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Two tribal colleges are getting an investment from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand solar power and provide support for students and their communities.
The department announced Thursday, Nov. 30, that the colleges will receive $3 million to support efforts to achieve energy sovereignty by lowering operating costs and providing a foundation for clean energy curricula.
The hope is that the projects can be replicated at other locations, officials said in a statement.
The funding is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce energy costs for disadvantaged communities and increase energy security and resilience on college campuses, officials said.
“Investing in our Native youth is crucial to securing America’s clean energy future,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement. “The projects selected today will help reduce energy costs and train the workforce of the future, while contributing to the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader goal of achieving a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.”
The two projects selected for the funding are:
*Blackfeet Community College, in Browning, Montana, to install about 136-kilowatt, ground-mounted photovoltaic system on the campus. The project will expand previous solar installations and will transition the entire 17-building campus to 100 percent renewable energy while providing hands-on training for three students. A grant of $630,834 is expected to support this project.
*Turtle Mountain Community College, in Belcourt, North Dakota, to install a ground-mounted, photovoltaic system as well as a 2,356-square-foot, two-stage solar air heat system for the 15,550-square-foot Career and Technical Education facility. Solar and renewable energy curriculum will also be implemented. Improved building energy efficiency will be optimized by existing geothermal resources. The systems are expected to reduce electricity costs by more than 50 percent, saving more than $1 million over the life of the systems. The associated curriculum will target high-wage occupations that lead to employment and self-sufficiency for participants. The college requested DOE funding of $2.4 million.
Tribal Colleges and Universities play an integral role in cultivating Native leaders and their respective communities. The grants will provide local sustainable solutions, reducing costs and reliance on fossil fuels.
The cost-shared projects, valued at nearly $3.4 million, will reduce energy costs for the colleges by more than $1.6 million over the life of the systems and provide a training platform for a culturally relevant, clean energy curriculum, officials said.
The Office of Indian Energy has invested more than $120 million in more than 210 tribal energy projects across the contiguous 48 states and Alaska, between 2010 and 2022. These projects, valued at more than $215 million, are leveraged by more than $93 million in recipient cost share.
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