The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians has been awarded $3.15 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Local Government Energy Program to invest in a groundbreaking clean energy project. According to spokesperson Felicia Chou, the tribe will use the funds to create an innovative behind-the-meter microgrid system designed to provide sustainable electricity to the community.
This funding is part of the “Communities Sparking Investment in Transformative Energy” initiative, which allocated $31 million to 12 tribes across the U.S. to support tribal and local governments in leading transformative clean energy projects.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm emphasized that these grants will help reduce energy costs in communities historically overlooked by federal programs, bringing much-needed energy innovation to tribal lands.