Native Renewables Inc

NATIVE RENEWABLE'S PROJECT TITLED ''ENERGIZING RURAL HOPI AND NAVAJO WITH SOLAR POWERED BATTERY-BASED SYSTEMS'' SEEKS TO INSTALL PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR SYSTEMS (PV) AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (BESS) AT OFF-GRID HOMES TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF CLEAN ENERGY, ENHANCE ENERGY RESILIENCE, AND INCREASE ELECTRIFICATION RATES IN NAVAJO NATION AND HOPI TRIBE COMMUNITIES.

DESCRIPTION:THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000. PRE-AWARD COSTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BACK TO 04/01/2022. THE HOPI AND NAVAJO NATIONS IN ARIZONA ARE TWO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES INCLUDING EXPOSURE TO PARTICULATE MATTER AIR POLLUTION. THOUSANDS OF TRIBAL MEMBERS LACK ELECTRICITY AND REFRIGERATION, WHICH REQUIRES FAMILIES TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO SHOP FOR FOOD. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND THE TRANSPORTATION HABITS OF TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS WITH NO ELECTRICITY OR FOOD STORAGE AND TO EXPLORE HOW FOOD STORAGE CAN REDUCE TRAVEL AND RELATED TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS. NATIVE RENEWABLES INC. WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION ON THE INTERSECTION OF FOOD, ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, AND EMISSIONS TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. TEN FAMILIES WILL BE PROVIDED WITH HOME SOLAR-POWERED COLD FOOD STORAGE EQUIPMENT AND WILL ASSIST WITH DATA GATHERING FOR THE RESEARCH COMPONENTS OF THIS PROJECT. THE PROJECT AIMS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: IMPROVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS' AND TRIBAL LEADERS' AWARENESS OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND EMISSIONS; INCREASE SOLAR KNOWLEDGE IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES; INCREASE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN TRIBAL LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES ON TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND FOOD ISSUES; CHANGE TRAVEL BEHAVIORS; REDUCE AIR EMISSIONS FROM TRIPS TAKEN FOR FOOD SUPPLIES.ACTIVITIES:PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DELIVERING SOLAR-POWERED COLD FOOD STORAGE EQUIPMENT TO 10 INDIGENOUS FAMILIES, CREATION OF TOOLS TO FACILITATE DATA GATHERING BY FAMILIES, COLLECTION OF DATA RELATED TO ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND TRAVEL FOR FOOD, CREATION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON SOLAR ENERGY BENEFITS, ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO INFORM ABOUT PROJECT DETAILS AND SOLAR ENERGY BENEFITS, HOST EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS RELATED TO TRAVEL, ENERGY CONSUMPTION, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, AND CALCULATING EMISSIONS; AND PREPARATION OF A FINAL PROJECT REPORT.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, NRI WILL GENERATE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TRIBAL LEADERS, GATHER DATA ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF SOLAR REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT ON TRAVEL HABITS AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION; AND GENERATE A FINAL REPORT SUMMARIZING THE PROJECT'S FINDINGS. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE HOP AND NAVAJO NATIONS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS' AND TRIBAL LEADERS' AWARENESS OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND EMISSIONS, INCREASE SOLAR KNOWLEDGE IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, INCREASE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN TRIBAL LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES ON TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND FOOD ISSUES, CHANGE TRAVEL BEHAVIORS, AND REDUCE AIR EMISSIONS FROM TRIPS TAKEN FOR FOOD SUPPLIES. ADDITIONALLY, PEOPLE WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE OR UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED FROM COVID-19. AIR POLLUTION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA. BY REDUCING COMMUNITY MEMBERS' EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION, NATIVE RENEWABLES' EFFORTS ARE EXPECTED TO REDUCE THE CHANCES OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID-19.