Geospatial Analysis of 

Renewable Energy 

Technical Potential on 

Tribal Lands

E. Doris, A. Lopez, and D. Beckley

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

U.S. Department of Energy | Office of Indian Energy

1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC 20585 | 202-586-1272

energy.gov/indianenergy | indianenergy@hq.doe.gov
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

NOTICE

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Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

iii

Acknowledgments

This report is made possible by and at the direction of the DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and 

Programs. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) would like to thank our colleagues at 

NREL who reviewed this report for accuracy: Nate Blair, Billy Roberts, Gian Porro, Marguerite Kelly, and 

Ann Brennan. We would also like to thank our external partners who also reviewed provided insights 

throughout paper development: Paul Dearhouse, Royce Stewart, Tracey LeBeau, and Pilar Thomas. 

Finally, we’d like to thank Daniel Hillman for developing the summary tables of data and Rachel Sullivan 

for providing editorial support. 

About the DOE Office of Indian Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs was established by 

Congress to provide Tribes, Alaska Native villages, and eligible tribal entities with technical and financial 

assistance that promotes energy development and energy infrastructure on tribal lands.

In direct response to the requests of Tribes and Alaska Native villages, the DOE Office of Indian Energy 

has designed key programs to provide Indian Country with the knowledge needed to make informed 

energy decisions―decisions with the power to help stabilize energy costs, enhance energy security, 

strengthen economic development and tribal energy infrastructure, and promote tribal self-determination.

By providing reliable, accurate information and expert technical assistance, the Office of Indian Energy 

empowers Indian Country to make decisions needed to bring about the next generation of energy 

development on their lands.

The office supports those decisions by offering technical support related to technology and project 

development, financial assistance, and real-time training. It also works to advance tribal visions for a 

sustainable energy future by promoting four key goal areas: project development, job creation, grid 

infrastructure, and energy security.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

iv

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

BDT bone dry tonne

BLM Bureau of Land Management

CBI Conservation Biology Institute

CSP concentrating solar power

DNI direct normal irradiance 

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

EGS enhanced geothermal system

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ESRI Environmental Systems Research Institute

FWS Fish and Wildlife Service

GAP Gap Analysis Project

kWh kilowatt-hour

LULC land use land cover

m meter

MRLC multi-resolution land cover

MW megawatt

MWa average megawatt [average number of megawatts over a specified amount of time 

(typically a year)]

MWe megawatts electric

MWh megawatt-hour

NOAA National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory

PV photovoltaic

ReEDS Regional Energy Deployment System
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

v

RPS renewable portfolio standard

SAM System Advisor Model

SMU Southern Methodist University

USFS United States Forest Service

USGS United States Geological Survey
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

vi

Table of Contents

Acronyms...............................................................................................................................................iv

Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................. iii

About the DOE Office of Indian Energy ......................................................................................................... iii

1 Purpose and Summary .................................................................................................................................1

2 Introduction/Background.............................................................................................................................3

3 Analysis Methodology.................................................................................................................................6

Biopower ................................................................................................................................................6

Geothermal .............................................................................................................................................8

Hydropower......................................................................................................................................... 10

Concentrating Solar Power.................................................................................................................. 12

Solar PV............................................................................................................................................... 13

Wind .................................................................................................................................................... 15

4 Results.........................................................................................................................................................17

Biomass ............................................................................................................................................... 19

Geothermal .......................................................................................................................................... 22

Hydropower......................................................................................................................................... 24

Concentrated Solar Power ................................................................................................................... 26

Solar PV: Urban Utility Scale.............................................................................................................. 28

Solar PV: Rural Utility Scale............................................................................................................... 30

Wind .................................................................................................................................................... 32

5 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................................34

6 References..................................................................................................................................................35

Appendix 1. Exclusions and Constraints, Capacity Factors, and Power Densities......................................36

Appendix 2. Technical Potential by Tribal Lands for Renewable Resources ..............................................43
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

vii

List of Figures

Figure 1. Levels of renewable energy potential defined ...............................................................................3

Figure 2. Tribal lands biomass generation potential ...................................................................................19

Figure 3. Tribal lands geothermal (EGS and hydrothermal) generation potential ......................................22

Figure 4. Tribal lands hydropower generation potential .............................................................................24

Figure 5. Tribal lands CSP generation potential .........................................................................................26

Figure 6. Tribal lands PV utility-scale urban generation potential .............................................................28

Figure 7. Tribal lands PV utility-scale rural generation potential...............................................................30

Figure 8. Tribal lands wind generation potential ........................................................................................32
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

viii

List of Tables

Table S-1. Summary of Tribal Technical Potential by Capacity and Generation .........................................2

Table 4-1. Summary of Tribal Technical Potential by Capacity and Generation .......................................18

Table 4-2. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Biopower Generation from Solid Residues...20

Table 4-3. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Biopower Generation from Gaseous Residues21

Table 4-4. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Hydrothermal Geothermal Generation ..........23

Table 4-5. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Hydropower Generation ................................25

Table 4-6. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for CSP Generation .............................................27

Table 4-7. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Urban Utility-Scale PV Generation...............29

Table 4-8. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Rural Utility-Scale PV Generation ................31

Table 4-9. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Wind Electricity Generation..........................33

