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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Energy | Environment
Tribal Energy Alternatives has awarded $3.2 million in solar grants to 14 tribal nations and affiliated organizations to support renewable energy deployment and workforce development across Indian Country.
The funding, distributed through the Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund (TSAF) Facility–Residential program, will support solar installations at tribal housing, community facilities and critical infrastructure, along with hands-on training for tribal members.
Recipients include the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Hopi Utilities Corporation and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, among others. The program is designed to reduce energy costs, expand local energy capacity and build workforce skills, according to a release.
The latest awards build on prior Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund activity. In November, Tribal Business News reported a $3.6 million funding round supporting 26 tribal recipients across solar deployment, workforce training and energy planning initiatives.
The organization also announced completion of a TSAF-funded solar project with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma.
The project installed solar systems on 13 homes, totaling 113.4 kilowatts of capacity and expected to generate about 184,591 kilowatt-hours annually. That output is projected to produce roughly $20,400 in annual energy savings for participating households.
The effort also included workforce training for four tribal members through TEA-supported construction and training programs.
The latest awards follow the organization’s transition to an independent model. In April 2025, Tribal Energy Alternatives launched as a Native-led affiliate after separating from GRID Alternatives’ National Tribal Program, with a focus on grant funding, workforce training, project development and policy support for tribal energy initiatives.
The TSAF program, launched in 2019, supports solar deployment in tribal communities through combined infrastructure and workforce investments.
