| Project Detail |
The objectives of this project include the reduction of about 13% of the electricity usage in the buildings—saving FIGR roughly $400,000 per year and roughly $10,000,000 over the life of the system—and a reduction of the Tribe’s carbon footprint. The GREEN Project proposes to achieve the following goals: Model Tribal Environmental Stewardship. Reduce greenhouse gases, be an environmental stewardship leader, and model environmental and economically sound decision-making and planning. Create a Sustainable, Renewable Energy Resource for the Tribe. Conduct a successful Request for Proposals process to procure the purchase of solar equipment and the highest level of professional installation for the GREEN solar rooftop project. Establish Tribal Energy Independence and Energy Choice. Create tribal energy independence by establishing a renewable energy resource and providing increased energy choices. Provide reliable, clean-energy options and help plan for increased future renewable energy options after documented successes under the GREEN Project. Provide Tribal Citizen Education in the Energy Sector. Educate and empower tribal leadership, tribal staff, tribal citizens, and surrounding tribes regarding the benefits, process, and installation of renewable solar energy. Encourage Information Sharing (Intertribal, Multi-Agency and with Project Partners). Institute technical information sharing and public outreach within local tribes, local agencies, and Sonoma State University (SSU) on the benefit and process of installing tribal renewable solar energy at 1.5-MW size. Utilize partners such as the Climate Champion, the Regional Climate Protection Authority, SSU, and 20 tribes in Northern California to increase solar install knowledge, encourage renewable energy education, and share lessons learned. The GREEN Project will, in turn, support the Tribe’s goals to: Preserve, promote, and enhance the Tribe’s rich cultural and environmental assets, deep-rooted historical ecology, and Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK). Nurture the spirit for tribal citizens through involvement with the FIGR Planning and Environmental Departments. Strengthen (utilize) partnerships and collaboration to augment grant applications, programs, and projects and to build a sense of community. Be a leader in environmental sustainability. The scope of this project includes: A Request For Proposals process to procure solar equipment and installation; Project construction install; Project Education & Outreach Partnerships (FIGR citizen event booth; SSU partnership for outreach material development; Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma Tribal Environmental Professionals Meeting information-sharing to 20 northern California tribes; Sonoma County Planning Directors Meeting information-sharing to 10 local agencies; DOE Office of Indian Energy workshop in Colorado information-sharing to tribes nationwide; regional media outreach); Operation and maintenance; and Reporting. |
