EnTech Solutions and its affiliate Faith Technologies have partnered with the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians to finance, own and operate a resilient, renewable energy solution for three tribal facilities in Odanah, Wisconsin. The project has been named the Ishkonige Nawadide Solar Project and implements the first phase of a multiphase long-term strategic energy plan.
With the initial support of grant funds from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Bad River Tribe will benefit from more reliable power at three of its facilities; the Health and Wellness Center, Wastewater Treatment Plant and Administration Building, all of which are relatively remote and susceptible to power outages. The facilities will leverage a combined 500 kW of solar generation and more than 1 MWh of battery storage. Each facility will operate as an individual microgrid that will remain interactive with the utility and integrate with existing reciprocating generators as lower priority resources.
EnTech Solutions will fund the balance of the system and will own and operate it through an Energy Services Agreement with the tribe.
“We are excited to be converting our tribal buildings to a solar and clean energy source while providing another level of resiliency during utility outages,” said Daniel Wiggins Jr., the tribal project lead with the Mishkiiziibii Natural Resource Department for the Bad River Tribe.