Resources

The Children of the Sun solar program mission statement is “Qe huł snxwme̓neʔ hu qec qwemmste̓m łuʔ st̓ixwxwlm hu pu̓ti que lʔe,”

(“The Spokane Tribe adapts to change and we are still here.”)

Overview

There are many resources available to support tribal energy planners and projects, at both the federal and NM state levels. Links and descriptions appear on the Technical, Funding, Downloads, and Case Studies pages.

In particular, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy offers a vast array of resources, including technical, funding, case studies, events, and presentations; start at the main page. The Solar Energy Industries Association provides extensive data on every state; see the NM Solar page. Senator Martin Heinrich’s Solar Toolkit presents a wealth of information for NM tribes. And the presentation by Scott Beckman (formerly Community Development Manager at North Central NM Economic Development District) at ESI’s 2019 workshop offers additional resource suggestions.

Energy planners are also urged to watch for new federal initiatives to support green infrastructure through COVID-19 stimulus funding (as occurred with The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009).

Workforce Development

In addition to financial and technical support, a number of related workforce training programs around the state can help create additional economic opportunities for tribes pursuing energy development. These include:

• Mesalands Community College
• Northern NM College
• Clovis Community College
• San Juan Community College
• Central NM College
• Santa Fe Community College
• NMSU Alamogordo
• NMSU Grants
• Dona Ana Community College
• Eastern NM University
• Gallup Solar
• Navajo Technical University
• UNM Taos
• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
• NM Junior College

For a free-of-charge web portal with comprehensive listings of energy workforce programs nationally (both online and on campus), consult EnergyDegrees.org for students and professionals interested in clean energy and hoping to shape the future of this crucial sector. The website covers nearly 1,000+ degree programs in various energy disciplines (renewable energy, energy policy, etc.), educational advice, professional certifications, career insights, and more.

Energy and Culture

These additional resources on the interplay between indigenous culture and energy development and technology may be useful to those tribes in the process of building support from their community and leadership.

ESI, in collaboration with Rochester Institute of Technology, Navajo Tribal Utilities Authority, and Sandia National Laboratories produced this video, which translates fundamental concepts of solar home systems into the Navajo language:

Other resources follow:

• Energy development and Native Americans: Values and beliefs about energy from the Navajo Nation (Len Necefer, Ph.D., Energy Research & Social Science, 2007)
• Landscapes of Power: Politics of Energy in the Navajo Nation (Dana E. Powell, Ph.D.)

Learn More