Office Updates
2024 Program Review Begins—and Special Thanks for a Career Dedicated to Tribal Energy
Our annual Program Review began Monday in Denver, Colorado. Follow us on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, and X) to see more! Presentation slides will be posted online in the following weeks.
 Monday at the Program Review, her Office of Indian Energy colleagues honored Lizana with a wool blanket, which is a tradition in Indian Country to celebrate, respect, and honor people and their accomplishments and important milestones.
At this year’s event, we also celebrate a milestone for Lizana Pierce, Senior Engineer and Deployment Supervisor, who is retiring later this month.
Nearly 30 years ago, Lizana started as a contractor with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and in 2002 became the sole project manager for the Tribal Energy Program under DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Since 2015, Lizana has served as the principal engineering expert for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs on deployment programs, and has authored and executed every funding opportunity issued by the office.
Lizana has dedicated the last 25 years to assisting Indian Tribes in developing their energy resources and building capacity to realize their energy visions. We want to take this opportunity to share special recognition and appreciation for Lizana’s immeasurable contribution.
In a 2020 profile, we asked Lizana to reflect on the changes she’s seen over 20 years of Tribal energy development, and the impact of the hundreds of projects she’s been part of.
“It's amazing the impact that these projects will have—not only for today but tomorrow and the next 20 to 30 years to come,” she said. “It really does have a huge impact on communities...that's what really touches my heart—the fact that we do see that these funds and the assistance we provide really does have a huge impact on the communities that we work with and in the daily lives of people.”
Thank you, Lizana!
News
DOE Announces Collaboration With Tribal Leaders To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Strengthen National Security
On Nov. 1, DOE announced the formation of the Tribal Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Working Group, administered by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
Tribes play a critical role in helping the United States meet its energy security and climate obligations while working to develop their vast energy, critical minerals and materials, and carbon management potential.
As part of this collaboration, the Working Group will provide ongoing advice and expertise to DOE on the best ways to support Tribal decarbonization efforts and utilization of their natural resources. DOE’s technical assistance will help Tribes spur local economic development; provide workforce training for local, high-wage, middle-class jobs; and support Tribal technical capacity for fostering energy, economic, and community development opportunities.
DOE Seeks Input on Potential Capacity Accelerator for Tribal Offshore Wind Engagement
 Many Tribal Nations have called for additional resources to support Tribal capacity to engage in offshore wind energy decision-making processes. In response, DOE seeks to recognize the vital work that Tribal Nations and collaboratives do to support Tribal participation in offshore wind energy decision-making processes that affect their communities, cultural resources, economic opportunities, and the homelands and ocean spaces that they steward.
To do this, DOE is proposing to launch a capacity accelerator to provide direct funding and technical assistance to Tribes. This accelerator could support engagement in site assessment and leasing, involvement in environmental monitoring, and advancement of wind energy equity. Taking place over multiple years, this effort would include several application and funding opportunities.
First, DOE wants Tribal input on the design of the accelerator. Register to join our webinar to learn more and share your ideas. Be sure to sign up even if you can’t attend, because we will share a recording of the session. And follow the accelerator for details and updates, including answers to questions that arise during the webinar.
Register for the webinar: Dec. 11, 2024, 1 p.m. ET.
Reminder: DOE Seeks Public Input on Approaches To Catalyze Direct Air Capture Technology Commercialization
On Oct. 29, the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations issued a request for information to obtain public input regarding additional approaches that current and future DOE programs could implement to help direct air capture technology developers address challenges in raising project investment capital and achieving sustained facility operations.
Responses are due by Dec. 17.
Funding Opportunities
Printable Flyer: Tribal Clean Energy Funding Opportunities
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NEW: Transmission Acceleration Grants
- Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership
- Tribal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program
- TCUs Prize and FOA
- Tribal Clean Energy Planning and Development—2025.
Transmission Acceleration Grants Program
$10 million
Apply by Jan. 21, 2025.
The Transmission Acceleration Grants Program, announced Oct. 31, will support state and Tribal efforts to accelerate and improve transmission siting and permitting and strengthen transmission planning for critical transmission lines (100 kV or greater) in any area of the country.
Eligible participants are state or Tribal entities, or entities working with them such as regional transmission planning organizations, regional-state committees, or not-for-profit organizations.
Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership
Apply by Dec. 20.
This technical assistance and funding opportunity is focused on electrically isolated and underserved communities in Alaska, Hawaii, as well as on Tribal lands in the Great Plains and Southwest. Participants can plan a resilient microgrid system, make improvements on an existing system, build workforce capacity, or add renewable energy.
Tribal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program
$225 million
Tribes have until May 31, 2025, to apply for their funding.
DOE has up to $225 million to grant to Tribal governments and Alaska Native entities for Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates. This program will provide up to $14,000 per eligible household for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades.
New Resources for Tribes: DOE Issues Revised Tribal Resources, Quality Installation Guide, Market Transformation Sample Plans, New and Updated FAQs
DOE has updated the following documents to simplify the process for Tribes as they apply for their Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program funding:
For step-by-step instructions on applying for funding and to access the relevant documentation, visit the Tribal program webpage.
TCUs Prize and FOA
$9 million
View deadlines below.
On Sept. 26, the Office of Indian Energy announced over $9 million in funding and prizes to support Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in their efforts to advance clean energy projects and bolster food sovereignty initiatives on their campuses.
Tribal Clean Energy Planning and Development—2025
$25 million
Applications due Jan. 23.
Under this FOA, the Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations, to:
- Conduct clean energy planning
- Comprehensively assess the feasibility and viability of deploying clean energy technology
- Conduct clean energy design and development activities.
DOE expects to make approximately $25 million of federal funding available under this FOA, with approximately 20–40 awards that range from $100,000 to $2,500,000.
Events
- Tribal Home Energy Rebates Office Hours
- BIA Tribal Provider’s Conference
- Deploy24
- Capacity Accelerator for Tribal Offshore Wind Engagement
- Seminole Tribe of Florida Renewable Energy Conference.
Tribal Home Energy Rebates Office Hours
📅 Nov. 19, Dec. 17 | 4 p.m. ET
During these sessions, DOE will provide technical assistance to Tribes and Tribal representatives working on Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates funding applications.
34th Annual BIA Tribal Provider’s Conference
📅 Dec. 3–5 | Anchorage, Alaska
The 34th annual BIA Tribal Provider’s Conference is scheduled for December 3–5, 2024, at the Dena’ina Center in downtown Anchorage.
Deploy24
📅 Dec. 4–5 | Washington, D.C.
Hosted by DOE, Deploy24 is the second annual gathering of leaders, experts, and decision makers from across the private sector, government, and broader stakeholder ecosystem focused on accelerating the deployment of clean energy and decarbonization technologies and enabling supply chains in the United States.
Capacity Accelerator for Tribal Offshore Wind Engagement
📅 Dec. 11 | 1–2 p.m. ET
DOE seeks to support the vital role of Tribal Nations and Tribal collaboratives in offshore wind energy decision-making processes. Share your ideas on how DOE should design such an effort by joining the strategy session webinar on Dec. 11, 2024. Follow the capacity accelerator website for details and updates, including the webinar recording and frequently asked questions.
Seminole Tribe of Florida Renewable Energy & Sustainability 7th Annual Conference
📅 Jan. 27–29 | Hollywood, Florida
This conference will focus on the newly changing landscape for Tribal energy development and sustainability, including best practices, federal leadership, policy and regulatory changes, funding a project, and project planning/development trends.
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