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Indigenous Leadership
Indigenous communities in Canada are significantly involved in clean energy projects, leading the transition towards an equitable and sustainable energy future.
According to Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) Accelerating Transition report, Indigenous communities have participated in 197 renewable energy projects over 1 MW in size, with the majority having participated in hydro (56.6%), wind (22.9%), and solar energy (11.8%) projects to date, followed by bioenergy (7.1%) and hybrid source (1.7%). Additionally, it is estimated that there are 1700-2100 micro or small renewable energy systems in place with Indigenous leadership and partnerships.
For many Indigenous communities, clean energy provides a means to pursue energy solutions in alignment with cultural values, as well as a pathway towards self-governance and environmental stewardship. As such, Indigenous communities continue to accelerate the energy transition with the inherent principle of ensuring that decisions made today should result in a sustainable world for future generations.
Find inspiration on projects involving Indigenous communities below, or on the ICE Network and ICE YouTube Channel.
What is Clean Energy?
Photo Source: Renewable Energy Facts, Natural Resources Canada, 2020.
Clean energy encompasses all zero-carbon energy sources, as well as measures that prevent the need for energy consumption. To summarize, clean energy projects include renewables, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and clean fuels, micro-grids, and transmission networks.
What is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy is categorized under the umbrella of clean energy. Renewable energy is defined as energy that is derived from a source that is replenished at a rate equal to or faster than the rate at which it is consumed.
A wide range of renewable technologies have been developed over time to harness energy from replenishable sources and convert it into usable forms of energy such as electricity, heat, and transportation fuels. The most common sources of renewable energy include solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, tidal energy, geothermal energy, and biomass energy.
Curious to Learn More?
Learn more about energy systems Student Energy’s Energy Systems Map, Energy Literacy Videos by Student Energy, or ICE Renewable Energy 101 Pages
Project Examples
Let’s take a dive into some interesting projects and technologies to help generate project ideas!
Renewables
Hope Gardens Greenhouse
The Hope Garden Greenhouse is a Focus Forward Project in partnership with Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Senator Allen Bird Memorial School. The project is placed within Camp Hope and built by Indigenous youth under the supervision of qualified trade instructors.
The structure features a highly insulated shell with the southern exposure featuring a specialized plexiglass that offers excelled light transmittance. The greenhouse is designed to withstand winter temperatures utilizing a cold climate heat pump that is tied to a 10-kW solar system. The solar system provides all the power consumed by the greenhouse in the winter and produces a surplus of energy during the summer. The surplus energy is tied to Camp Hope’s net-metering program with SaskPower, which offsets electricity costs during the summer months.
Solar Power on Water Treatment Plant
The Montana First Nation partnered with Bullfrog Power to construct a 20 kW solar installation on the community’s water treatment plant and set up a solar training program for youth. The youth received theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience completing the installation of grid-tied and battery backup solar PV systems. In addition, the water treatment plant was retrofitted with LED lighting to reduce electricity consumption.
Aquaponics and Solar Greenhouse
A PhD Student at the University of New Brunswick partnered with a community centre, the Ville Cooperative in Fredericton to build a four-season greenhouse. The greenhouse is heated with passive solar and geothermal techniques, which keep the temperature at 30 degrees Celsius even throughout the cold winter. The structure faces the winter sun to keep it warm and the north side is heavily insulated to maintain heat. An aquaponic growing system is in place, which utilizes the nitrogen in fish waste to grow plants year-round. Aquaponics have many benefits, including the ability to grow plants at a faster rate. The plants don’t need to expend as much energy growing large root systems since all the nutrients are accessible at the root.
Tiny Homes with Solar
The Nuxalt First Nation in Bella Coola has built tiny homes equipped with solar power to serve single men in the community who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Each home is 338 square feet and equipped with a small galley kitchen, bedroom, open living area, and an enclosed bathroom with a stand-up shower. The angled rooves feature solar panels, generating most of the energy required to power the home. Although the homes are technically off-grid, they are still hooked into the grid to ensure tenants aren’t left in the cold if the panels aren’t enough on cloudy days. The tiny homes were built by local hands through the Nuxalt College carpentry program and now operates in partnership with the college to deliver programs grounded in healing, education, art, traditional medicine, life coaching, and meals.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Solar Heated Greenhouse for Food Crops
A research team at Sherbrooke University in Quebec has designed an off-grid greenhouse that is heated and powered entirely by solar energy to grow fruits and vegetables.
The system includes 6 rooftop solar PV panels with power outputs of 164W, linked to four batteries with a total capacity of 5.56 kWh.
The energy generated by the solar PV panels is used to heat the greenhouse during cold periods, while also powering the ventilation and irrigation systems. The thermal batteries store excess heat during periods of overheating and redistribute this heat during cold periods.
The PV system is sized to ensure the greenhouse equipment can operate for 3 days during periods of cloudy weather. According to the scientists, a family of 3-4 can use the greenhouse to grow food year-round!
