes feel misled by the federal government, once again.”
To fill some of these financial gaps, the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy has launched the Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty, a $100M pool of philanthropy dedicated to supporting Tribes with project feasibility and other pre-development expenses. Grid Alternatives’ Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund also provides grants for gap funding, energy plans, and solar installation for Tribal communities and residences.
Pilar Thomas, Petla Nodin, Stephanie Bostwick, Dan Wiggins, Tanksi Clairmont at the Tribal Clean Energy Summit in Washington DC. Photo credit: Grid Alternatives
Capacity
Advancing through the many steps and regulations of renewable energy development can be arduous and full of uncertainty. Tribes must conduct formal feasibility studies of environmental impacts, secure access to transmission lines, negotiate power purchase agreements with local utilities, and contract trustworthy builders, engineers, and legal experts. It’s not just that federal funding opportunities do not support key parts of renewable development, it’s also that there’s no clearly defined path and no advisor that is deployed to help walk a Tribe through all the pre-construction steps, someone with whom a Tribe can build a trusting relationship for the long term.
The federal Office of Indian Energy (OIE) is tasked with supporting energy sovereignty of all 574 federally recognized Tribes. It consists of just 15 full-time staff and a few contract staff. While the OIE has made significant strides in empowering Tribes through energy development projects and capacity building initiatives, its limited staffing is a substantial gap in federal support for Tribal energy needs. When compared to other federal offices managing energy programs for states or private entities, the OIE’s staffing and funding levels are disproportionately low, despite Tribes’ unique status as sovereign governments. Strengthening OIE’s capacity through increased staffing, sustained funding, and expanded technical resources is not merely a question of operational efficiency; it is a matter of upholding the federal trust responsibility and enabling Tribes to achieve their independence goals.
The technical assistance provided by the OIE, Pilar Thomas explained, “doesn’t really produce what you need produced—the capacity study, interconnection study, drawings for a project, cultural and biological surveys. It’s a missed opportunity.” These federal gaps “put a huge burden on Tribes, many of whom are already capacity constrained, to string together many different little pieces of support. Where there are gaps in support, it’s up to the Tribe to figure out how to find the expertise and funding to fill the gap. And then they might finally arrive at a grant application – but it’s a lot of steps to get there,” said Vanessa Farley.
SAGE’s efforts to develop their Anpetu Wi utility scale wind farm, for example, have been blocked by inadequate transmission lines to take their electrons from Standing Rock to metropolitan areas. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates transmission, which was not designed with Tribes or renewable energy in mind. In August of 2024, the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy submitted a Petition for Expedited Rulemaking to FERC, addressing significant barriers that Tribal Nations face in participating in energy development projects.
The petition calls on FERC to review the process for interconnecting power plants to the electric grid and urges an exemption for Tribal nations from the first three commercial readiness deposits, which can total up to $5 million, as well as a portion of the withdrawal penalties. These substantial deposits, originally intended to discourage speculative corporate projects, unfairly disadvantage Tribal Nations and hinder their ability to develop clean energy projects. In response, for the first time in history, FERC will hold Tribal consultation on an electricity matter. The consultations will allow Tribal leaders and their representatives to voice their concerns and advocate for changes that could promote clean energy development, economic growth, and energy sovereignty for Indian Country.
Sunset and powerlines on the Standing Rock Reservation. Photo credit: SAGE
If a Tribe makes it to the stage of seeking federal funding, they face onerous applications. Many Tribes lack staff dedicated to energy or grant management and the staff they do have typically wear many hats. The current moment is a wave, said Vanessa Farley, “we’re at a high point in the wave, but the people needed to leverage the current wave of funding don’t appear magically. It’s difficult being on the peak of that wave knowing how many funding opportunities are out there, but simply not having enough people in place throughout the field to ensure that the full benefits of these programs make their way to Tribes.” While many Native leaders in the renewable energy space feel called to do the work for the well-being of their people, it can also be exhausting, with many leaders stretched thin.
Native organizations and individuals are stepping in to provide support. Sandra Begay, Navajo engineer with Sandia National Laboratory, has assisted 22 different Tribes with strategic energy planning over her decades-long career. These plans are critical, she explains, because they help the Tribe understand their dreams and make action plans to achieve them, rather than just chasing after federal funding. Marissa Sisk, Muscogee Nation citizen and Tribal Energy Consultant for Sovereign Energy, is building frameworks for assisting Tribes with pre-feasibility – helping answer questions about the viability of the grid, how much money Tribes would save with renewables, and what kinds of interconnection and permitting would be required.
Lepwe provides trainings to potential developers, to educate them in how to partner with Tribes in a good way, meaning the partnership is done respectfully, under terms Tribes approve of, and according to the needs and culture of the Tribe. This also means having patience and understanding the timeline that Tribes require. When these standards are prioritized, industry can be an important partner. Along with providing no-cost technical assistance, grant writing, education, workforce training, and many other services, the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy has a Preferred Provider Program, comprised of vetted companies that have a proven track record working equitably with Tribes and who have Tribes’ best interests as a priority. Providers must complete the Pathways to Trust cultural awareness program before being introduced to Tribes.
Sovereign Energy and the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) provide advocacy and multiple forms of support to Tribes in the Southwest and Midwest, respectively. Grid Alternatives’ National Tribal Program works to provide a stable source of support for all aspects of Tribal renewable development. As Tanksi Clairmont, member of the Sicangu Lakota and Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Tribe and co-director of Grid’s National Tribal Program, explained, Grid is “in it, from the start to the end,” providing any aspect of assistance that a Tribe needs, on Tribes’ timelines. Having worked with 80 Tribes, staff at Grid are well positioned to see the big picture of obstacles and to create solutions.
