Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (Office of Indian Energy) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to release a second Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) this summer. Worth $15 million, this planned FOA will support efforts to power unelectrified tribal buildings.
"Reliable, affordable electricity inside the home is a fundamental service taken for granted by the vast majority of Americans. However, many American Indian and Alaska Native families currently do not have access to electricity (EIA, 2000). The $15 million in funding that DOE will soon make available is an initial investment in addressing this inequity," said Wahleah Johns, Director of the Office of Indian Energy.
Through this planned FOA, the Office of Indian Energy intends to solicit applications from federally recognized Indian tribes including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations, to deploy energy infrastructure or integrated energy system(s) to provide electricity to Tribal buildings.
With this funding, the Office of Indian Energy will continue its efforts, in partnership with Native communities, to maximize the deployment of clean energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Between 2010 and 2021, the Office of Indian Energy invested over $114 million in more than 200 tribal energy projects implemented across the contiguous 48 states and Alaska. These projects, valued at nearly $200 million, are leveraged by over $80 million in recipient cost share. See the Office of Indian Energy website for a map and summaries of these competitively funded projects.
