Navajo nation takes on energy disparity with solar initiatives
In an effort to combat long-standing energy inequities, Navajo Nation organizations are employing solar energy to bring power to off-grid homes for the first time.
Ginger Zee, Daniel Manzo, Kelly Livingston and Kelly Landrigan report for ABC News.
In short:
- Organizations like Navajo Power aim to address energy injustice in the Navajo Nation by powering homes with solar energy.
- A development ban law known as the "Bennett Freeze" hindered development in Navajo and Hopi nations from 1966 to 2009, leaving many without power for decades.
- Partnerships with groups like Native Renewables harness the cultural importance of solar energy, connecting Navajo homes to the grid and creating jobs.
Key quote:
" The Navajo Nation served as the battery for the West for decades (...) We're solving issues using our own resources; it's derived by people from here, built by people from here, and for people that are living here."
— Brett Issac, founder and executive chairman of Navajo Power.
Why this matters:
This initiative aims to provide energy independence for the Navajo nation, where currently more than 15,000 homes don't have power.
LISTEN: What would a just energy transition look like for US tribes?
