DEIE0000196

The Ambler Northwest Energy Tribal Energy Development Organization (ANE-TEDO), a collaboration between the Native Village of Ambler (“Tribe” or “Ambler Tribe”), a federally recognized tribe, and the Northwest Arctic Borough (NAB), the municipal governmental entity for the region, will install a community-scale, integrated renewable energy system for autonomous operation in Ambler, Alaska.

Consisting of a high penetration distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) battery hybrid system connected to the local village electric grid, it will serve the entire community, enhancing energy security and community resilience.

When fully commissioned, the system will meet about 33% of the community’s total annual electricity demand, save over 30,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually, and result in over 800 hours of diesels-off operation annually, shutting the diesel generators off for the first time in over 40 years and saving approximately six fuel delivery flights each year, the primary means of fuel delivery in Ambler.

Over the 25-year project life, the microgrid is expected to save $6 million in fuel costs.

The core technical components of the microgrid are a solar PV array of approximately 524-kW, a power conversion system (PCS) with an approximate capacity rating of 0.5-megawatts (MW), a battery energy storage system (BESS) with an approximate capacity rating of 1-megawatt hour (MWh), an electric boiler, and a microgrid controller.

The microgrid is anticipated to allow for long periods of diesels-off operation during the summer months.

This Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy funded agreement will fund the solar PV array of approximately 524-kW.

The costs of the PCS, BESS, electric boiler, power plant upgrades, interconnection, and microgrid controller will be purchased and installed outside of this DOE Office of Indian Energy funded agreement.

The Ambler Tribe will establish an independent power producer (IPP) to sell the system output to the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC), Ambler’s electric utility.

In cooperation with AVEC, this tribal energy infrastructure will become a significant generating asset and reduce outages, prevent water freeze-ups, and save the community money and fuel.

This effort is part of a broader initiative to develop renewable energy and tribal IPPs in every community across the region, creating jobs and reducing costs.

North West Arctic Borough

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS (HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE DOE OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY) ASSISTS INDIAN TRIBES IN ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO DEVELOPING THEIR VAST ENERGY RESOURCES AND ACCELERATING THE DEPLOYMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ON TRIBAL LANDS. SPECIFICALLY, THE DOE OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY IS CHARGED BY CONGRESS UNDER THE INDIAN TRIBAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND SELF DETERMINATION ACT OF 2005 (ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 (EPACT 2005), TITLE V, § 502, CODIFIED AT 42 U.S.C. § 7144E AND 25 U.S.C. § 3501, ET SEQ.), TO “PROVIDE, DIRECT, FOSTER, COORDINATE, AND IMPLEMENT ENERGY PLANNING, EDUCATION, MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION, AND DELIVERY PROGRAMS THAT – (1) PROMOTE INDIAN TRIBAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, EFFICIENCY, AND USE; (2) REDUCE OR STABILIZE ENERGY COSTS; (3) ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN INDIAN TRIBAL ENERGY AND ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTRIFICATION; AND (4) BRING ELECTRIC POWER AND SERVICE TO INDIAN LAND AND HOMES FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS LOCATED ON INDIAN LANDS OR ACQUIRED, CONSTRUCTED, OR IMPROVED (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) WITH FEDERAL FUNDS.” 42 U.S.C. § 7144E(B) THROUGH THIS FOA, THE DOE OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY WILL CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO MAXIMIZE THE DEPLOYMENT OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES AND HELP BUILD THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ENERGY SOLUTIONS. IN SUPPORT OF THESE OBJECTIVES, THE DOE OFFICE OF INDIAN ENERGY IS SOLICITING APPLICATIONS TO DEPLOY CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ON TRIBAL LANDS.

81.087 - Renewable Energy Research and Development

Golden Field Office (GFO) [DOE - EERE]

Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs [DOE]

Ambler, Alaska United States

City-Wide

Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands - 2023 (DE-FOA-0002975)