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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
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About the Tribal Energy Program

The Tribal Energy Program, under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, promotes tribal energy sufficiency, and fosters economic development and employment on tribal lands through the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Learn more about our program's management and implementation. For help with specific inquiries about the program, please contact our staff or send an inquiry to our Help Desk.

Mission

The Tribal Energy Program's mission is to provide financial and technical assistance to tribes through government-to-government partnerships that:

  • Empower tribal leaders to make informed decisions about energy choices
  • Bring renewable energy and energy efficiency options to Indian Country
  • Enhance human capacity through education and training
  • Improve local tribal economies and the environment
  • Make a difference in the quality of life of Native Americans.
A bar chart depicting the total amount of Congressional funding for the Tribal Energy Program in each fiscal year from 2002 through 2011. In 2002 the amount was $3 million. In 2003 the amount was $5 million. In 2004 the amount was $1.7 million. In 2005 the amount was $3.5 million. In 2006 the amount was $3 million. In 2007 the amount was $4 million. In 2008 the amount was $6 million. In 2009 the amount was $6 million. In 2010 the amount was $10 million. In 2011 the amount was $7 million.

Approach

The program employs a three-pronged approach to fulfilling its mission, providing tribes with:

  1. Financial opportunities through a competitive process to develop tribal renewable energy resources and reduce energy consumption through efficiency and weatherization

  2. Technical assistance through DOE's prestigious laboratories

  3. Education and training through webinars, student internships, and workshops to help build the knowledge and skills is essential to developing, implementing and sustaining energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Funding History

The chart on the right shows the total amount of Congressional funding for the Tribal Energy Program from Fiscal Year 2002 through Fiscal Year 2011.

Projects

For a map of project locations, project summaries, and project funding history, see Projects on Tribal Lands.