Grid Alternatives National Tribal Program Staff. Photo credit: Grid Alternatives
Having Tribal members as staff with the expertise to oversee projects and provide continuity is critical and currently rare. Native organizations have therefore prioritized capacity building and long-term mentorship of the next generation. Their work sparks interest and support among Native youth to become experts in all phases of development required for renewable energy to be used as a tool to support self-determination and sovereignty.
2024 Sandia’s Indian Energy Internship students. Pictured at Picuris Pueblo (NM) Solar Farm: Sandra Begay, Alexis Glaudin, Jennifer Fraqua (TCU), Dallen Plummer (TCU), Dresean Abeyta and Sherralyn Sneezer. Photo courtesy of Sandra Begay.
Grid, for example, has a variety of internship and scholarship programs and is developing a solar comic book to get youth engaged. Through the Tribal Energy College Student Internship Program at Sandia National Labs, Sandra Begay mentors Native interns every year (totaling over 50 since 2002, a majority of them women) – many of whom are now leaders in Native-led renewable energy. Multiple organizations have programs focused on supporting women in the renewable workforce, including Red Cloud Renewable’s Bridging Renewable Industry Divides in Gender Equality (B.R.I.D.G.E.) program. Migizi, a Native-led nonprofit focused on empowering youth, provides a Green Tech paid internship through their youth Indigenous Pathways program. Native Sun Community Power Development, a Native-led nonprofit promoting efficient, renewable, and equitable energy, is developing a Solar Cub renewable energy curriculum integrating climate change, energy, and Ojibwe language and culture. The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy has partnered with the Electrified Processes for Industry without Carbon Institute at Arizona State University to launch the Tribal Energy Leaders Fellowship program to train a generation of Tribal energy leaders. The first iteration of the program will launch early in 2025 and will be offered to Native students at no cost.
Solar Bear installation crew installs rooftop solar. The only Native-led solar company in MN, Solar Bear prioritizes workforce training. Photo credit: Solar Bear.
Native organizations are also using their organizational capacity to apply for federal funding on behalf of Tribes. Shelby Rae Keplin, member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and Tribal Relations Specialist for Indigenized Energy, a fiscally sponsored organization which helps Tribes install renewables and train Tribal members, spent the last year building relationships with 14 Tribes across the great plains. Indigenized Energy then assisted with the application for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All grant which resulted in $135,580,000 funding awarded to the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Tribe in April 2024. Indigenized Energy will manage the grant. This is a historic opportunity for the 14 Tribal nations it will impact. Along with deploying solar energy to 8,500 Tribal homes, the grant supports the critical need for each Tribe to hire staff to manage the project. MTERA and Grid Alternatives National Tribal Program also received Solar for All awards. This is part of these organizations’ strategies to make funds—whether philanthropic dollars or federal grants—more accessible to Tribes.
Healing
While renewable energy in and of itself doesn’t advance self-determination for Native Nations, the ways in which it is being deployed by Native-led organizations is hopeful. For Cody Two-Bears, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal member and Executive Director and Founder of Indigenized Energy, the best part about renewable energy is how it can contribute to healing:
“By the work that we’re doing at Indigenized Energy, one thing we’re learning is that as we continue to do more work in these communities, that creates more healing for our people. Because as I’ve done these projects on these reservations of some of the hardest places in America to do them, I see that healing that’s happening there. I see that inspiration, that empowerment, that pridefulness come back into these communities by just doing our work. And to me, that’s the success that I like to see, you know, beyond any job, or economic status, or money savings or anything like that. It’s the healing that takes place that’s so powerful that goes above all else of the work that I do. Even though I know a lot of our partners ask, ‘Well, how many jobs have you created? That’s so awesome! How much money have you saved? That’s so awesome! We need to tell the world!’ But nobody really talks about the healing factor of our work, the work on why I really do what I do and why I do it, is because of all that oppression we’ve been dealing with for so many generations. This is important work, a time to heal for our people and to bring this work to them so they can heal.”
This healing resonates with many Native leaders doing this work. Native solar thermal panel manufacturers at 8th Fire Solar use low-tech panels to provide low-income Tribal communities with affordable heat. Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation is building renewably powered intentional healing communities to address alcohol, trauma, and violence due to settler colonialism.
8th Fire Solar crew completes installation of solar thermal panel on a hempcrete home built by the Lower Sioux Tribe. Photo credit: 8th Fire Solar.
That Native organizations are having to step in to fill the gaps in federal funding and support, to make this healing possible, represents yet another failure of the federal trust responsibility—the federal promises to meet legal and moral obligations and fulfil expectations to protect treaty rights, lands, and resources. If President Trump acts on his promises to defund the IRA, this failure will deepen. A just energy transition depends on the United States meeting its moral obligations and responsibilities to honor treaties and support Native peoples on the frontlines of climate injustice.
Red Lake Nation Government Center solar installation by Solar Bear. Photo credit: Solar Bear.
As Tribes embrace renewable energy solutions, they are not only enhancing their energy sovereignty but also improving access to clean and reliable electricity, supporting vital services, expressing their cultural uniqueness, and asserting control over their energy futures. The adoption of renewable energy represents a glimmer of renewed hope for Tribes, illuminating a path forward despite the shadows cast by systematic subjugation.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all interviewees for their insights and for reviewing their quotes, to Collette Brown-Rodriguez, Vanessa Farley, Gwe Gasco, Sarah LaVallie, and Jenny Kutter for providing feedback on this article, and to College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University Initiative for Native Nation Relations and Faculty Development and Research Committee for financial support.
