Summary
The Fort Mojave Tribe, whose reservation is located along the Colorado River in the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, has a need for increased energy supplies resulting from aggressive and successful economic development projects undertaken by the tribe in the last decade. While it is possible to contract for additional energy supplies from fossil fuel sources, as an alternative, the tribe will investigate the feasibility and desirability of producing power from renewable energy sources.
Project Description
Tribal energy self-sufficiency, environmental quality, full employment and economic development are all important goals of the Ft. Mojave tribe. All of these goals would be positively impacted by economically sustainable renewable energy installations on Tribal Lands. The objective of the proposed project is to develop sound feasibility studies to guide renewable energy development on the Ft. Mojave tribal lands.
Currently the Ft. Mojave tribe, whose reservation is located along the Colorado River in the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada near the point where all three states meet, has a need for increased energy supplies. This need is a direct result of the aggressive and successful economic development projects undertaken by the tribe in the last decade. While it is possible to contract for additional energy supplies from fossil fuel sources it is the desire of the tribal power company, AHA MACAV Power Service (AMPS), to investigate the feasibility and desirability of producing power from renewable sources as an alternative to increased purchase of fossil fuel generated power.
Renewable energy generated on the reservation would serve to reduce the energy dependence of the tribal enterprises on off-reservation sources of energy. It would also demonstrate the tribe's support for improving environmental quality, sustainability, and energy independence both on the reservation and for the larger community.
Objective
Currently the tribal power utility, AMPS, purchases power from Arizona Public Service and from federal hydropower resources. Renewable energy production would allow AMPS to reduce its reliance on purchased power and integrate new renewable energy production into its mix of power sources. It would also help to ensure the continued availability of federal hydroelectric power to the tribe.
The specific project objectives are to determine economically sustainable renewable energy projects, which can be implemented by AMPS, and to develop a detailed business and technical plan to implement these projects.
A list of all potential renewable energy resources on tribal lands will be identified in the first stage of the feasibility study. This list would include at the minimum: 1) wind energy; 2) biomass; and 3) solar energy.
Scope
Renewable energy development requires a well thought out plan. Technical feasibility, economic costs, environmental and social impacts, and the practical considerations of developing a sound business plan to organize and manage the engineering, construction, operation, maintenance, financing, and marketing of the renewable energy will be considered.
The project will focus on development of an implementation plan for sustainable renewable energy production in the context of the tribal corporations, Aha Macav Power Service (AMPS), responsible for the delivery of all electric power to customers on the reservation and Avi Kwa Ame Farms (AKA Farms), a large tribal farm that relies on electric power for irrigation pumping.
The feasibility study involves six major stages.
Identification of renewable energy resources available on the reservation. Management (human) resources will also be identified.
Identification of technologies to use these resources to produce energy or to save energy, thus freeing up current supplies for new uses.
Definition of each of the four goals: economic development, environmental quality, sustainability, and energy independence, in a manner that can be used to evaluate alternative renewable energy options.
Technical, economic, and environmental analysis to select potentially practical and effective technologies for further analysis.
Detailed analysis of those technologies meeting the potentially practical and effective test. Results of the analysis will be presented for each of the four goals: economic development, environmental quality, sustainability, and energy independence.
For the technologies judged appropriate for implementation a detailed plan for implementation, including specifications for engineering, financing, and management, will be developed.
Project Location
The Ft. Mojave Reservation is located along the Colorado River in the states of California, Nevada, and Arizona, between Bullhead City, Arizona and Laughlin Nevada south to Needles California. The tribe is governed by a tribal council and currently has about 1,100 registered members.
Project Status
This project is complete. For details, see the final report.
The project was competitively selected under the Tribal Energy Program's FY2003 solicitation, "Renewable Energy Development on Tribal Lands," and started in September 2003. For more information, see the project status reports from November 2003, October 2004, October 2005, October 2006 and November 2007.
Fort Mojave's economic analysis tools and draft business plan are available on line.
<p><strong>Tribe/Awardee</strong><br />Fort Mojave Indian Tribe</p><p><strong>Location</strong><br />Mohave Valley, AZ (Includes land in California and Nevada)</p><p><strong>Project Title</strong><br />Renewable Energy Development on Fort Mojave Reservation Feasibility Study</p><p><strong>Type of Application</strong><br />Feasibility</p><p><strong>DOE Grant Number</strong><br />DE-FC36-03GO13125</p><p><strong>Project Amounts</strong><br />DOE: $200,099<br />Awardee: $75,032<br />Total: $275,131</p><p><strong>Project Status</strong><br />Complete</p><p><strong>Project Period of Performance</strong><br />Start: September 2003<br />End: November 2007</p>