The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe received more than $729,000 in federal funding for a solar energy project, the United States Department of Energy announced Monday.
The Department of Energy is distributing $9 million to 13 tribes, including Leech Lake, for projects aimed at expanding access to sustainable energy.
The Leech Lake Band will use the money to install solar power in nine tribal buildings, projected to save $2.5 million in energy costs over the system’s life, according to the department. The whole project will cost about $1.5 million, with the tribe putting in $800,000.
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is bringing nearly 15 years of solar energy experience to the new project.
The tribe started installing solar units in low-income homes in 2008, and in 2017 established the nation’s first community solar garden designed for low-income residents. The solar garden includes five solar arrays, which generate about 235 megawatts of electricity each year, which is enough to power 38,500 homes.
Projects funded by the Department of Energy will create about 3.3 megawatts of energy in total, serving more than 1,200 tribal buildings, according to a news release. They’ll save about $48.5 million over the life of the systems.
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Source: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/leech-lake-band-of-ojibwe-receives-federal-solar-energy-funds/