Eskasoni Wind Turbine
The Eskasoni First Nation installed a 50kW wind turbine in 2004. The energy generated from the wind turbine is used to power the band council office, while excess energy is fed into the Novia Scotia Power distribution grid.
At the time, the project was the first net-metered wind turbine installation of its size in Nova Scotia. The turbine continues to reduce power costs at the band office and demonstrates the community’s commitment to renewable energy.
Micro Wind for Telecommunications
Halo Energy has developed a micro turbine to address the energy requirements of the expanding off-grid telecom tower market across the globe.
The first commercially produced turbines are being supplied to a telecommunications company in Alaska, with the aim of providing low-cost renewable electricity and a reduction in diesel fuel dependency in remote areas.
Halo 6.0 has a capacity of 6 kW and can be installed directly on telecommunications towers.
Geothermal Homes in Peguis & Fisher River First Nation
In 2013, Peguis First Nation and Fisher River First Nation became internationally recognized as one of the first champions to retrofit entire communities with geothermal energy.
The First Nations worked with Aki Energy and Manitoba Hydro to equip 260 homes with geothermal heat. The geothermal heat pump systems provide heating and cooling to homes by transferring thermal energy between the ground and house.
The installations were completed using Manitoba Hydro’s Pay As You Save program. The Indigenous communities were able to train local tradespeople and lower their net energy costs by saving upwards of $150 in home utility bills each month.
*For your ImaGENation project, you may want to consider this on a much smaller scale if your community has geothermal potential.
Biomass-Solar Hybrid for Off-Grid Communities
The innovators at Husk Power have launched a hybrid powered mini-grid system that utilizes solar energy and agriculture food waste to generate electricity for rural communities in India, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
The biomass gasification system converts plantation waste, such as rice husks, coffee husks, and maize cobs into electricity and is combined with solar PV to deliver reliable power to rural households and small businesses. The hybrid technology reduces the burning of agri-waste on farmlands and creates an additional revenue stream for farmers.
Today, Husk operates 100 community mini-grids and is serving more than 5000 micro-enterprise customers.
EV’s & Transportation
Electric Vehicle Charging Station in BC First Nation
FortisBC has installed it’s first publicly available, fast charging station in Osoyoos First Nation. The 50 kW stations are designed to provide highway grade EV charging services for customers who need to charge their vehicle quicker than what a level-2 charger can provide. The DC fast-charging stations are available 24/7 and cost 30 cents a minute to charge. On average, it takes 30 minutes to charge a battery. The station is strategically placed along highway 3 to accommodate EV drivers utilizing interior routes to travel between the US and Canada, or southern routes to travel between BC’s eastern and western regions.
The stations feature unique artwork by the Osoyoos Indian Band Youth Council. The artwork represents the connection between water and the creation of electricity in B.C., as well as the importance respecting the natural environment and being mindful of leaving a positive legacy for future generations.
Electric Vehicle Car-Sharing System
A pilot project from 2016-2019 introduced an electric vehicle car-sharing system between 6 municipalities in Quebec. The project added 10 EV’s to be shared amongst municipal employees, residents, and partners. Additionally, 10 charging stations were installed in the 6 participating municipalities. By the end of the pilot project, the municipalities reduced 50.7 tonnes of C02 emissions on average and saved $21,018 in gas. Other small-medium sized municipalities were inspired by the project and expressed interest in adopting a similar system, and 5 municipalities in New Brunswick are now rolling out the same system.
Energy Efficiency
Heat Pumps in Quatsino First Nation
In 2019, a community energy plan identified that households in the Quatsino community were spending nearly triple the average BC hydro customer on electricity. Energy audits suggested that each home could save over $1000 per year in energy costs by installing ductless air-source heat pumps. Heat pumps decrease the energy demands of the home as they are three times more energy efficient than baseboard electric heaters.
In 2020, 23 heat pumps were installed in 15 elders’ homes; eight homes received two systems, and seven homes received a single system. The heat pumps were selected to ensure they are best equipped to handle the cold winter months, as well as a cooling mode that enables them to function as high efficiency air conditioners in the summer months.
Youth Energy Mentorship Program
High school students from Tsay Keh Dene and Kwadacha Nations are becoming energy leaders through The Youth Energy Mentorship Program. Community Power helped develop the program as part of ongoing energy management work in both communities, with a curriculum designed to align with each Nation’s community-specific energy goals.
Youth learn about where their energy comes from, how energy is consumed in their communities, and how this energy use impacts their lives and the environment. Training takes place in the classroom, in homes, and on sites throughout the community. Students learn practical skills in building design, construction practices, maintenance, and electricity basics. Students assess building energy efficiency using tools including a thermal imaging camera and a blow door test kit and then apply their knowledge by installing air sealing measures that reduce energy consumption.
