Indigenized Energy completed what it says are the nation’s first Solar for All (SFA) kickoff projects. The residential solar-plus-storage installations were completed for the Chippewa Cree Tribe in Box Elder, Montana, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe in Porcupine and Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Both Tribes belong to the 14-member Tribal Renewable Energy Coalition (TREC), awarded $135.5 million in Solar for All (SFA) by the EPA in 2024.
SFA is a funding opportunity announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2023 with a goal of bringing solar energy to low-income households. In April 2024 60 recipients were announced, chosen based on their proposals to develop programs designed to serve communities facing barriers to distributed solar deployment, with 100% of funding supporting low-income and disadvantaged communities in all 50 states the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and territories.
Project specs
Daniel East, vice president of Field Operations at Indigenized Energy told pv magazine USA that each project is an 8 kW ground mount installation that includes about 20 solar modules mounted on Osprey Racks from Nuance Energy, an Arizona-based racking provider. The 2,000 modules were donated in 2024 by JinkoSolar US, a Florida-based solar module manufacturer.
JinkoSolar’s first Tribal donation was 300 kW to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in 2019. In-kind donations like these reduce project costs, making it possible for Indigenized Energy to dedicate more resources to positive impacts for Tribes and Native American workforce trainees.
“We enjoy our working relationship with Cody Two Bears and his team at Indigenized Energy, who are doing a great job helping tribes pursue energy sovereignty,” said Nigel Cockroft, general manager of JinkoSolar U.S. “This contribution is just the beginning, as we support Tribal communities and help Tribes become leaders in renewable energy development.”
The projects use a 7.6 kW grid tied SolarEdge HD Wave 1-Ph with RGM and consumption meter, which were also donated. SolarEdge is based in Israel, with U.S. offices in California.
To reduce the amount of excavation needed for each installation, East said ground anchors from Falcon Anchors, an Indiana-based manufacturer of anchored solutions, were chosen. East told pv magazine USA that the anchors “drastically reduced the amount of excavation needed. In fact, the only excavation was the electrical trench.”
Collaborative planning
Indigenized Energy’s East said planning and launching the SFA kickoff projects went quickly due to established frameworks for working collaboratively with Tribal communities. There will be 14 kick-off projects total; one for each Tribe belonging to the Tribal Renewable Energy Coalition.
The Chippewa Cree Tribe’s SFA kickoff project launched on October 22, 2024 in Box Elder, Montana, and is the first SFA-related project in the nation. It was completed on Friday, November 1, the first day of Indigenous American Heritage Month. The system was commissioned on November 24, 2024 and received PTO (permission to operate) from the local utility in December.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s SFA kickoff project took five days to complete in both Porcupine and Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It is the second completed SFA-related project in the nation, Indigenized said. This project was delivered in partnership with Red Cloud Renewable, a nonprofit serving Native communities and specializing in solar workforce development. The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s system was commissioned in November 2024 and received PTO from the local utility in January 2025.
David Riley, director of strategy at Indigenized Energy told pv magazine USA that SFA kickoff projects are designed to inform the planning process for each Tribe, and to:
- Provide opportunities for Tribes and Indigenized Energy to work side-by-side and co-creating meaningful installation and training experiences,
- Provide opportunities to pilot storage and energy efficiency measures specifically for each Tribe and for each environment,
- Deliver hope. Tribes have heard the promise of solar projects for nearly two years. The kickoff projects, delivered by Indigenized Energy under the guidance of Tribal leaders, make the promise of energy transformation tangible, and real.
“We are honored to have completed the first Solar for All projects in the whole country, and deeply proud that these projects were completed in Indian Country,” said Cody Two Bears, Founder and CEO, Indigenized Energy.
Workforce training
A critical component of the Solar for All projects is the workforce training, which was received through a collaboration with Red Cloud Renewable, a nonprofit specializing in solar workforce development, the Oglala Sioux project trained participants from five Tribes including the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, RoseBud Sioux Tribe, and Yankton Sioux Tribe.
“The Solar for All kickoff project was a great opportunity for the Chippewa Cree Tribe and its community members,” said Harlan Baker, Tribal chairman, Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana. “It showcased the new technology that will be coming to our homes. We, as a Tribe, look forward to improving our energy independence and sustainability, as well as providing new employment opportunities to our people and increasing awareness and interest in a growing industry.”
Indigenized Energy received over 100 applications for the roughly 30 kickoff project trainee positions. All of the of trainees identified as Indigenous, which Indigenized Energy said is “a groundbreaking achievement in an industry where Native Americans represent below 1% of the solar workforce nationally.” Furthermore, as of January 2025, six SFA kickoff project trainees have started full-time positions in the solar industry, underscoring the potential for Indigenized Energy’s projects to launch new careers and foster economic development.
Indigenized Energy is an organization that works directly with Native Tribes to pursue energy transformation with a focus on economic development. The projects were funded entirely through resources from Indigenized Energy, ensuring no cost was passed on to Tribes.
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