Table A-1. Exclusions and Constraints for Urban Utility-Scale Photovoltaics ..........................................36

Table A-2. Capacity Factors for Utility-Scale Photovoltaicsa.....................................................................36

Table A-3. Exclusions and Constraints for Rural Utility-Scale Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar 

Power....................................................................................................................................................37

Table A-4. Capacity Factors for Concentrating Solar Powera.....................................................................37

Table A-5. Exclusions and Constraints for Onshore Wind Power..............................................................38

Table A-6. Capacity Factor for Offshore Wind Powera..............................................................................39

Table A-7. Conversion of Offshore Wind Speeds at 90 Meters to Power Classesa ....................................39

Table A-8. Exclusions and Constraints for Offshore Wind Powera............................................................40

Table A-9. Exclusions and Constraints for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa..............................................41

Table A-10. Power Densities for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa.............................................................42

Table A-11. Exclusions and Constraints for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa............................................42

Table A2-1. Tribal Renewable Energy Potential—Hydrothermal, Hydropower, and Biopower ...............43
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

1

1 Purpose and Summary

This paper uses an established geospatial methodology to estimate the technical potential for renewable 

energy on tribal lands for the purpose of allowing Tribes to prioritize the development of renewable 

energy resources either for community-scale on-tribal-land use or for revenue-generating electricity sales. 

A graphical summary of the report and its findings is available: 

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/57048.pdf. 

Geospatial methodology is an approach to analyzing information that incorporates data that has a 

geographic component and allows for a more refined analysis of technical potential for all Tribes by 

parsing it to individual tribal lands. Technical potential is narrowing of resource potential to exclude 

topographic constraints and land-use constraints while taking into account system performance (for a more 

detailed definition, see the Introduction/Background section). 

Although this analysis provides insight into the potential for renewable energy development on tribal 

lands, further identification and removal of barriers for tribal renewable energy development and the 

processes for overcoming them is needed to lead to actual increases in renewable energy generation on 

tribal lands. The next step for Tribes that wish to pursue projects is to determine the market or developable

potential of renewable energy. This includes assessing broader tribal interests in development (e.g., scale 

of project, purpose of project, cultural sensitivity avoidance); understanding the energy environment in 

which the project would function as a way of assessing potential project viability and economics; and 

working with the local utility and regulatory authorities to understand renewable energy needs. 

The DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs offers a number of resources to support the 

development of renewable energy resources, including a detailed energy resource library containing 

documents that provide information on project development, training on renewable technology attributes, 

a step-by-step process for project development and financing options, and the provision of technical 

assistance to Tribes in need of expertise in project development and financing. Information on available 

assistance can be found on the DOE Office of Indian Energy website: www.energy.gov/indianenergy.

Only a few nationwide tribal examples exist to extrapolate successful renewable energy development 

models, and this report intends to provide Tribes with basic information regarding the development 

potential for renewable energy―biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind―on tribal lands. It 

provides detailed renewable energy potential information by tribal territory and resource throughout the 

United States in order to help Tribes identify areas where development may be an option, and where tribal 

or private investment in renewable energy may assist in achieving a Tribe’s economic development, 

energy savings, or self-sufficiency goals. 

Overall, the analysis shows that the technical potential on tribal lands is about 6% of the total national 

technical generation potential (Table S-1). This is disproportionately larger than the 2% tribal lands in the 

United States, indicating an increased potential density for renewable energy development on tribal lands. 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

2

Table S-1. Summary of Tribal Technical Potential by Capacity and Generation

Technology

Tribal 

Capacitya

Potentialb

(MW)

National 

Capacity 

Potentialc

(MW)

Tribal 

Generation 

Potential (MWh)

National 

Generationa

Potential (MWh)

% of 

National 

Capacity

% of 

National 

Generation

Solar PV 

(Utility-Scale, 

Rural) 6,888,339 152,973,829 14,322,522,713 280,613,216,903 4.5% 5.1%

Solar PV 

(Utility-Scale, 

Urban) 8,199 1,217,699 17,578,618 2,231,693,746 0.7% 0.8%

Solar CSP 1,818,185 38,066,401 6,139,851,743 116,146,244,587 4.8% 5.3%

Wind (80 m 

height, >=30% 

GCF) 374,505 10,954,759 1,146,044,229 32,784,004,656 3.4% 3.5%

Geothermal 

(EGS) 763,252 3,975,735 6,017,487,000 31,344,696,024 19.2% 19.2%

Geothermal 

(Hydrothermal) 641 30,033 5,050,724 236,780,000 2.1% 2.1%

Biomass 

(Solid) 551 50,707 4,340,642 399,774,091 1.1% 1.1%

Biomass 

(Gaseous) 85 11,232 673,465 88,551,445 0.8% 0.8%

Hydropower 1,687 60,000 7,390,196 258,953,000 2.8% 2.9%

Totalb 9,855,444 207,340,394 27,660,939,330 464,103,914,451 4.8% 6.0% a Capacity is the nameplate capacity of a power plant. Generation is the amount of MWh produced given average run times. 

b Technical potential calculated for each technology individually and does not account for overlap (i.e., the same land area may be 

identified with potential for wind and solar, and would be counted twice in the total). Some technologies may be compatible with mutual 

development.

c Lopez, A. et al. (2012). U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis. NREL/TP-6A20-51946. Golden, CO: 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

3

2 Introduction/Background

While other estimates of renewable energy potential on tribal lands exist, the strength of this style of 

estimation of resources is the use of up-to-date geospatial data for a more accurate representation of 

available resources. This is the first paper of its kind to use geospatial analysis to estimate the technical 

potential of renewable energy development on tribal lands. Technical potential is one of four levels of 

potential for renewable energy, as defined in Figure 1. 

