I’m driven by a critical mission: to maximize the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Our blueprint for fulfilling this mission has three programmatic pillars: Deployment, Innovation, and Policy. They’re equally important, but in this blog post I’m going to focus on the Deployment Program.

The dictionary definition of “deploy” is “to organize and send out (people or things) to be used for a particular purpose.” And that’s exactly what the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy does under our Deployment Program. We align technical assistance, training, and funding to tribes and Alaska Native villages to realize their visions of harnessing indigenous renewable energy resources, reducing their energy costs, creating jobs, building resilience, and implementing successful strategic energy solutions.

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According to DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the number of requests for technical assistance in deployment of clean energy solutions has increased 114% over the previous year. That’s why our FY 2017 budget proposes to double the funding for technical assistance from $2.9 million to $6.0 million. There’s a lot to get done, and the need is growing.

Energy is foundational to all of the systems and infrastructure needed to support strong and economically sovereign tribal nations. Since my appointment in May 2015, I’ve visited numerous tribal communities throughout Indian Country and Alaska to hear directly from tribal government leaders and witness successful delivery of our services. And I’m proud to lead a team of hard-working experts who are deeply dedicated to continue strengthening DOE’s foundation in Indian Country.

For nearly two decades, DOE engineers and analysts have worked together with tribal governments to identify and deploy innovative energy and infrastructure solutions that are key to Indian tribes’ ability to create stability, preserve a sustainable way of life, and improve the current quality of life in their communities. Through our on-request technical assistance, we respond to technical or market challenges that impede the progress of specific tribal energy projects. Combining proven technical expertise and project financing expertise with rigorous evaluation of outcomes and continual improvement of delivery strategies is fundamental to the success of the Deployment Program. And if demand is any indication of value, our Deployment Program delivers high value to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Where We're Headed with Technical Assistance

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We strive to be remain flexible, agile, and dynamic—continually evaluating and, if need be, adjusting our services to meet the strategic and evolving needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In addition to benchmarking other technical assistance programs offered by DOE and other federal agencies, nonprofits, and international aid organizations, our team at NREL has sought feedback and input from many of the tribes that have received technical assistance to gauge what we’re doing well and determine how we can better serve their needs. This analysis is driving some changes aimed at reaching a larger number of tribes and decision makers, expanding the types of technical assistance we make available to tribes and growing the network of technical assistance providers.

DOE to Provide Nearly $7 Million in Funding to Eight Regional Tribal Organizations

On that note, I’m pleased to announce that DOE has selected eight inter-tribal organizations and Alaska Regional Corporations to receive nearly $7 million in funding to develop and build their capacity to provide regional technical assistance to meet the needs of their member Indian tribes (including Alaska Native villages). The funding—which will help us expand our technical assistance network—is expected to be leveraged by nearly $1.2 million in tribal cost share. The projects competitively selected for negotiation of an award (in alphabetical order) are:

  • Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission
  • Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
  • Calista Corporation
  • Kawerak, Inc.
  • Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association, Inc.
  • NANA Regional Corporation
  • Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference
  • Tanana Chiefs Conference.

I look forward to seeing these organizations, which are already providing valuable services to their constituents, leverage the funding from DOE to maximize the deployment of energy solutions that can improve quality of life in tribal communities by reducing energy costs, enhancing human capacity, and creating job opportunities.

<p>The Office of Indian Energy has posted a <a href="https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/default.aspx#FoaIdb3acdd95-837c-4756-b… of Intent</a>&nbsp;to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled <strong>&ldquo;First Steps Toward Developing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency on Tribal Lands &ndash; 2016&rdquo;</strong> in August or September 2016.</p><p>Through the planned FOA, the Office of Indian Energy intends to solicit applications from Indian tribes (including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations) and Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations to:</p><ul><li>Conduct energy options analyses</li><li>Benchmark baseline energy use and efficiency options</li><li>Develop energy organizations</li><li>Conduct climate resiliency planning</li><li>Establish policy, regulations, and codes to reduce energy use or promote energy development</li><li>Obtain skills and training related to energy use and development.</li></ul><p>Part of a comprehensive strategy for maximizing the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives, the planned FOA will complement the technical assistance the Office offers by providing funding to help tribal communities develop and sustain strategic energy solutions.&nbsp;</p>

Christopher Clark Deschene
Christopher Clark Deschene (Navajo Nation) is a former director of the Office of Indian Energy.
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