Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (2020 Presidential transition)
| Book 3 - Organization Overview
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|---|
| Entire 2020 DOE Transition book As of October 2020 |
The Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (Office of Indian Energy, or IE) supports the Department of Energy’s Strategic Objective 5 – Increase Domestic and International Accessibility to American Energy Resources, which is to promote global deployment of American energy technologies and export of American energy resources. Specifically, the Office of Indian Energy works to achieve greater energy independence in Indian Country. Indian Country has a wealth of energy resources and is able to contribute to American energy dominance, as well as to its own prosperity. Through development of its resources, Indian Country can achieve greater energy independence, improve electricity access for its communities,
and achieve energy and cost savings for tribal communities.
The Office of Indian Energy promotes tribal energy development and deployment to strengthen tribal energy and economic infrastructure and electrification; reduce costs; and increase efficiency by funding energy development, providing technical assistance, and building human and technical capacity for 574 federally recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives across the U.S. This includes the deployment of generation, energy efficiency, or resilience projects on Tribal lands on a fuel and technology-neutral basis, and also consistent with the principles of tribal sovereignty. DOE will support projects that provide technical preparedness and capacity-building which will enable tribes to capitalize on their resources.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Office of Indian Energy is to maximize the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Budget
| Fiscal Year | Budget |
| FY 2019 enacted | $18,000,000 |
| FY 2020 enacted | $22,000,000 |
| FY 2021 request | $8,000,000 |
Human Resources
FY 2020 authorized full-time equivalents (FTEs): 7
History
DOE has implemented a Tribal Energy Program since 2002, beginning within the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Office of Indian Energy was authorized by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and formally established within DOE in 2010. Beginning with the 2015 appropriation, IE has been responsible for implementing all financial assistance, technical assistance and education and training activities within its statutory authority. With increasing resources and using a fuel and technology neutral approach that respects tribal sovereignty, IE has strengthened its ability to deliver all of its programs supporting energy project development on tribal lands in Alaska and the lower 48 states.
Functions
The Office of Indian Energy functions are designed by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: promote Indian tribal energy development, efficiency, and use; reduce or stabilize energy costs; enhance and strengthen Indian tribal energy and economic infrastructure related to natural resource development and electrification; and bring electrical power and service to Indian land and the homes of tribal members. Specific activities include:
Financial Assistance
Provides competitive, merit-based financial assistance for fuel and technology neutral energy project deployment on tribal land.
Technical Assistance
Technical experts from DOE and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, provide support to assist Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages with technical analysis, financial analysis, and strategic energy planning. The goal of the technical assistance is to address a specific challenge or fulfill a need that is essential to a current project’s successful implementation or ensure the success of a future project. The intended result is a tangible product or specific deliverable designed to help move a project forward.
Education and Training
Supports tribal efforts to build internal capacity to understand and navigate energy projects by providing regional workshops, webinars, Tribal Leader Forums, college student internships, a comprehensive online training curriculum, and an energy resource library.
Recent Organization Accomplishments
Since 2010, the Office of Indian Energy has invested nearly $85 million in more than 180 tribal energy projects valued at over $180 million. In 2018, the Office implemented a fuel and technology neutral approach to energy development with an understanding and respect for tribal sovereignty and self-determination and broadened the focus to energy system(s) for autonomous operation (i.e., microgrids). In 2019, eligibility was expanded to include intertribal organizations, and in 2020 the Office of Indian Energy also sought applications for community energy storage and the electrification of unelectrified buildings.
- In FY 2019, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy awarded 13 grants for energy infrastructure, building on the 14 grants selected in FY 2018 and awarded in FY 2019. Combined, these fuel and technology neutral energy projects, valued at nearly $60 million, represent a DOE investment of nearly $21.5 million. These 27 grants represent over 19 MW of new generation in Indian Country, a savings of over $4 million annually for those tribal communities, and savings of nearly $90 million over the life of those projects.
- In March 2020, the Office issued a competitive funding opportunity for up to $15 million for Indian tribes and tribal entities to deploy energy technology.
- In May 2020, the Office announced more than $5 million in funding for nine tribal energy infrastructure projects. Combined, these projects add up to over 3.7 megawatts of installed generation that will power over 180 tribal buildings, with combined lifetime savings of over $24 million—significant investments that will yield tangible results to improve the quality of life for these communities.”
- In August 2020, the office formalized and expanded the STEM education initiative through an interagency agreement with the Denali Commission (www.denali.gov). Initially, the program delivery included all twelve Alaska Native regions; however, the COVID-19 pandemic cut it short. This situation created the opportunity to transition to online learning in a fashion that began to bring this training to the Lower 48 states in addition to Alaska. Through this program students learn about energy careers and opportunities through hands on activities showing the full spectrum of energy solutions in the country.
- In October of 2020, the Deputy Secretary directed the Office of Indian Energy to implement a formalized process to consider and make prompt determinations on cost-share reduction requests received by IE for awards under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Consistent with the Secretary and Deputy Secretary’s direction to find ways to provide assistance within the Department’s statutory authority to alleviate the financial impacts of COVID-19, the process will facilitate the Deputy Secretary’s considerations for determining a reduction to be necessary and appropriate.
- In October of 2020, the Deputy Secretary directed that the IE Funding Opportunity announcement (FOA) process undergo a 30–60-day review by the MA office to be streamlined and simplified, in response to ongoing concerns expressed by tribes and tribal entities that the current process is overly complicated, cumbersome, and presents a barrier for many tribal communities to participate in the financial assistance offered by IE.
Leadership Challenges
Long Term Budget and Staffing. Continued support for increased budget requests are critical to continuing to support the Department of Energy’s Strategic Objective 5 and implement the functions authorized under Energy Policy Act of 2005. Continuing to fill vacant positions is necessary to being able to execute the mission, particularly the Deputy Director position, which has remained vacant for nearly two years. The Deputy Director slot is essential to fill quickly, as it functions as the COO of the office, ensuring day-to-day management and staffing issues are overseen successfully.
Critical Events and Action Items
None. Implementation of the formalized cost-chare reduction request process should be monitored closely by HQ to ensure it is done in an effective and efficient manner.
Organizational Chart
Links
Internal
- Department of Energy
- Department of Energy: Transitions 2020-organization overviews table of contents
- Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