Figure 1. Levels of renewable energy potential defined 

Source: Lopez et al. 2012, adapted from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

(EERE) 2006

The renewable resources included in this report are described as follows in the remainder of this section. 

With the exception of enhanced geothermal systems, the scope of this work includes currently 

commercially available technologies within the definition of technical potential. 

• Biopower. Biomass has been used for electric power generation for many years. It can be a costeffective, carbon-neutral dispatchable source of electrical power. Most biopower plants use directfired systems to generate electricity from biomass. They burn bioenergy feedstocks directly to 

produce steam. This steam drives a turbine, which turns a generator that converts the power into 

electricity. In some biomass industries, the spent steam from the power plant is also used for 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

4

manufacturing processes or to heat buildings. Such combined heat and power systems greatly 

increase overall energy efficiency. Types of biomass include wood from various sources (beetle 

kill, slash, lumber waste), agricultural residues, animal and human waste (methane), and municipal 

solid waste and landfill gas. 

• Geothermal. Geothermal technologies use heat from the Earth. Geothermal is a highly efficient 

method of providing electricity generation. High-temperature geothermal is ideal for power plant 

production levels, but low-temperature heat pumps can provide heating and cooling energy in any 

part of the United States. Lower-temperature resources are best suited for heat applications. 

Geothermal technologies exist commercially for either small-scale (distributed) or large-scale 

(central) electricity generation. As of 2012, 248 U.S. geothermal systems produce 9,057 mean 

megawatts of electricity (MWe). There are an estimated 30,033 MWe of undiscovered geothermal 

resources in the United States.

• Hydropower. Hydroelectricity refers to electricity generated through the use of the gravitational 

force of falling or flowing water, called hydropower. Both large and small-scale power producers 

can use hydropower technologies to produce clean electricity.

• Concentrating Solar Power. Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies use mirrors to reflect 

and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect solar energy and convert it to heat. This 

thermal energy can then be used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine that 

drives a generator. While CSP offers a utility-scale, firm, dispatchable renewable energy option 

that can help meet demand for electricity, it is most economical in the southwestern United States. 

Factors that influence project economics are the cost of the technology, the quality of the solar 

resource, and the cost of the energy being displaced. CSP systems can be successfully installed on 

landfills, brownfields, and greenfields, with minimal disturbance to native vegetation and wildlife. 

Types of CSP systems include linear concentrator, dish/engine, power tower, and thermal storage.

• Solar PV. Photovoltaic (PV) technologies produce electricity directly from the energy of the sun. 

Small PV can provide electricity for homes, businesses, and remote power needs. Larger PV 

systems provide more electricity for contribution to the electric power system. PV technologies 

work in all parts of the United States, but economics are dependent on technology cost, quality of 

solar resource, and cost of energy being displaced. Flat plate is the most common PV array design, 

which uses flat-plate PV modules or panels that can be fixed in place or designed to track the 

movement of the sun. An off-grid, flat-plate solar PV system would be useful for remote locations 

or for self-sufficiency in the event of a power interruption. Concentrator PV systems use less solar 

cell material than other PV systems because they make use of relatively inexpensive materials 

such as plastic lenses and metal housings to capture the solar energy shining on a fairly large area 

and focus that energy onto a smaller area—the solar cell.

• Wind. Wind energy technologies use the kinetic energy in wind for practical purposes such as 

generating electricity, charging batteries, pumping water, and grinding grain. Most wind energy 

technologies can be used as stand-alone applications, connected to a utility power grid, or even 

combined with a PV system. Wind energy today is cost competitive in many locations throughout 

the United States. Utility-scale wind consists of a large number of turbines that are usually 

installed close together to form a wind farm that provides grid power. Several electricity providers 

use wind farms to supply power to their customers. Stand-alone turbines are typically used for 

water pumping or communications. However, homeowners and farmers in windy areas can also 

use small wind systems to generate electricity.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

5

For more information on renewable energy basics for Tribes, please search for “DOE Office of Indian 

Energy” at http://www.nterlearning.org.

Technical potential may not reflect the developable potential because it does not incorporate technology 

costs, competing land uses, transmission and infrastructure availability, or the policy, investor, or energy 

competitive environments. For Tribes, specific barriers can include a lack of:

• Replicable, successful examples of renewable energy development on tribal lands

• Clear ownership and tax equity structure options

• Access to transmission lines for movement of generated electricity

• Active markets for the buying and selling of renewable energy (often state policy driven through 

the use of renewable portfolio standards, or RPS) 

While this report focuses on the identification of technical potential, there are resources for further 

understanding the market and economic potential for, and developing renewable energy resources on tribal 

lands at www.energy.gov/indianenergy, including a development document library, technical assistance, 

and education. 

