A Flagstaff nonprofit won an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday with the goal of building 300 homes with solar power on Navajo and Hopi reservations. . Native Renewables was founded by two Indigenous women in 2015 and has grown to 16 employees (14 full-time). They are building and installing solar power units for families in areas of her two reservations that lack electricity and running water. Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk and Navajo Nation President Boo Nygren held a roundtable discussion Wednesday at one of the three warehouses in Flagstaff. Deputy Secretary Turk said this is just the beginning of what can be done for people on tribal reservations across the country. “Given all the implications of this funding, I hope that if we can get more of this money from Congress, we can continue to move forward with this work,” he said. Turk added, “If you don't have energy, you don't have electricity. This is a big deal because in today's economy and world, everyone needs electricity.” Department of Energy grants his more than $366 million to 17 projects across 20 states and 30 tribal nations and communities to accelerate clean energy adoption in rural and remote areas across the country Did. For more information, log on to nativerenewables.org.

Navajo Nation President Boo Nygren talks about how this grant will make a huge difference for people on both reservations. click here to look.

Deputy Chief David Turk spoke with Dave and said this grant, and hopefully others, will change the lives of people on both the Navajo and Hopi reservations. click here To listen.