The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy said it chose Seneca Environmental as the first supplier under its Preferred Provider Program, which connects tribes with energy developers and solutions providers that can support tribal projects.
The Alliance, which offers no-cost capacity-building support to tribal nations interested in pursuing energy projects, currently supports more than 75 tribes developing over 8 gigawatts of renewable energy, according to President and CEO Chéri Smith.
What does a ‘just’ transition away from fossil fuels actually mean for Indigenous communities? At the APEC Multistakeholder Forum (AMF), organized by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs, Ray Suarez sat down with Chéri A. Smith, a renewable energy expert and Mi’kmaq descendant. They discussed how the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy is working to combat energy poverty, bring solar to Indigenous communities and secure Native people a seat at the clean energy development table.
Guest: Chéri A. Smith, founder, president and CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Host: Ray Suarez
“Stantec also announced it met the first-year terms of its Sustainability-Linked Loan and donated the accumulated savings to Indigenous-led nonprofits addressing climate action. With guidance from the Company’s Indigenous Relations teams, the following nonprofit organizations were selected to receive these donations:
Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy (United States)
First Nations Clean Energy Network (Australia)
Indigenous Clean Energy (Canada)
Indigenous Housing Partnership, Habitat for Humanity (Canada)
Te Tira Whakamātaki (New Zealand)”
“Tribal leaders are being invited to weigh in on proposed tax regulation rules that could impact their nations’ access to clean energy tax credits.
In a letter issued last week, United States Treasurer Chief Lynn Malerba (Mohegan) invited tribal leaders to an upcoming consultation where they can offer input on proposed final rules that affect how tribal governments and other eligible entities can benefit from tax credits.”
“What these announcements do is they build hope for communities,” Chéri Smith, president of the nonprofit Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, told the Associated Press. “Translating these ambitions into tangible outcomes—we still have a ways to go.”
More than 700 participants gathered on Feb. 27-28 at the tribally owned Pechanga Resort Casino in southern California, meeting with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Department of Energy (DOE) representatives. Live-streamed panels were accessible online for both the first day and second day. Granholm was on hand to announce more than $400 million in new funding for renewable energy projects, many of them tribal.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy estimates that 21% of Navajo Nation homes aren’t electrified. For the Hopi Tribe, it’s 35%. And of those homes that do have electricity, 31% report monthly outages.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy estimates that 21% of Navajo Nation homes aren’t electrified. For the Hopi Tribe, it’s 35%. And of those homes that do have electricity, 31% report monthly outages.
This May, the Tribal Energy Equity Summit will bring tribal leaders and federal agencies together to discuss how to make an increasingly prominent transition to clean energy on a mass scale fair and just for Indian County.
As Indigenous people, it is in our nature to be self-reliant. The average American either doesn’t know or forgets that Native American Tribes are sovereign nations here on Turtle Island— the so-called United States of America. Think about it: How can a nation be truly sovereign if it is dependent on outsiders for its energy?
David Harper of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy talks about what tribes need from development partners and why renewables have more longevity than gaming.
This May, the Tribal Energy Equity Summit will bring tribal leaders and federal agencies together to discuss how to make an increasingly prominent transition to clean energy on a mass scale fair and just for Indian County.
Direct payments to cities, tribes, nonprofits and other entities that don’t pay taxes could dramatically expand clean energy growth and boost community ownership.
Direct payments to cities, tribes, nonprofits and other entities that don’t pay taxes could dramatically expand clean energy growth and boost community ownership.
The climate law enacted this year lifted a long-standing financial barrier for Native American tribes seeking to build and own their own clean energy projects.
But the boost for energy development in Indian Country has an infrastructure problem: It could be many years before tribes can connect solar and wind projects to the power grid.
A group of Midwestern Native American “solar warriors” is working to help tribes break cycles of energy poverty and what they call “colonial exploitation” with access to locally controlled, low-cost renewable power.
Recently rebranded the Indigenized Energy Initiative (IEI), they serve as a kind of utility incubator that assists with the creation of new solar installations, including offering education on construction and how to secure federal funds.
Check back often for updates and news. Please reach out to
[email protected] with any questions or requests.
©ALLIANCE FOR TRIBAL CLEAN ENERGY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2023
Contact Us:
©ALLIANCE FOR TRIBAL CLEAN ENERGY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2023
In partnership with Tribal Colleges, major universities, and federal agencies, the Alliance develops and supports a variety of Native-led clean energy education, training, and degree programs for tribal leaders and tribal members to ensure new infrastructure is conceived, built, and managed by Native people, for Native people.
For more information, please email [email protected]
In our commitment to supporting tribes in their self-determined pursuit of clean energy, the Alliance is creating an online hub brimming with timely and relevant tools and information. This includes the development of crucial resources like a comprehensive federal and state funding database, and a tribal energy project capital stack planning tool.
The Alliance hosts a series of events throughout the year, each meticulously crafted to transcend the conventional notion of gatherings. These events serve as purposeful forums, uniting tribes with subject matter experts and reliable resource providers. Our aim is not merely to convene, but to actively address challenges and leverage opportunities for tribal clean energy development. Rooted in Indigenous cultural values, these gatherings cultivate connections that extend beyond business — they foster connections that are not only useful but deeply meaningful.
For more information about our resources, please email [email protected]
For more information about our events, please email [email protected]
Leveraging our robust connections in Washington, the Alliance Policy team champions fair energy policies and equitable utility practices. Acting as a crucial conduit, we facilitate the exchange of energy-related information between federal and tribal governments. In collaboration with our technical team, the Alliance Policy team provides invaluable support to tribes through expert project planning and grant writing services, delivered at no cost. Our goal is to enhance the success rate of tribal applications for federal funding, ensuring that valuable resources are directed toward tribal initiatives with the greatest impact.
For more information, please email
The Alliance team offers guidance and support for energy planning, grant writing, project development, financing, legal and tax matters. Through our Preferred Provider program, we evaluate and connect tribes with highly qualified, ethical clean energy developers and service providers to ensure tribes’ best interests are protected through all phases of infrastructure development.
For tribes seeking technical assistance, please email our Tribal Liason, Monica Paradise at
For clean energy developers and service providers seeking information about our Preferred Provider Program, please email our Preferred Provider Program Coordinator, Angelina Papakee at