 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

6

3 Analysis Methodology 

The basic methodology for determining the technical potential on tribal lands is to:

1) Determine the land area of the tribal lands

2) Estimate how much renewable resource exists within those areas 

3) Estimate the amount of electricity that could possibly be produced from that land area, based on 

currently available technology for converting that resource into electricity.

Data on the area of tribal lands was downloaded from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian 

Affairs and is dated 1999. This is the most recent and comprehensive database of federally recognized 

tribal lands. Due to lack of data resolution, only the exclusions listed in Appendix 1 are removed from the 

land within tribal areas. This analysis does not include removal of culturally sensitive areas or areas 

already in use that would not be appropriate for development. 

The detailed methodology for determining the available resource, as well as the technical capabilities of 

the resource to electricity conversion technologies, is described in detail for each resource below.

Biopower

Biopower is the only technology analyzed using an alternative dataset than what was used in Lopez et al.

2012. The dataset used in Lopez et al. 2012 was county-based; it was determined that the resolution was 

too coarse for the relatively small tribal lands. Instead, land cover-based disaggregated estimates from the 

Biopower Atlas (http://maps.nrel.gov/biopower) are used. An area-weighted analysis was performed 

between the disaggregated datasets and the tribal lands to produce the total amount of gaseous and solid 

biomass on each tribal land. 

Total estimated technical potential for gaseous biomass generation was estimated using 4.7 megawatthours (MWh)/tonne of CH4 (Lopez et al. 2012). This can be expressed as:

Biogasgent = � AIk,t

At k ε K

∙ Pk ∙ C

where

t = Tribal land

Biogasgent = Biogas generation on tribal land t (MWh)

AIk,t = Area of intersect between land cover polygon k and tribal land t

At = Area of tribal land t

k = Land-cover polygon
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

7

K = Set of land-cover polygons

Pk = CH4 potential resource for land-cover polygon k (tonnes)

C = Biogas CH4 conversion to energy (4.7 MWh/tonne CH4)

Estimated capacity for gaseous biomass was estimated by backing out the time component of the 

generation conversion and assuming a standard capacity factor of 90%. This can be expressed as:

Biogascapt = Biogasgent

CFbio ∙ 8760hr

where

t = Tribal land

Biogascapt = Biogas capacity on tribal land t (MW)

CFbio = Capacity factor for biopower

Total estimated generation for solid biomass was estimated using 1.1 MWh/bone dry tonne (BDT) (Lopez 

et al. 2012). Expressed as:

Biosolidgent = � AIk,t

At k ε K

∙ Pk ∙ C

where

t = Tribal land

Biosolidgent = Solid biomass generation on tribal land t (MWh)

AIk,t = Area of intersect between land cover polygon k and tribal land t

At = Area of tribal land t
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

8

k = Land-cover polygon

K = Set of land-cover polygons

P = Bone dry tonne potential resource

C = Solid biomass conversion to energy (1.1 MWh/bone dry tonne)

Estimated capacity for solid biomass was estimated by backing out the time component of the generation 

conversion and assuming a standard capacity factor of 90%. This can be expressed as:

Biosolidcapt = Biosolidgent

CFbio ∙ 8760hr

where

t = Tribal land

Biosolidcapt = Solid biomass capacity in tribal land t (MW)

AI = Area of intersect (in this case, between resource and tribal land)

P = Bone dry tonne potential resource

C = Solid biomass conversion to energy (1.1 MWh/bone dry tonne)

CFbio = Capacity factor for biopower

Geothermal

Two types of geothermal systems were included in this analysis: undiscovered hydrothermal and enhanced 

geothermal system (EGS). Undiscovered hydrothermal system estimates were derived from Williams et al. 

2009. The estimates were generated using a logistical regression model of the western United States. The 

model determined favorability and estimated a power density, which was used to determine the potential 

capacity, expressed as:

Hydrothermcapt = � Ai ∙ PDi

i ∈ It
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

9

where

t = Tribal land

Hydrothermcapt = hydrothermal capacity in tribal land t (MW)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i

PDi = Power density for grid-cell i

Undiscovered hydrothermal generation was estimated using:

Hydrothermgent = Hydrothermcapt ∙ CFht ∙ 8760hr

where

t = tribal land

hydrothermgent = Hydrothermal generation in tribal land t (MWh)

hydrothermcapt = Hydrothermal capacity in tribal land t (MW)

CFht = Capacity factor for hydrothermal

EGS technical potential estimates were calculated using temperature at depth data from the Southern 

Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory. The data was first filtered to remove areas deemed 

unlikely for development (see Appendix 1). Next, the data was limited to areas intersecting tribal lands. 

Then, using the methodology described in Lopez et al. 2012 to determine optimal depth, capacity was 

estimated and can be expressed as:

EGScapt = � Ai ∙ PDi

i ∈ It
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

10

where

t = Tribal land

EGScapt = EGS capacity in tribal land t (MW)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i

PDi = Power density for grid-cell i

Using the same optimal depth, technical potential generation was estimated and can be expressed as:

EGSgent = EGScapt ∙ CFegs ∙ 8760hr

where

t = tribal land

EGSgent = EGS generation in tribal land t (MWh)

EGScapt = EGS capacity in tribal land t (MW)

CFegs = Capacity factor for EGS

Hydropower

Hydropower in this study is defined as low power (<1 MWa1) or small hydro (>= 1 MWa and <= 20 

MWa). Hydropower source point locations with potential average capacity were taken from Hall et al. 

