YKD Solar

The Navajo Nation has many citizens living without electricity. We propose turning away from "dirty" electricity by providing citizens with small scale solar equipment: 1. a solar panel, 2. a generator (battery), 3. lights. The generator will also charge cell phones, laptops, and tablets. We wish to target families with children that require light to finish their homework. Many school aged children cannot finish their homework without a kerosene lamp or some other fuel based source that has caused respiratory problems. This work, if scaled to the globe, is one answer to the current climate crisis. If supported, it would be a potential solution to resource extraction based electrical power. To date, YKD Solar has installed 52 solar kits in homes on the Navajo Nation. We live on the Navajo Nation and still work to provide replacement batteries as needed. 

We aim to solve the challenge many citizens of the Navajo Nation face involving lighting. Many families, today, use propane, kerosene, or other fuel sources for light in their homes. This creates respiratory problems and continues reliance on extractive resources. The scale involves the entire Navajo Nation covering portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah and potentially impacting 200,000 people. The contributing factors involve a pattern of resource exploitation by resource extraction companies targeting the Navajo Nation. Since 1921, companies have courted the authorization of the Navajo Nation government to sell natural resources for 1. under fair market value, 2. with little to no environmental protections, and 3. in manners that do not provide for worker safety (Fixico 2011, Lerma 2014).YKD Solar proposes a circular economy transition. 1. Introduce small scale solar, 2. maintain generators for 5 years, 3. replace batteries with new ones, 4. recycle batteries through the manufacturer. Panels canbe expanded through daisy chaining, larger generators can be purchased,and lives can improve. The generators and lighting were designed for repair. YKD Solar Staff will serve as the repair technicians but, in reality, repair takes one hex key. Residents can repair their own generators as needed.

YKD currently serves the Navajo Nation - the largest Indian Reservation in the world. The Navajo Nation covers 27k square miles. The Navajo citizens number approximately 350,000. Roughly 250,000 citizens live on the Navajo Nation. There is a diaspora of Navajo citizens (100,000) around the world. As citizens of the Navajo Nation, we work hard to clearly understand the population needs. We reside on the Navajo Nation and are visible members of the Tsaile community. As well, we spend a great deal of time in Tuba City as this is the birthplace of one of the YKD Solar team members. We understand the frustration many citizens faceas they attempt to connect their homes to power lines only to wait decades as electricity bypasses their home on the way to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Oakland. YKD Solutions offers small scale solar energy to light the homes at night, and charge small electronic equipment. This small scale approach does make a normative pitch for a less consumptive lifestyle. We are clear with recipients that the equipment was not intended to run televisions. However, we do understand that citizens with medical needs may require a small refrigerator. 

Many Indigenous based solutions are deceptively simple and this one is no exception. We intend to work with a solar generator partner, deliver equipment to homes, and install kits at pre-determined homes. With basically zero funding, we have already successfully carried out these solar install trips. We documented our trips here: https://teamykd.com/2018/04/26/ykd-solar/

We have arranged with our partners at GOAL ZERO, to carry out solar install trips in 2019 – one in the Spring, and one in the Fall. Each trip will include a charitable distribution of replacement batteries to families who received solar generating systems, as well as, new solar installs of Yeti 150 generating systems.

Some History: In 2012, YKD-Solar Founder Adrian Lerma began working with Elephant Energy (EE). Adrian organized the Navajo Nation (southwest) install trips. This work positively impacted tribal communities in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah by providing affordable, small-scale solar technology to Native American elders and off-grid families. In 2013, EE launched its Solar Entrepreneurs Program, so people on the Navajo Nation to start their own small business acting as vendors of Goal Zero solar products. In 2014, EE began its Solar Schools Program, which was an opportunity to work directly with Northern Arizona University’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) to create a renewable energy curriculum that merged Navajo culture with science. This curriculum provided an angle to education that informed students and community leaders about viable renewable energy options for the Navajo Nation. Most exciting is the relationship that our solution has with traditional Navajo teachings.

Diné elders understood the relationship between the dawn of a day and life on earth as we know it. Navajo elders understood that science was behind the fire poking planter planning (Nahat’a) staff. The fire poker is an early version of Navajo technology to feed a family and a community. The knowledge holders were aware that the Holy People engineered the corn fields out of songs and prayers. Knowledge holders understood the seasonal changes of the natural world and how the planetary axis shifts would give way to Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. They understood the relationship between mother earth (Shim1 Naahadzaan) and father sky (Yadi[hi[ Hastiin). The relationship between mother earth and father sky is the Navajo philosophy of climatology where the elders recognized male and female rain. These are basic teachings contained in the idea of Nits1h1kees (thinking-east-white), Nahat’1 (planning-south-turquoise), Iin1 (living-west-yellow), and Siihasin (reassurance-north-black).

There are about 16,000 homes on the Navajo Nation that lack electricity. Many of these homes use kerosene lanterns, gas lanterns, candles and gas generators for lighting, all of which are fire hazards and contribute to indoor air pollution. Utilizing solar technology as a main lighting source, and power station for small electronics is innovative, and we'd like to see it become the norm.

We work with small scale solar technology, such as portable power packs, solar panels, and LED lights, to light up homes on the Navajo Nation. The products are manufactured by Goal Zero, and Utah based company. The business model is to train individuals who can distribute, service, and install solar light kits in rural communities on the Navajo Nation, so they can start their own entrepreneurial ventures. The goal is to provide training and education related to renewable energy and give people who live off-grid an 'cleaner' option for energy independence.

