Coeur d’Alene Tribe – 2022 Project

NOTE: Project pages are being updated regularly to reflect changes, if any; however, some of the information may be dated.

Summary

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Coeur Center Solar Project will install 35.2 kilowatts (kW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) on the roof of the Tribe’s Coeur Center, a new youth recreation center located in Worley, Idaho. The solar PV system is expected to reduce energy use of the 32,200 square foot Center by nearly 41,750 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, resulting in a lifetime savings of over $88,000.​

Project Description

Background

The Coeur d’Alene Reservation has been the home of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe since time immemorial, and it is fitting that the Tribe’s name in the Coeur d’Alene language is schitsu’umsh, “the ones who were found here.” The Reservation, located in northern Idaho, has a population of 6,760 (2010 Census). Currently, there are approximately 2,554 enrolled Coeur d’Alene Tribal members (Coeur d’Alene Tribe Enrollment 2020).

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe established goals to protect the cultural and environmental values of the Coeur d’Alene people. Specifically, the goals include preserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural resources, improving the quality of life, and providing social and economic benefits across the Reservation. Research, development, and promotion of alternative energy and fuel sources such as wind, solar, hydrogen, and others have been identified as important by the Tribe (Coeur d’Alene Tribe Integrated Resource Management Plan 2012).

The Tribe considers the environment and natural and cultural resources in everything that it does and is a caretaker of those resources. This project is an important part of the Tribe’s caretaking duties.

Project Objectives

This project follows the Tribe’s successful completion of two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy-supported projects: (1) the Benewah Market Energy Efficiency Project in 2017, and (2) the Senior Housing Complex Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Project in 2021. The Coeur Center Solar Project continues the Tribe’s efforts to reach its energy goals by increasing the Tribe’s commitment to integrating renewable energy into energy infrastructure.

Under this project, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe will install a 35.2-kW solar PV system to serve the Coeur Center, a community youth recreation center located on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Worley, Idaho. The Center, built in 2020, is an expansion of Marimn Health services beyond traditional healthcare to areas that impact the holistic well-being of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal community. The 32,200 square foot facility addresses youth interests and broad community needs through amenities such as an aquatics center, gymnasium, Boys & Girls Club (including an Activity Center, Learning Center, Art Center, and Teen Center), kids play area, fitness space, community/multipurpose rooms, counseling spaces, and community kitchen.

The solar PV system is expected to reduce energy use by approximately 41,750 kWh per year, resulting in a lifetime savings of over $88,000 and avoid over 1 million pounds of CO₂ emissions.

Project Scope

The scope of work will include the Tribe’s project management of the new solar PV system on the roof of the Marimn Health Coeur Center in Worley, Idaho. The purpose of this project is to install a 35.2-kW solar PV system, which will reduce the Marimn Coeur Center’s electricity costs by roughly $2,600 per year.

The overall project approach will be led by the Tribe’s Environmental Programs Office in the Natural Resources Department who spearheaded the prior energy efficiency upgrades at the Benewah Market, the solar project at the Natural Resources Building and the energy efficiency and solar project at the Senior Apartments. The on-site work will also be overseen by the Tribe’s Facilities Departments, as they manage the specific buildings.

Project tasks include engineering design, permitting, procurement, and system installation. 

Project Location

The Coeur d’Alene Reservation, located in northern Idaho, is approximately 345,000 acres and comprises forest land, agricultural land, several streams, Coeur d’Alene Lake and the St. Joe River, and a small amount of developed land. This project is to install 35.2 kW solar PV on the Coeur Center located in Worley on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation. The Coeur Center is an approximately 32,300 square foot structure surrounded by outdoor recreation. Construction of the Coeur Center was completed and opened in December 2020.

Project Status

The project was competitively selected in Fiscal Year 2022 under the DOE Office of Indian Energy’s funding opportunity announcement “Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands—2020” (DE-FOA-0002317) and started in August 2022.

The project status report provides more information.