2006. The source points were a result of a feasibility study and development model; thus, no action was 

required on NREL’s part to determine technical feasibility. 

 1 Average megawatt capacity; assumes 50% capacity factor.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

11

To estimate technical potential capacity, the hydropower source points were intersected with tribal lands, 

summed by Tribe and doubled. The doubling backs out the assumed capacity factor in the average 

capacity. Technical potential capacity can be expressed as:

Hydrocapt = � Pcapaj

CFhydro j ∈ Jt

where 

t = Tribal land

Hydrocapt = Hydropower capacity in tribal land t (MW)

Pcapaj = Hydropower average capacity for source point j (MWa)

j = Hydropower source point

Jt = Set of hydropower source points in tribal land t

CFhydro = Capacity factor for hydropower

Technical potential generation was estimated by maintaining the existing capacity factor in the average 

capacity and adding the time component, expressed as:

Hydrogent = � Pcapaj

j ∈ Jt

∙ 8760hr

where 

t = Tribal land

Hydrogent = Hydropower generation in tribal land t (MWh)

Pcapaj = Hydropower average capacity for source point j (MWa)

j = Hydropower source point

Jt = Set of hydropower source points in tribal land t
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands 

12

Concentrating Solar Power

CSP is a utility-scale solar power plant in which the solar heat energy is collected in a central location. To 

get a general sense of CSP potential, CSP resource is analyzed. CSP resource is typically measured using 

direct normal irradiance (DNI)2 as kilowatt-hours (kWh) per square meter per day (kWh/m2

/day). In this 

analysis, we consider viable only areas with DNI greater than or equal to 5 kWh/m2

/day (Lopez et al. 

2012).

Further reducing developable land was needed to ensure a more realistic potential. The first step was to 

remove areas with slope greater than or equal to 5%. Next, areas with land-use/land-cover deemed 

unlikely for development were excluded (see Appendix). Last, areas were constrained to tribal lands, and a 

minimum contiguous area threshold of 1 square kilometer was imposed to ensure a utility-scale system. 

With developable lands defined, a specific CSP system was defined and capacity and generation 

estimated. The system chosen was a trough, dry-cooled one with six hours of storage and a solar multiple 

of 2.

3 The assumed system power density was 32.8 megawatts per kilometer squared (Lopez et al. 2012). 

Technical potential capacity was expressed as:

CSPcapt = � Ai ∙ PD

i ∈ It

where

t = Tribal land

CSPcapt = CSP capacity in tribal land t (MW)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i 

PD = Power density (32 MW/km2

) 

To estimate generation potential, the DNI resource was divided into five classes. Capacity factors were 

taken from Lopez et al. 2012. Technical potential generation was then calculated and can be expressed as:

 

2

 The amount of solar radiation received per unit area by a surface that is always held perpendicular (or normal) to the rays that 

come in a straight line from the direction of the sun at its current position in the sky. 

3 The field aperture area expressed as a multiple of the aperture required to operate the power cycle at its design capacity.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

13

CSPgent = � Ai ∙ PD ∙ CFcspi

i ∈ It

∙ 8760hr

where

t = Tribal land

CSPgent = CSP generation in tribal land t (MWh)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i

CFcspi = Capacity factor for CSP for grid-cell i

PD = Power density (32 MW/km2

)

Solar PV

The technical potential for solar utility-scale PV was first determined by eliminating areas deemed 

unlikely for development. These areas include those of environmental concern and national parks (a full 

list is included in Appendix 1). Note that the exclusions do not include potentially culturally sensitive 

areas as there is not currently a comprehensive dataset of those sites available. Next, the available land 

within each tribal boundary was separated into urban and rural classifications. This allows for a greater 

understanding of the geographic quality of PV potential (i.e., proximity to areas where the electricity 

might be used).

Urban available lands were constrained to eliminate impervious surfaces. This has the effect of removing 

roads, parking lots, and buildings, leaving only urban open space. The urban open spaces were further 

constrained to eliminate contiguous areas less than 18,000 square meters; this ensures the total system size 

is large enough to be considered utility scale.

4

Rural available lands were constrained to eliminate areas less than 1 square kilometer. The area constraint 

reduces highly fragmented parcels. 

The final step in calculating technical potential required a specific PV system. The PV system chosen was 

a 1-axis tracking collector with the axis of rotation aligned north-south at 0° tilt from the horizontal. 

Assuming a power density of 48 MW per square kilometer (Lopez et al. 2012), the technical potential 

capacity was estimated and can be expressed as:

 4 Depending on the PV system, 18,000 m2 is roughly a 1-MW system.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

14

PVcapt = � Ai

i ∈ It

∙ PD

where

t = Tribal land

PVcapt = PV capacity in tribal land t (MW)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i

PD = Power density (48 MW/km2

)

To determine technical potential generation, capacity factors were estimated. State-level capacity factors 

were taken from Lopez et al. 2012. Technical potential generation can be expressed as: 

PVgent = � Ai ∙ PD ∙ CFpvi ∙ 8760hr

i ∈ It

where

t = Tribal land

PVgent = PV generation in tribal land t (MWh)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

CFpv = Capacity factor for PV for grid-cell i
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

15

Wind

Wind was analyzed at 80 meters (m) above the earth’s surface. Only windy areas greater than or equal to 

an annual average gross capacity factor5 of 30% were included in the analysis. The gross capacity factors 

used in the analysis were developed by AWS Truepower; they represent typical utility-scale wind turbine 

power curves. 

