Local community leader Richard Bender is transforming how the energy supply in the town of Kotlik fits into the traditional subsistence lifestyle practiced by the local Indigenous population. This community on the mouth of the Yukon River that empties into the Norton Sound, in the vast Yukon Kuskokwim Delta, is home to three Alaska Native Tribes. Their way of life, passed forward by their ancestors, centers around self-reliance and harmony with the waters, lands, and all that rely on them. As the CEO of a Kongnikilnomuit Yuita Corporation, an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act village corporation, Richard is leading a clean energy project that will give his hometown energy independence by harnessing the power of its natural resources. 

Alaska’s Native communities experience disproportionately high energy costs. According to the Department of Energy, the average energy burden for all Tribal residents is more than 28% higher than the average U.S. citizen. In the most remote Alaskan communities, up to 47% of household income can go to energy costs. Despite the high costs, the energy is even less reliable in these areas. Power outages are 6.5 times more likely in Tribal communities than the national average. 

“I’m trying to create a healthier community, lower the price of energy, and make it easier to heat homes in the winter,” Richard said.

As a college student, he supported his classmate’s fight against a controversial mining project and was introduced to the National Renewable Energy Lab. Since then, Richard and his friends have worked to bring the value of renewable energy to their communities.

The Kongnikilnomuit Yuita Corporation, was recently awarded $1,200,000 from the Department of Energy’s Grid  Resilience Allocation Grant, a program supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Phase one of Richard’s plan is to purchase a 500-kilowatt storage battery storage system and switchgear components that are necessary for phase 2 solar installation. This project will reduce power outages and create a more resilient grid.

“The goal is to grow and sustain the community on our own, without relying on resources outside of our community so much,” he said. In many rural Alaska communities, diesel generators are the primary source of electricity due to isolation from larger power grids. The diesel fuel is either flown or barged in at great expense, placing a heavy financial burden on these communities and their residents. There are around 200 “microgrid” communities in Alaska facing similar challenges. The installations could save $143,000 annually by adding enough solar power to replace the use of diesel energy for six months out of the year. This would make the Tribe less reliant on expensive generators that require fuel to be transported in, significantly easing their financial burden.

Solar installation is one piece of a long-term plan that will create employment opportunities, sustain the community population, and motivate his neighbors to develop the area in a clean, sustainable way. This shift towards renewable energy addresses patterns of outmigration by fostering community pride and providing opportunities for young people to stay and take up this movement work. Renewable energy not only promises significant cost savings, but it also aligns with traditional Indigenous values of environmental stewardship and self-sufficiency/self-determination, reflecting the community’s commitment to subsistence living and environmental responsibility.

Phase three is to install wind turbines that will increase savings to over $300k per year at current diesel prices. Richard was awarded $110k from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and plans to use these funds in phase one to create a business model and complete a power purchase agreement with the local utility. This will allow them to become an independent power producer (IPP). As an IPP the Tribe could sell the excess energy and bring additional funding to Kotlik. In the Northwest Arctic Borough, a Tribal IPP generated over $367K in savings and was used to fill other community needs. Richard followed the examples of other Tribes and his former classmates who created a roadmap for this model of energy generation.

“A lot of people might only see wind turbines, but I see capacity, health, development, and resilience,” said Richard. “I knew there would be a time when this would be feasible for the village, that it would be supported and funded. We need to do what we can to provide for the village of Kotlik. Funding means everything to this project.”

When describing this effort, Richard said it’s “like making soup from a stone.” Everyone in the community comes together to create something good. Energy security builds resilience and supports the wellbeing of rural Alaskan communities, helping to end cycles of economic hardship and creating more opportunities for self-determination and long-term prosperity.

Federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is crucial for advancing clean energy projects in Alaska, but the high match requirements for many grants prevents communities like Kotlik from accessing resources. Lowering match requirements would enable rural communities and Tribes to leverage federal support, implement clean energy initiatives, and ensure those most in need benefit from the potential of these transformative programs.