“Speaking of Solar”: Energy Access Video for the Navajo Nation

We’re very pleased to announce the release of a video produced by MSL’s Energy Sovereignty Institute, in collaboration with Rochester Institute of Technology, Navajo Technical University, and the Navajo Tribal Utilities Authority with support from Sandia National Laboratories. The video translates fundamental concepts of solar home systems into the Navajo language. Many of these concepts are difficult to explain, and we hope that this will be a useful tool in accelerating the deployment of solar home systems throughout the reservation.  

The video was produced by Sherry Sneezer (Navajo), a PhD student in Energy Sovereignty at Rochester Institute of Technology, and directed and edited by Keanu Jones (Navajo). Stan Atcitty (Navajo) explains and translates the concept in his native language. Stan is a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in the Energy Storage Technology & Systems department, and also an enthusiastic collaborator in Sandia’s Indian Energy program.

Funding support for this project was provided by the Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund, a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund. The Public Interest Technology University Network’s challenge grants are funded through the support of Ford Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Hopewell Fund and Kapor Foundation. Dr. Atcitty’s tribal outreach is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity (OE), Energy Storage Division.