The resource areas were filtered to remove areas deemed unlikely for development, including: national 

parks, federally protected lands, and water features. For a full list of exclusions, see Appendix 1.

Technical potential capacity for wind was estimated assuming 5 MW/km2 (Lopez et al. 2012) and can be 

expressed as:

Windcapt = � Ai ∙ PD

i ∈ It

where 

t = Tribal land

Windcapt = Wind capacity in tribal land t (MW)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

Ai = Square kilometers of available land in grid-cell i

PD = Power density (5 MW/km2

)

Technical potential for wind generation was estimated assuming 15% energy losses (Lopez et al. 2012) 

and can be expressed as:

Windgent = � Ai ∙ PD ∙ CFwindi ∙ 8760hr ∙ loss

i ∈ It

 5 Gross capacity factor does not include plant downtime, parasitic power, or other factors that would be included to reduce output 

to the “net” capacity factor. For more information on capacity factors, see http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=187&t=3. 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

16

where

t = Tribal land

Windgent = Wind generation on tribal land t (MWh)

i = Distinct grid-cell

It = Set of grid-cells that exist in tribal land t

CFwindi = Capacity factor for wind for grid-cell i

loss = 15% reduction from gross to net generation

 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

17

4 Results 

The methodology results in an understanding of the technical potential for renewable energy on tribal 

lands by resource. It provides a starting point for understanding where Tribes could prioritize the 

development of renewable energy resources, either for community-scale on-tribal-land use or for revenuegenerating electricity sales. 

Findings indicate that while tribal lands comprise 2% of U.S. lands, technical potential on tribal lands 

comprises 4.8% of the total national U.S. technical capacity potential for renewable energy and 6% of the 

total generation, varying by resource (see Table 4-1). Solar photovoltaics (both urban and rural), 

concentrated solar power, and wind have the largest technical potential of the renewable resources. 

Geographically, tribal lands in the Southwest have the greatest percentage of the potential. The following 

subsections provide more detail on the technical potential by renewable energy resource and tribal land.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

18

Table 4-1. Summary of Tribal Technical Potential by Capacity and Generation

Technology

Tribal 

Capacity 

Potentiala

(MW)

National 

Capacity 

Potentiala

(MW)

Tribal 

Generation 

Potentiala

(MWh)

National 

Generation 

Potentiala (MWh)

% of 

National 

Capacity

% of 

National 

Generation

Solar PV 

(Utility-Scale, 

Rural) 6,888,339 152,973,829 14,322,522,713 280,613,216,903 4.5% 5.1%

Solar PV 

(Utility-Scale, 

Urban) 8,199 1,217,699 17,578,618 2,231,693,746 0.7% 0.8%

Solar CSP 1,818,185 38,066,401 6,139,851,743 116,146,244,587 4.8% 5.3%

Wind (80 m 

height, >=30% 

GCF)

374,50

5 10,954,759 1,146,044,229 32,784,004,656 3.4% 3.5%

Geothermal 

(EGS)

763,25

2 3,975,735 6,017,487,000 31,344,696,024 19.2% 19.2%

Geothermal 

(Hydrothermal) 641 30,033 5,050,724 236,780,000 2.1% 2.1%

Biomass 

(Solid) 551 50,707 4,340,642 399,774,091 1.1% 1.1%

Biomass 

(Gaseous) 85 11,232 673,465 88,551,445 0.8% 0.8%

Hydropower 1,687 60,000 7,390,196 258,953,000 2.8% 2.9%

Totalb 9,855,444 207,340,394 27,660,939,330 464,103,914,451 4.8% 6.0% a Lopez, A. et al. (2012). U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis. NREL/TP-6A20-51946. Golden, CO: 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

b Technical potential calculated for each technology individually and does not account for overlap (i.e., the same land area may be 

identified with potential for wind and solar, and would be counted twice in the total). Some technologies may be compatible with mutual 

development.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

19

Biomass

The total technical potential for electricity generation from solid biomass on tribal lands is about 399 

million MWh, or about 1.1% of the total U.S. technical potential. The top three tribal lands in terms of 

potential generation are Nez Perce (336,000 MWh), Lake Traverse (Sisseton) (300,000 MWh), and 

Yakama (274,000 MWh). The top 25 tribal lands by technical potential for biopower from solid (Table 4-

2) and gaseous (Table 4-3) biomass resources are below. An alphabetical list of all technical potentials by 

tribal lands is in Appendix 2. Developable potential of biomass resources is often limited by the market 

costs of transporting the fuel. 