Climate and Environment
Ditidaht First Nation Recycling Depot
A teacher at Ditidaht Community School saw an opportunity for the school to lead a community project in launching a recycling program for the 200 residents. In partnership with Synergy Foundation, the grade 8-12 students helped open a recycling depot to serve members of their community. Members can now drop off their recyclable materials twice a week at the student-run recycling depot located on school property. Elders can opt for the pick-up program where students collect the recyclables and bring them back to the depot. Students learned about over-consumption on a mass scale, throw-away culture, and the detrimental effects of such on the environment. Students at Ditidaht have led the way with positive change, and Synergy Foundation has sought out funding to support other remote Indigenous communities to establish their own recycling depots and programs.
Youth Climate Change Community Assessment Toolkit
This Community Assessment Toolkit evolved out of a two-year training initiative called ‘The Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champions (YIC4) Project’. 29 Indigenous youth gathered in Whitehorse, Yukon to learn about climate change. During the training, youth learned about the global to local causes and effects of as well as community adaptation strategies to climate change. Youth learned from knowledge keepers, elders, outside scientists, local community-based researchers, and one another.
The overall goal of the initiative was to build upon Indigenous communities' capacity to respond to complex issues related to climate change. The toolkit is written from the perspective of the YIC4 youth champions and is meant to share lessons learned in hopes of informing future community-based assessment work related to climate change and its effects on First Nation communities. This toolkit is a guide to assessing community needs, strengths, and opportunities for action on climate change.
Dene Youth Climate Change Adaptation Plan
From 2015-2016, Indigenous youth at the K’alemi Dene School in Ndilo, Northwest Territories participated in the Climate Change and our Lands in Film (CCLF) project. The objective of the project was to document how climate change is impacting the health of community members in Ndilo and Yellowknife, and to develop a climate change adaptation plan.
Students were trained in action video research, documentary film production, and climate change literacy. Youth conducted interviews with elders, biofuel specialists, an ecologist, and an emergency room physician to develop their own climate change and adaptation mitigation plan. The 20-minute film documents the learning outcomes, the creative process, and the 8-step mitigation plan. The film is a showcase of youth leadership and talent, and was shared with First Nation schools as a means to contribute to the growing climate change adaption network.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Happy Cones Solar-Powered Ice Cream Trailer
Happy Cones, the one-of-a-kind solar-powered ice cream trailer, and quite possibly the first in Canada, was launched in July 2021 by grade 9 entrepreneur Nicky Nicholson. Nicky, the owner and operator of Happy Cones, developed the ice cream trailer to provide summer youth employment for herself and her high school classmates. With the help of her family and sponsors, she purchased a small aluminum trailer (5’x8’), a 15 cubic ft. storage freezer, and constructed a serving counter with storage to accommodate the sinks, a potable water supple, a small water pump, and a water heater. Happy Cones is equipped with a 3000-watt solar power unit to run the equipment and a local fabricator added the trailer sides and roof to safely support the 4x100-watt solar roof panels.
Happy cones is a 100% solar-powered ice cream trailer that will not only create summer youth employment for many years to come, but also promotes energy efficiency, solar power, and care for the environment in a unique, fun, and educational way.
Solar Powered Food Trucks
Green Idle offers solar powered food trucks. The food truck is equipped with a solar system that capture and dependably store long-lasting power. Each solar panel produces 300-400 watts, depending on the hours of sunlight. The system includes a battery with 15,000 watts of storage capacity that enables power usage despite varying weather conditions.
The solar truck served food to a crew of over 300 people for 115 days during a film set shot in New York City. The appliances can consume up to 12,000 watts, however there was no need for the use of gas or oil. The solar truck saved the film production 652 gallons of gasoline.
Can you imagine the potential for food trucks and trailers to incorporate sustainability at cultural and community events?
Community Engagement & Education
SevenGen Indigenous Youth Energy Summit
The SevenGen Indigenous Youth Energy Summit aims to increase awareness, create pathways to education, and foster sustainable partnership development between Indigenous youth, communities, and organizations as it relates to Indigenous ideologies of the earth. In 2019, the SevenGen summit brought together 200 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth (ages 18-30) from across Canada to Calgary, Alberta to build relationships and break social barriers in the energy conversation. SevenGen 2019 sparked a movement that will empower Indigenous communities to lead and live sustainably through the intersection of energy, food, and the transition to a sustainable economy.
Research & Development
Exploring Cardboard Waste as Heat Energy in Inuvik
A partnership between Aurora College and Delta Enterprises, a Gwich’in owned company, has received $95k in funding to explore the conversion of cardboard waste into heating pellets for homes and businesses in Inuvik and the Beaufort Delta Region.
The approach is to mix cardboard pellets with conventional wood pellets as fuel for boilers and/or wood stoves. Researchers are determining the proportion of wood and cardboard that burns most efficiently in a pellet boiler.
A previous study determined that up to 60 tonnes of cardboard waste could be diverted from landfills each year. If successful, the pilot project will result in reduced waste, options for alternative fuel, and the creation of new jobs.
Additional Project Ideas are Welcome
The above are just a few examples of clean energy projects. Additional ImaGENation projects include community energy plans, clean energy campaigns, green career fairs, and more.
Questions?
Check out our FAQ page or obtain feedback on your idea by contacting us.