NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — Wednesday marked the last day of the 2024 Department of Energy Tribal Clean Energy Summit.
The event discussed our nation’s tribal lands and the energy opportunities available in the clean energy sector.
In Wednesday’s Eye on Ag & Energy, what North Dakota tribes can do to receive resources and opportunities.
So far, the Department of Energy says $66 million has been awarded to tribes to improve their power grids.
And there’s nearly a quarter of a billion dollars available for Tribal rebate programs.
$20 billion in loan authority available for Tribal energy projects at scale and so much more.
But there’s still a lot of red tape, which the federal government is trying to remove.
“We’ve still got a lot of bureaucracy, you know — but we’re trying, with lowering cost-share requirements, with fewer archaic qualifications,” said Sec. Jennifer Granholm of the Department of Energy, “We’ve hired dozens of new Tribal Liaisons.”
Some of those archaic qualifications involved middlemen and bureaucrats, but now, the department is dealing with the tribes directly.
Some clean energy options happening on our tribal lands include more solar panel options and micro-hydropower systems.
This involves small streams and canals that can be used to provide hydropower to small neighborhoods.
There are grants available, you just have to reach out and apply.
“We are all invested in making sure that you all get to take advantage of the things that we have available here at DOE,” said Keishaa Austin of the Department of Energy.
Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy is a native-led nonprofit organization focused on leveraging the power of renewable energy as a means to diminish poverty, mitigate climate change, and promote the restoration of self-determination and hope in Native American communities.
They work with the Department of Energy to help promote all communities to reach their fullest energy potential.
This article was originally published by a www.kxnet.com . Read the Original article here. .