Category: energy access

Mar 26 2024 by David Breecker

Energy Sovereignty Workshop a Great Success

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, MSL news, partners, research, Uncategorized, workforce

On March 12th and 13th, 2024 MSL and its partners at Navajo Technical University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Seattle University convened key stakeholders for an inaugural Energy Sovereignty Research Workshop.  Funded by the National Science Foundation (with additional support from the New America Foundation and Remy’s Good Day Fund), 32 participants representing academia, Tribal governments and agencies, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and energy sector organizations gathered at the Hyatt Tamaya at Santa Ana Pueblo for the event, designed to create a research agenda aimed at supporting clean energy transitions in Tribal Nations.

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Dec 12 2023 by David Breecker

MSL teams for Energy Sovereignty Research

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, MSL news, partners, research, Uncategorized, workforce

The National Science Foundation has awarded funding to MSL, Navajo Technical University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Seattle University for an energy sovereignty research workshop. This project will convene a diverse group of stakeholders from academia, Tribal governments and agencies, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and energy sector organizations for a two-day event, designed to create a research agenda aimed at supporting clean energy transitions in Tribal Nations, and education and workforce training needs to achieve ambitious Tribal aspirations. MSL Member Sandia National Laboratories’ Indian Energy program is also serving on the organizing committee. (more…)


Nov 01 2022 by David Breecker

MSL, RIT, Navajo Tech Win Energy Sovereignty Grant

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Innovation, MSL news, partners, R&D, research, workforce

MSL, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Navajo Technical University have been awarded a grant from the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) program to further the partners’ work with Native American communities in the tribal energy sovereignty area. PIT-UN’s mission is to help advance the field of public interest technology to bring positive impact to communities around the globe. MSL’s Energy Sovereignty Institute (ESI) initiative will also participate. (more…)


Sep 02 2022 by David Breecker

UPDATE: MSL, RIT TEAM FOR GLOBAL ENERGY ACCESS WORKSHOP IN RWANDA

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Innovation, MSL news, partners, research, Uncategorized

Update 8/27/22:  MSL’s Global Energy Access Innovation Workshop in Rwanda with the Rochester Institute of Technology was an unqualified success. Hosted as part of the IEEE PowerAfrica Conference, 25 thought and practice leaders from Asia, Africa, Alaska, Native America, and the Caribbean Islands convened for a two-day immersive innovation process designed and facilitated by MSL. The excitement was contagious, the feedback was exceptional, and the group unanimously committed to continued collaboration, on which we have begun work. (more…)


Jun 01 2022 by David Breecker

MSL, RIT Team for Global Energy Access Workshop in Rwanda

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Innovation, MSL news, partners

MSL has partnered with the Rochester Institute of Technology to convene an Energy Access Innovation Workshop in August of 2022, to be held in conjunction with the IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The workshop is designed to accelerate applied innovation in the energy access and equity domain, and to lay the foundation for a Global Energy Access Lab (GEAL) to meet the challenge of affordable, equitable, and clean energy access for 2 billion underserved people worldwide. (more…)


Feb 23 2022 by David Breecker

Energy Sovereignty Videos Available

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Innovation, MSL news, partners, Uncategorized

We are pleased to share two short videos produced by MSL’s  Energy Sovereignty Institute for the Indian Energy community. The first, “Tribal Energy Sovereignty,” features interviews with a variety of experts on tribal energy and its relationship to tribal sovereignty, featuring: Joseph Kunkel (Northern Cheyenne), Co-Director of ESI and Director of the Sustainable Native Communities Design Lab; Sherralyn Sneezer (Diné), PhD student at Rochester Institute of Technology; Stan Atcitty (Diné), Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories; and Tiana Suazo (Taos/Jemez Pueblo), Executive Director, Red Willow Center: (more…)


May 11 2021 by David Breecker

Energy Sovereignty Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology Welcome PhD Student

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, MSL news, partners, R&D, research, Uncategorized

We are delighted to announce that Sherralyn Sneezer (Navajo/Dine) has been selected from a highly competitive field of applicants as our first PhD student in energy sovereignty research topics, via MSL’s  Energy Sovereignty Institute and its partnership with the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology. Sherralyn’s research will be supervised by Dr. Nathan Williams, an Assistant Professor at the Golisano Institute, in collaboration with MSL.
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Feb 19 2021 by David Breecker

Alaska Center for Energy & Power, Alaska Microgrid Group join MSL

Posted in energy access, MSL news, partners, R&D, research

MSL is pleased to announce that the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) has joined its Member consortium. ACEP is an applied energy research program based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The Center provides leadership in developing energy systems for islanded, non-integrated electric grids and their associated oil-based heating systems.

 

ACEP, which has a long and distinguished track record in energy innovation, is also joined in the MSL consortium by a new organization, the Alaska Microgrid Group (AMG). AMG is a non-profit established to support implementation of resilient, robust, and affordable local power systems around the world. (more…)


Oct 21 2020 1Commentby David Breecker

Energy Sovereignty Institute Launches Resource-Base, PhD Program

Posted in energy access, Innovation, MSL news, partners, R&D

MSL’s Energy Sovereignty Institute (ESI) is very pleased to announce the launch of its online information clearinghouse and resource-base at energysovereigntyinstitute.org, as well as a fully funded PhD opportunity with the Rochester Insitute of Technology.

The ESI website offers practical information to support the design and development of sustainable tribal energy projects. These include How-To guides for residential, community facility, and utility scale projects, as well as community microgrid systems. Resources include technical and funding information, case studies, and downloads. There is also a Discussion forum to support stakeholder communications. (more…)


Aug 04 2020 by David Breecker

MSL Organizes CIVIC Challenge Team

Posted in energy access, Innovation, MSL news, partners, pilot projects, R&D, research, Uncategorized

MSL has convened and is co-leading a team to respond to the National Science Foundation’s CIVIC Innovation Challenge. In partnership with the University of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque, and with the participation of PNM Resources and community stakeholders, the CIVIC team is proposing an innovative approach to increasing the energy resiliency of vulnerable communities.

As stated by NSF, “The Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) is a research and action competition in the Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) domain designed to build a more cohesive research-to-innovation pipeline and foster a collaborative spirit…. (more…)