Last Updated: 21 years
AUTHOR: Terrance H. Booth, Sr., Director, Native Nations Sustainable Alliance
The vision for a revitalized and prosperous future for Native American tribes hinges on embracing a new paradigm of economic development, one that aligns deeply held cultural values with innovative and sustainable practices. As A. David Lester, Executive Director of the Council on Energy Resources Tribes (CERT), eloquently states, "Indian business is not about money, it is about expressing our deeply held Indian Values in economic terms, to allow us to serve one another. Money is not the goal, money is a means, to allow a person to live according to our Indian ways." This sentiment echoes the words of the late Ira C. Booth, a Tsimshian Tribal Historian, who believed that "Tribal Economic Development in reality would be a re-discovery of who we are as tribal people."
The present moment presents unprecedented opportunities for Native American tribes to create substantial wealth and secure their economic independence. These opportunities are particularly potent within the realm of renewable energy, allowing tribes to transition from being consumers of electricity supplied by off-reservation utility companies to becoming self-sufficient producers of clean energy. Through the strategic harnessing of hydrogen, solar, and wind energy, tribes can not only achieve energy independence but also contribute to a more sustainable future for the nation. This is the key to Time is Now to launch New Tribal Economies.
The Energy Crisis: An Opportunity in Disguise
The current energy landscape in the United States is characterized by instability and vulnerability. Many cities and towns face the recurring threat of electrical blackouts, brownouts, and rolling blackouts, indicative of an aging and strained electrical power distribution infrastructure. The California blackouts, where communities were left without electricity for extended periods, serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of the current system. Similarly, Phoenix, Arizona, experienced rolling blackouts due to substation fires, causing concern among major electricity consumers and necessitating the expedited replacement of critical transformers.
This energy crisis, while disruptive, presents a unique opportunity for Native American tribes. By seizing the initiative and investing in renewable energy sources, tribes can offer viable solutions to the nation’s energy challenges while simultaneously generating substantial wealth. In June 2004, the Department of Energy allocated over $350 million in funding for energy projects. It is crucial to examine how many tribes actively pursued and benefited from this funding opportunity, as it represents a tangible step towards energy independence and economic empowerment.
Hydrogen: A Fuel for the Future
Transportation, particularly the operation of automobiles on freeways, highways, and roads, constitutes the largest single consumer of fuel in the United States, accounting for at least 36% of total fuel consumption. To address this critical issue, Native American tribes should seriously consider the potential of producing hydrogen as a clean and sustainable fuel source.
Some tribes have already taken commendable steps towards energy independence through the utilization of solar and wind energy. However, the production of hydrogen offers an even greater opportunity to revolutionize the transportation sector and establish tribes as leaders in the emerging hydrogen economy. Honda’s introduction of the first hydrogen-powered vehicle in 2004 signaled a significant shift towards hydrogen fuel technology. Furthermore, a company in Colorado has expressed interest in locating its business on tribal lands, with the goal of converting car engines to run on hydrogen fuel in combination with gasoline.
This potential partnership offers numerous benefits for tribes, including job creation and a significant boost to tribal economies. By developing the infrastructure and expertise to supply hydrogen fuel, tribes can position themselves at the forefront of the automotive industry. California’s plan to build hydrogen stations across the state within the next few years underscores the growing demand for this clean fuel. While there are already 87 hydrogen facilities worldwide, most are demonstration projects, highlighting the need for greater investment and development in this critical area. Tribes have the opportunity to build an automotive hydrogen infrastructure and be ahead of the industry by taking the lead in creating this infrastructure and being the supplier of hydrogen in the process.
Collaborative Partnerships for Success
To facilitate tribal participation in the hydrogen economy, several organizations stand ready to offer their expertise and support. In Tempe, Arizona, two non-profit organizations, the Council on Sustainable Systems Development (COSSD) and the Native Nations Sustainable Alliance (NNSA), are dedicated to promoting sustainable development and empowering Native American tribes. NNSA is a sister Native American non-profit to COSSD. These organizations boast a combined total of over 667 years of experience in various fields, including science, engineering, invention, manufacturing, philanthropy, finance, and nation-building. Currently, they are focused on advancing alternative energy solutions and are eager to collaborate with tribes across Indian Country and other Indigenous populations worldwide.
