Blog: Solar energy holds great promise for Indian Country

Friday, September 14, 2012  

"Photovoltaic power and solar water heating have been warmly embraced by an increasingly wide demographic within the United States, including Native Americans. American Indian groups across the country have been turning to solar energy as way to power operations and to make better use of tribal lands. According to the U.S. House of Representative's Natural Resources Committee, Native American-held territory receives enough sunlight in a year to provide for double the country's current energy consumption, an estimated annual PV output of more than 9.2 million megawatt-hours of electricity.

"When a Tribe or nation develops their resources of fossil fuels, whether coal, oil or natural gas, the resources are limited and will run out," according to the Global Energy Network Institute (GENI). "However, if a Tribe or nation develops clean, renewable sources of energy, such as its wind, solar, hydro, or geothermal potential, no matter how long or how much energy is produced, the resources will still be as plentiful as when they were first harnessed."

There are a number of unique benefits of installing solar power systems on tribal lands. Photovoltaic electricity can be sold to power companies, providing an additional revenue source for Native American groups. This can provide tribes with a steady revenue stream that can be used for completing large projects, according to GENI."

Get the Story:
Solar Power on Native American Lands (GetSolar 9/13)