With that success under its belt, the tribe now hopes to find investors and utility partners to turn the sun into another income-generating enterprise to replace revenues lost from declining oil and natural gas production. Enough to supply electricity to the casino and hotel, the tribe’s farm and ranch enterprises, and a hundred homes. The farm generates one megawatt of energy. And in 2020, the tribe completed construction on its first solar project – a 2.2 million dollar solar farm located just to the west of Ute Mountain Casino. With more than 250 days of sunshine a year, Ute lands were ideal for solar. The ambitious goal to become a major solar energy provider was developed during the past 10 years, when the tribal government began a series of feasibility studies and renewable energy projects including wind-generated, solar, and hydroelectric power. According to the solar energy industry’s association, one megawatt can provide power to about 164 homes. The Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribe has embarked on an ambitious, multi-year plan to build four solar projects to generate a total of 500 million megawatts of electricity to power homes and businesses in three states.
As climate change adversely impacts Southwest Colorado, the Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribe plans to invest in utility-sized, renewable energy projects to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, reduce its carbon footprint, generate jobs, and develop new sources of tribal income.