Figure 2. Tribal lands biomass generation potential
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

20

Table 4-2. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Biopower Generation from Solid 

Residues

Tribal Land State

Biopower from 

Solid Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower from 

Solid Residues

(MW)

Nez Perce ID 336,781 43

Lake Traverse (Sisseton) SD, MN, ND 300,466 38

Yakama WA 274,750 35

Coeur d'Alene WA,ID 264,737 34

Menominee WI 246,145 31

Quinault WA 161,549 20

Fort Peck MT 159,234 20

Leech Lake MN 158,657 20

Omaha IA, NE 143,838 18

White Earth MN 138,785 18

Red Lake MN 124,764 16

Flathead MT 123,572 16

Yankton NE, SD 114,257 14

Fort Berthold ND 109,151 14

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 103,018 13

Fort Hall ID 101,896 13

Blackfeet MT 87,202 11

Winnebago IA, NE 76,709 10

Ho-Chunk WI 68,939 9

Spokane WA 66,932 8

Colville WA 59,616 8

Hoopa Valley CA 55,748 7

Devils Lake Sioux ND 46,079 6

Crow WY, MT 43,001 5

Fond du Lac MN 41,847 5 a Solid residues are represented by forest, crop, primary mill, and urban wood residues. Generation estimated assuming 1.1 

MWh/bone dry tonne of residue.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

21

Table 4-3. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Biopower Generation from 

Gaseous Residues

Tribal Land State

Biopower from 

Gaseous 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Tuscarora NY 440,925 56

Yawapa Apache AZ 74,323 9

Port Madison WA 61,835 8

Salt River AZ 59,395 8

Cocopah AZ, CA 25,403 3

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 1,755 0

Lone Pine Rancheria CA 888 0

Osage OK 659 0

Gila River AZ 459 0

Puyallup WA 427 0

Uintah and Ouray UT 335 0

Yakama WA 329 0

Isabella (Sag Chip) MI 320 0

Tohono O’odham AZ 296 0

San Xavier (TON) AZ 293 0

Agua Caliente CA 268 0

Flathead MT 262 0

Oneida (West) WI 232 0

Crow WY, MT 229 0

Fort Hall ID 210 0

Wind River WY 183 0

White Mountain AZ 182 0

Isleta Pueblo NM 169 0

Tulalip WA 164 0

Southern Ute NM, CO 144 0 a Gaseous residues are represented by landfill and domestic wastewater residues. Generation estimated assuming 4.7 MWh/tonne of

CH4 produced by the residues.
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

22

Geothermal

The total technical potential on tribal lands for hydrothermal geothermal resource capacity is about 236 

million MWh, or about 2.1% of the total U.S. technical potential. The top three tribal lands in terms of 

potential generation are Navajo (597,000 MWh), Tohono O’odham (510,000 MWh), and Warm Springs 

(405,000 MWh). Table 4-4 lists the top 25 tribal lands in terms of the technical potential of hydrothermal 

generation with enhanced geothermal systems (EGS, a less commercially viable geothermal option) for 

reference. A full list of technical potential by tribal land is listed in Appendix 2. Geothermal resources are 

widely distributed across tribal lands, with 196 distinct lands having technical potential.

Figure 3. Tribal lands geothermal (EGS and hydrothermal) generation potential
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

23

Table 4-4. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Hydrothermal Geothermal 

Generation

Name State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Enhanced 

Geothermal 

Systems 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Enhanced 

Geothermal 

Systems 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity (MW)

Navajo

NM, UT, AZ, 

CO 597,545 76 1,263,774,000 160,296

Tohono 

O'odham AZ 510,243 65 323,796,000 41,070

Warm Springs OR 405,953 51 102,311,000 12,977

Pyramid Lake NV 324,409 41 58,397,000 7,407

Walker River NV 246,481 31 41,959,000 5,322

Hualapai AZ 210,076 27 121,721,000 15,439

Southern Ute NM, CO 188,245 24 121,248,000 15,379

San Carlos AZ 179,374 23 195,137,000 24,751

Fort Hall ID 179,275 23 78,603,000 9,970

Duck Valley NV, ID 164,004 21 40,642,000 5,155

Yakama WA 155,549 20 127,957,000 16,230

Flathead MT 151,999 19 122,383,000 15,523

Jicarilla 

Apache NM, CO 143,397 18 112,481,000 14,267

Fort Peck MT 120,159 15 216,203,000 27,423

White 

Mountain AZ 119,240 15 150,687,000 19,113

Lake Traverse 

(Sisseton)

SD, MN,

ND 88,772 11 35,762,000 4,536

Uintah and 

Ouray UT 78,807 10 347,054,000 44,020

Colville WA 70,390 9 127,342,000 16,152

Blackfeet MT 60,031 8 95,089,000 12,061

Nez Perce ID 51,827 7 72,943,000 9,252

Wind River WY 47,999 6 174,985,000 22,195

Taos Pueblo NM 46,205 6 11,124,000 1,411

Zuni Pueblo NM, AZ 44,632 6 42,857,000 5,436

Isleta Pueblo NM 44,203 6 23,479,000 2,978

Goshute NV, UT 44,152 6 12,898,000 1,636
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

24

Hydropower 

The total technical potential on tribal lands for generation from hydropower resource is about 13 million 

MWh, or about 5.1% of the total U.S. technical potential. The top three tribal lands in terms of potential 

generation are Nez Perce (2.6 million MWh), Flathead (1.5 million MWh), and Yakama (1.2 million 

MWh). A full list of technical potential by tribal land is listed in Appendix 2.