In the time we've been involved in this work, we have seen that providing cleaner options, empowering people, & giving education is a solution that works! When you can exhibit why transitioning to renewables works, is economical, and smart - you change the trajectory of people's behaviors. When you teach individuals how to create simple solutions to complex problems, you shift their capacity to hope for bigger, better things in life. The solar install trips we host allow hands-on training, learning opportunities about tribal communities/economics, and data collection.

250/500/1500

We would like to host 2 solar install trips annually, where we install 50 solar light kits in 50 off-grid homes each trip. We would like to collaborate with the Navajo Nation local governments and schools to host trainings about solar technology, and we would like to use the data we collect about the current energy needs of Navajo Nation residence.

Currently, we are covering all costs out-of-pocket. We would like to purchase more solar light kits for future trips. And, begin training 2 interns to assist with the maintenance and distribution of the kits. We would also like to create a short video for YKD Solar, for promotional purposes. 

Once we have an inventory. we would like to sell 50% of the kits to generate funds, and donate 50% of the kits to meet our mission.

2

We have 17 combined years of experience working in rural/tribal communities . Adrian is a co-founder of the Navajo Women's Energy Project, and was a program manager for the non-profit organization, Elephant Energy, doing this important work on the Navajo Nation since 2012. She is also a co-founder of the Native American Business Incubator Network (now Change Labs) and has experience with entrepreneurship and small business development. Michael is a professor, writer, and Dean of the School of Business and Social Science at Dine College. Together, we have a strong network to assist our reach, but also a wealth of experience and knowledge to propel this work forward.

Goal Zero, Change Labs, Dine College

Key customers: Navajo Nation residents who live off-grid, and people who have a commitment to transitioning to renewable energy.

Impact: In the past 2 years, we've impacted over 250 individuals through solar installs, education, and empowerment projects. 

YKD has been funded by our team. According to surveys we've gathered, our work has positively impacted the household incomes of 52 homes on the Navajo Nation in 2018.

We would like to create a circular fund generated by products sold. With that money, we'll purchase more products. These funds will revolve to create a sustainable income that will be reinvested into YKD Solar.

If our solution is selected, we will have the ability to continue the work we began in 2018. We will be able to host 2 more solar install trips, replenish our inventory, and hire an intern (or 2) to assist with education. training, and installations.

Change Labs, Dine College, Goal Zero, Nokero, Green Light Planet

In years that we’ve done this work, we have seen that providing cleaner options, empowering people, giving education is a solution that works! When you can exhibit why transitioning to renewables works, is economical, and smart - you change the trajectory of people's behaviors. When you teach individuals how to create simple solutions to complex problems, you shift their capacity to hope for bigger, better things in life. The solar install trips we host allow hands-on training, learning opportunities about tribal communities/economics, and data collection. We would like to host 2 solar install trips annually, where we install 50 solar light kits in 50 off-grid homes each trip. We would like to collaborate with the Navajo Nation local governments and schools to host trainings about solar technology, and we would like to use the data we collect about the current energy needs of Navajo Nation residence.We would like to purchase more solar light kits for future trips. And, begin training 2 interns to assist with the maintenance and distribution of the kits. We would also like to create a short video for YKD Solar, for promotional purposes. 

In years that we’ve done this work, we have seen that providing cleaner options, empowering people, giving education is a solution that works! When you can exhibit why transitioning to renewables works, is economical, and smart - you change the trajectory of people's behaviors. When you teach individuals how to create simple solutions to complex problems, you shift their capacity to hope for bigger, better things in life. The solar install trips we host allow hands-on training, learning opportunities about tribal communities/economics, and data collection. We would like to host 2 solar install trips annually, where we install 50 solar light kits in 50 off-grid homes each trip. We would like to collaborate with the Navajo Nation local governments and schools to host trainings about solar technology, and we would like to use the data we collect about the current energy needs of Navajo Nation residence.We would like to purchase more solar light kits for future trips. And, begin training 2 interns to assist with the maintenance and distribution of the kits. We would also like to create a short video for YKD Solar, for promotional purposes. 

In years that we’ve done this work, we have seen that providing cleaner options, empowering people, giving education is a solution that works! When you can exhibit why transitioning to renewables works, is economical, and smart - you change the trajectory of people's behaviors. When you teach individuals how to create simple solutions to complex problems, you shift their capacity to hope for bigger, better things in life. The solar install trips we host allow hands-on training, learning opportunities about tribal communities/economics, and data collection. We would like to host 2 solar install trips annually, where we install 50 solar light kits in 50 off-grid homes each trip. We would like to collaborate with the Navajo Nation local governments and schools to host trainings about solar technology, and we would like to use the data we collect about the current energy needs of Navajo Nation residence.We would like to purchase more solar light kits for future trips. And, begin training 2 interns to assist with the maintenance and distribution of the kits. We would also like to create a short video for YKD Solar, for promotional purposes. 

In years that we’ve done this work, we have seen that providing cleaner options, empowering people, giving education is a solution that works! When you can exhibit why transitioning to renewables works, is economical, and smart - you change the trajectory of people's behaviors. When you teach individuals how to create simple solutions to complex problems, you shift their capacity to hope for bigger, better things in life. The solar install trips we host allow hands-on training, learning opportunities about tribal communities/economics, and data collection. We would like to host 2 solar install trips annually, where we install 50 solar light kits in 50 off-grid homes each trip. We would like to collaborate with the Navajo Nation local governments and schools to host trainings about solar technology, and we would like to use the data we collect about the current energy needs of Navajo Nation residence.We would like to purchase more solar light kits for future trips. And, begin training 2 interns to assist with the maintenance and distribution of the kits. We would also like to create a short video for YKD Solar, for promotional purposes.