Intertribal initiative sets stage for Native-owned wind development

More than a dozen tribes came together to purchase NativeEnergy and close the ownership circle between green energy producer and green tag marketer.

The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, a nonprofit group of federally recognized Indian tribes from the Great Plains, spearheaded the acquisition of the company on behalf of its member tribes. The purchase is a crucial step toward the development of an 80-megawatt distributed-wind project, hosted in 10-MW ''clusters'' at eight different COUP reservations, according to COUP Secretary Robert Gough. "We are providing direct access to the retail market for the energy our members will ultimately produce," he said.

The purchase marked a milestone in the movement that COUP began with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe wind project. Partnering with NativeEnergy was instrumental in the success and the current expansion of that development.

COUP members believe that developing wind resources on Native lands can reduce global warming while generating revenue for tribes. The council is now taking that message beyond the Great Plains and making presentations to interested tribes in other regions.