Project overview | Quinault Indian Nation - queets, WA 

In the summer of 2020, Twende Solar began having conversations with the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) and Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) about installing a donated solar system on a community building on the reservation. The system would generate economic savings for the Tribe, increase climate resilience by adding battery storage in the case of power outages, and provide workforce development and job training opportunities for QIN community members interested in pursuing careers in renewable energy.

Less than one year later, the installation of a 23.7 kW solar system on the Queets Community Center is complete and the system is up and running! Over the course of five days in February, a twenty-four person team of volunteers installed the project, shared meals, swapped stories, and played basketball into the evenings. Volunteers came from Ashland, Seattle, Olympia, and Portland, representing four different solar contractors and two nonprofits. Nine Quinault community members volunteered over the course of the weekend and will be participating in an online solar job training program offered by Solar Energy International, Remote Energy and Red Cloud Renewable this spring. These hours will count towards certifications from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.

The system will generate an estimated $2,000 in electricity bill savings annually for the Tribe, and the battery backup system can power lights, refrigeration, device charging, and other critical needs in the event of a power outage.

The QIN historically occupied the central Washington coast, operating a regional trade network and is known for its famed canoe culture. Canadian and American fur trappers and traders began to enter the QIN territory in the 1820s, uninvited, altering the reservation’s boundaries and causing conflict. The reservation is currently just under 200,000 acres, with the population of enrolled tribal members exceeding 2,400 in the past decade. The Tribe is heavily impacted by the effects of climate change, pollution and development, and is working hard to protect its timber resources and salmon and steelhead habitats. 

The QIN plans to develop a 100 kW solar project and a microgrid next, in addition to executing the Taholah Village Relocation Plan, as the reservation is on the Olympic Peninsula and faces threats of tsunamis, storm surges and riverine flooding. This is the Tribe’s first solar project but certainly will not be the last, and we hope that the installation ignited momentum and fostered job skills development that will enable the community to complete subsequent installations in the future. Twende Solar and BEF hope to continue working with the Tribe to support their renewable energy goals and bring increased energy security to the reservation.

This unique project would not have been possible without all partners, for whom we are eternally grateful: the Quinault Indian Nation, A&R Solar, South Sound Solar, Inc., Elemental Energy, True South Solar, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, TOM BIHN Inc., KEEN, Eaton, Pacific Botanicals, Panasonic, Platt Electric, Solar Games, SMA, and Unirac.

-Written by Raphaela Hsu-Flanders, BEF

Twende Solar, a Portland-based nonprofit championed by solar industry professionals, bridges the gap between renewable energy experts and under-resourced communities across the globe. Attracting the best of the photovoltaic industry, Twende Solar leverages volunteer expertise, relationships, and philanthropic spirit to install high-quality solar PV systems for partner organizations.

Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is a Portland-based nonprofit working at the intersection of renewable energy, energy education, watershed restoration, and climate solutions. BEF’s Renewables team works to create access to solar and renewable energy for low-income communities, and has been working with the Quinault since 2018 on their energy goals and climate resilience plans.