One of COSSD’s members has already played a pivotal role in assisting the Colorado River Tribes in achieving energy independence by establishing their own tribal electrical utility company. COSSD is also currently working with the Mayan Indians of Mexico to replicate this success in their communities.
Since November 2003, NNSA has been actively engaging with tribes through formal and informal presentations, starting at the Annual Conference of the National Congress of American Indians in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The organization has also presented to the Larger Coalition of Tribes in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has participated in local workshops and conferences in the Phoenix, Arizona area, promoting the potential for substantial tribal wealth development.
The American Hydrogen Association and the Vision of a Sustainable Future
COSSD’s membership includes the American Hydrogen Association, whose expertise and knowledge can position tribes at the center of the hydrogen economy. Roy McAlister, President of the American Hydrogen Association, envisions a "Solar Hydrogen Age" where "sustainable wealth [is produced] from abundant renewable resources and will end the need for hostile pre-occupation with redistribution of non-renewable resources."
McAlister proposes the establishment of educational and business incubator programs, potentially headquartered on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, to foster the development of renewable energy and materials, including electricity and hydrogen. This initiative would serve as a world-class example of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community’s leadership in sustainable prosperity. McAlister also plans to establish an International Institution to educate tribes and transfer knowledge and know-how directly to them.
Furthermore, McAlister proposes exploring the potential for converting agricultural wastes, sewage, and landfill materials into renewable resources, including carbon, hydrogen, and soil nutrients. Carbon extracted from biomass wastes can be used to produce durable goods, which could have a significant economic impact on major industries. This initiative could position tribes at the center of commerce and dramatically improve the social and economic environment of Indian Country.
McAlister asserts that hydrogen can be used in virtually any existing engine to increase power, extend lifespan, and even clean the air. He also notes that new forms of carbon can be produced that are stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum. These new carbon materials have numerous applications, including electrolyzers, fuel cells, and Solar Thermal Electric Conversion Systems (STECS). For Maricopa County, McAlister estimates that "it is realistic to use STECS to generate electricity sales of more than $18,000 per acre."
According to McAlister, creating a Hydrogen Economy will provide positive youth education, job satisfaction, large income streams, and positive tribal leadership throughout the world. The American Hydrogen Association’s mission statement is "To provide Civilization with scientifically proven options for achieving prosperity."
A Call to Action for Time is Now to launch New Tribal Economies
COSSD’s mission statement is "To provide and promote wise stewardship of the earth’s natural and biological resources through education, inspiration, and innovation toward development of high quality affordable, and healthy systems necessary to empower the diversity of life and culture for achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future."
NNSA’s goal is to introduce tribes across Indian Country to the opportunities NOW available and COSSD a potential business alliance for the tribes to consider and make their tribal decisions to participate with existing proven knowledge, utilize existing and experienced expertise with skills and talents in the area of alternative energy and COSSD’s willingness to bring to tribes prosperity and finally fulfilling all the unmet social and economic needs for all of Indian Country. Solutions are already at hand it is to work to make it happen for the good of all tribal and indigenous populations for current generation into future generations still to come.
It is time for Native American tribes to embrace these opportunities and forge a new path towards economic sovereignty and sustainability. By investing in renewable energy, particularly hydrogen production, and partnering with organizations like COSSD and the American Hydrogen Association, tribes can not only secure their own economic futures but also contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable world. The time for action is now, to ensure a prosperous future for generations to come. The possibilities are endless and Time is Now to launch New Tribal Economies.
This vision will guarantee that Time is Now to launch New Tribal Economies.
REFERENCES
- Red Earth, A Journal of Contemporary American Development: Fall 2002
- Automotive Hydrogen Infrastructure-Where are We Right Now? By Stefan Geiger, H2 Nation, July/August 2004