What we Do
Renewable Energy Education
Core to our work is to advance Tribal energy sovereignty by providing sustained education to Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities on policy, technical, and financial aspects of renewable energy and project development.
At the broadest level, Sovereign Energy provides deep research and analysis of alternative energy sources, emerging technologies, and projects to provide accessible information to Tribal leaders. In summarizing complex energy issues through a lens of Tribal sovereignty and the well-being of Indigenous communities, we aim to support the tenants of free, prior, and informed consent of Tribal leaders in considerations and decision-making on energy issues and projects. Tribal communities should have robust access to resources before feeling compelled to proceed with an energy development opportunity that may cause negative externalities despite seeming to hold tremendous promise.
In line with our core value of education, Sovereign Energy works to support Indigenous students and professionals to increase Indigenous representation in the broader energy sector, creating room at the table for Indigenous expertise to shape collective action towards a just and equitable energy transition.
Sovereign Energy proudly hosted the inaugural NM Tribal Solar Economic Forum.
The Forum highlighted the opportunity for Tribal-led projects following the passage of New Mexico’s Community Solar Act in 2021. Tribes learned about successful models of community solar development, how community solar projects could benefit their communities, federal and other financial resources, and understanding the steps and processes in developing their own community solar projects.
Visit the Forum site to access presentations and information on New Mexico’s 2021 Community Solar Act.
What we Do
Tribal Capacity Building
We envision the potential of renewable energy projects not only supporting community and economic development but also as a direct way to fund community programs and services, reduce exposure to greenhouse gas emissions, reduce negative environmental impacts, and create healthier environments. We ensure Tribes and Indigenous communities achieve their clean energy visions by providing project support and technical assistance at no cost.
Tribal clean energy projects are developed at the speed of strong partnerships and trust. However, Tribal clean energy projects often do not come to fruition due to negative historical experiences with private companies in the energy sector, causing distrust and doubt about the promises of energy development. Sovereign Energy operates with deep sensitivity to this lack of trust by building our portfolio of “Sovereign Energy Trusted Developers.” Through this internal vetting process, we identify companies that will support the best interests of the Tribes, act with transparency, conduct meaningful community engagement, and build equitable partnerships.
We ensure that Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities achieve their clean energy visions by providing project support and technical assistance at no cost.
As a non-profit organization, Sovereign Energy is able to act independently and work with Tribes through the entirety of project inception, development, and implementation. To help Tribes become project-ready, we vet opportunities and developers, and provide information about finance structures, policy and regulatory requirements, and other crucial aspects of project development. We partner with Tribal Nations and entities to build their internal capacity to pursue clean energy projects by offering a variety of services, including draft samples of grant applications and the creation of requests for proposals to allow Tribes to compare offers and keep decision-making processes in their hands.
Whether solarizing a Head Start education center, offering support for a large-scale utility project, or navigating relationships with investor-owned utilities or rural electric cooperatives, we want Tribes to feel supported and confident in developing projects to attain their sovereign energy futures.
What we Do
Cultural Resource Protection
For too long, energy development has advanced at the expense of Tribal cultural resources, traditional cultural landscapes, and sacred sites. These sacred resources are central to the longevity of Tribal cultural identity and are invaluable and nonrenewable. Tribal development, decision-making, and advocacy on renewable energy projects represent an opportunity to restore a paradigm of stewardship where energy and culture are mutually supported and prioritized.
As the country undertakes a massive buildout of non-renewable and renewable energy infrastructure, the urgency to protect Tribal cultural resources is ever growing.
For example, many utility-scale projects and transmission lines are already spanning or proposed to span hundreds of miles, traversing Tribal lands and areas of cultural significance. There is crucial and timely need to expand renewable energy infrastructure on both Tribal and non-Tribal lands, and it must be done with the informed leadership and expertise of Tribes in protection of the resources that belong to our future generations.
At the individual project level, we support Tribes in navigating permitting and regulatory processes including those involving the National Historic Preservation Act and National Environmental Policy Act. For state and federal projects potentially impacting Tribal cultural resources on non-Tribal land, we provide information, resources, and technical support for Tribes to take action in protection efforts individually and collectively. As an organization, we engage and advocate at the state, regional, and national efforts to ensure that Tribal sovereignty and cultural resource preservation are central in policy reform.
What we Do
Tribal Climate & Energy Resilience Planning
As caretakers of the land since time immemorial, Indigenous cultures celebrate the interconnectedness of all living things. All decision-making comes back to our communities, our ancestors and future generations, and the health of our land, water, plant and animal relatives.
Western approaches to planning and resource management are often counter to Indigenous principles of interconnectedness. This is especially true in renewable energy planning. The concept and development of renewable energy are inherently linked to Indigenous perspectives of the environment, natural and cultural resources, and land.
Unfortunately, customary practices of strategic energy planning are often hyper-focused on Western ideas of renewable energy and are disconnected from Indigenous values. Many Tribes remain stuck in figuring out where to start and which efforts should take priority.
As an Indigenous-led and operated organization, Sovereign Energy sees the necessity to create a new, accessible, and holistic approach to climate and energy resilience planning that encompasses Indigenous cultural beliefs and practices within planning processes and outcomes. Through facilitating Tribal climate and energy resilience planning with Tribal Nations, our goal is to create actionable plans that align and support the unique cultural values and traditions of each Indigenous community. Because strategic planning provides a critical foundation to energy sovereignty, we aim to provide Tribes with the opportunity to approach and co-develop plans at no cost.
What we Do
Policy & Regulatory Advocacy
Sovereign Energy participates in legislative, administrative, and regulatory opportunities at the federal, state, and Tribal levels to cultivate a policy landscape conducive and supportive to Tribal energy sovereignty, natural and cultural resource protection, climate justice, and improving the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples.
Engaging in Tribal energy policy supports Tribal Nation-building and actions that will tangibly benefit Indigenous families. We lead and support multi-stakeholder initiatives and campaigns that: support Tribal clean energy projects; stimulate Tribal economies, decrease the energy burden upon Indigenous communities, reduce exposure to climate-related health impacts, advocate for the protection of sacred landscapes and resources, build the Indigenous energy workforce, and support other energy and environmental priorities.
For too long, Tribes have been excluded from being at the table in creating and implementing energy policy, and there is a critical need to build Tribal leaders’ engagement within the policy space. Sovereign Energy takes an active role in liaising between federal and state agencies to provide Tribes with updates on policy initiatives that may directly or indirectly impact their communities.
Policy Advocacy Supporting:
- Equitable access and consumer protections
- Meaningful household savings and wealth-building opportunities
- Community-led economic development – including community ownership, increased support for Native-owned businesses, and tribal outreach in program design
- Resilience, storage, and grid benefits
- Health disparities caused by extractive activities
- Native workforce – Ensuring clean energy jobs do not overlook the skills and expertise of the Native workforce. Sovereign Energy advocates for workforce development initiatives that provide Native workers access to internships and apprenticeships, certification programs, career counseling, mentorship, and job readiness.
Through ongoing outreach and engagement with Tribal Nations, we equip Tribes to be more deeply informed and involved in the Tribal energy landscape. Doing so not only shapes Tribal energy policy that protects and advances Tribal interests, but also spurs dialogue between Tribes and policymakers to more effectively collaborate on the pathway towards a renewable energy future.