Tribal land in the United States represents approximately 2% of the country’s total landmass and holds more than 5% of solar photovoltaic (PV) potential (Doris, Lopez, and Beckley 2013). This resource is largely untapped. Many Tribes are actively seeking to engage in solar development; a review of 35 Tribal strategic energy plans in 2019 revealed that 32 of 35 Tribes were exploring solar options for their communities. Many Tribes also cited regulatory hurdles to achieving these goals. This project, Addressing Regulatory Challenges to Tribal Solar Deployment, seeks to unlock some of this potential by bringing Tribal, regulatory, utility, and other stakeholders together to articulate key barriers to Tribal solar adoption and develop replicable solutions. By increasing institutional capacity and developing frameworks, trainings, and a targeted technical document repository for regulatory bodies, utilities, and Tribes, this project can help expand an emerging market.
The collaborative efforts between National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA), the “Addressing Regulatory Challenges to Tribal Solar Deployment Guidebook” has been officially published! We couldn’t have completed this project without the many contributions; from case study interviews, one on one conversations, and listening sessions. Miigwech - Thank you to everyone that contributed to this amazing project.
Read the Guidebook here: Addressing Regulatory Challenges to Tribal Solar Deployment