$2.7 million under the Climate Commitment Act awarded to Willapa Bay Enterprises for ocean wave energy project

The Washington State Department of Commerce this week announced $7.5 million in grants to five tribes in Washington to plan, design and build clean energy projects.

Sponsored by Washington’s Climate Commitments Actthese clean energy subsidies through trade are part of an $83 million opportunity that includes $16 million for the Targeted Tribal Clean Energy Fund and $67 million for projects that improve environmental justice and equity.

“The Climate Commitments Act recognizes that communities will not be equally affected by climate change,” said Chief Trade Officer Mike Fong. “We know that in the past the government assumed it knew best when it came to community needs, so we are deliberately reversing that thought process. We hope this is the first of many funding opportunities that directly respond to what people tell us they need.”

Fong noted that tribes in Washington have unique and personal visions for how they can achieve a more equitable climate future.

Washington’s award winners are:

• Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation – Solar Panels Community Center, Oakville: $251,000 to build a 121 kW roof-mounted solar array for the tribal community center and to complete a feasibility study to add battery storage at the center in the future.
• Cowlitz Indian Tribe — Resilient Energy and Additional Power Project, Phase II, Longview: $1.7 million to build a 100 kW solar array and battery energy storage system in administrative buildings and clinics to power the buildings and provide additional energy for charging electric vehicles.
• Spokane Indian Tribe — Western Nuclear Farm Project, Wellpinit: $90,000 to assess the feasibility of reusing the tribe’s historic uranium mine to generate solar energy.
• Willapa Bay Enterprises — Ocean Wave Renewable Technology Demonstration Project, Tokeland: $2,744,507 to support the design, permitting, siting and construction of zero-emissions hydrogen generation technologies from ocean wave energy.
• Yakama power – Solar Over Canal Project, Toppenish: $2.75 million to support permitting, environmental review and pre-development of an innovative 200-MW solar project on the canal that generates $160 million in federal and state funds.

The Tribal Clean Energy Grant Program is still accepting applications through September 27.

Applications received by July 19 will be announced in August, and applications received by the deadline will be announced in October.

Learn more about this opportunity and future funding rounds are available online.