Figure 4. Tribal lands hydropower generation potential 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

25

Table 4-5. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Hydropower Generation 

Tribal Land State

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential (MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential (MW)

Nez Perce ID 1,445,260 330

Flathead MT 816,341 186

Yakama WA 669,640 153

Blackfeet MT 445,893 102

Uintah and Ouray UT 442,276 101

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 369,000 84

Wind River WY 350,640 80

Quinault WA 339,978 78

Colville WA 247,936 57

Southern Ute NM, CO 243,721 56

Penobscot ME 189,260 43

Warm Springs OR 130,737 30

White Mountain AZ 115,435 26

Colorado River AZ, CA 106,505 24

Crow WY, MT 89,049 20

Fort Hall ID 70,593 16

Omaha IA, NE 61,961 14

Fort Peck MT 57,645 13

Nisqually WA 57,594 13

Umatilla OR 57,403 13

San Carlos AZ 49,442 11

Winnebago IA, NE 48,821 11

Gila River AZ 47,987 11

Cheyenne River SD 47,065 11

Muckleshoot WA 46,137 11
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

26

Concentrated Solar Power

The total technical potential on tribal lands for electricity generation from utility-scale rural solar resource 

is about 6 billion MWh, or 5.3% of total U.S. generation potential. The top tribal lands in terms of 

potential generation are Navajo (3 billion MWh), Tohono O’odham (950 million MWh), and Hopi (300 

million MWh). Developable potential of CSP is often limited to utility scale, and by transmission 

availability and access. A full list of technical potential by tribal land is listed in Appendix 2.

Figure 5. Tribal lands CSP generation potential
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

27

Table 4-6. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for CSP Generation

Tribal Land State

Concentrating 

Solar Power 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Concentrating 

Solar Power 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Concentrating 

Solar Power 

Available 

Land (km2)

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 2,872,729,112 830,414 25,950

Tohono O’odham AZ 950,059,233 259,526 8,110

Hopi AZ 332,743,795 95,030 2,970

Uintah and Ouray UT 196,030,481 70,663 2,208

Pine Ridge NE, SD 193,254,076 69,913 2,185

Wind River WY 172,102,126 62,252 1,945

Rosebud NE, SD 125,329,342 45,340 1,417

Gila River AZ 123,184,942 35,754 1,117

Laguna Pueblo NM 91,734,396 26,629 832

Colorado River AZ, CA 87,227,378 24,292 759

San Carlos AZ 87,046,169 24,426 763

Hualapai AZ 68,215,389 18,755 586

Zuni Pueblo NM, AZ 60,942,972 17,691 553

Jicarilla Apache NM, CO 59,723,631 17,337 542

Walker River NV 57,127,439 16,583 518

Isleta Pueblo NM 54,658,370 15,867 496

Ute Mountain NM, UT, CO 53,851,937 15,633 489

Acoma Pueblo NM 47,628,883 13,826 432

Duck Valley NV,ID 41,129,330 14,879 465

Southern Ute NM, CO 40,693,628 11,813 369

Fort Hall ID 36,419,526 13,175 412

White Mountain AZ 30,465,149 8,844 276

Pyramid Lake NV 29,464,482 9,905 310

Crow WY, MT 28,153,272 10,185 318

Moapa Band River NV 24,779,403 6,672 208
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

28

Solar PV: Urban Utility Scale 

The total technical potential on tribal lands for generation from utility-scale solar resources on urban land 

is about 15 million MWh, or about 0.7% of the total U.S. technical potential. The top four tribal lands in 

terms of potential generation are Navajo (2 million MWh), Zuni Pueblo (1 million MWh), and San Juan 

Pueblo (1 million MWh). A full list of technical potential by tribal land is listed in Appendix 2.

Figure 6. Tribal lands PV utility-scale urban generation potential
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

29

Table 4-7. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Urban Utility-Scale PV 

Generation 

Tribal Land State

Urban Utility 

PV Power 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Urban Utility 

PV Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Urban Utility 

PV Available 

Land (km2)

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 2,925,921 1,269 26

Zuni Pueblo NM, AZ 1,176,908 511 11

San Juan Pueblo NM 1,104,495 480 10

Santa Clara Pueblo NM 1,017,361 442 9

Yakama WA 985,616 565 12

Salt River AZ 932,717 405 8

Agua Caliente CA 798,375 362 8

Puyallup WA 700,760 402 8

Wind River WY 691,383 345 7

Santo Domingo Pueblo NM 661,364 287 6

Osage OK 562,649 288 6

Pojoaque Pueblo NM 431,394 187 4

San Xavier (TON) AZ 415,559 180 4

Taos Pueblo NM 399,066 173 4

Oneida (West) WI 372,008 237 5

Fort Mojave NV, AZ, CA 340,340 150 3

Sandia Pueblo NM 320,984 139 3

Torres-Martinez CA 319,770 145 3

San Carlos AZ 293,541 127 3

Isleta Pueblo NM 263,889 115 2

Nambe Pueblo NM 259,015 112 2

San Ildefonso Pueblo NM 229,473 100 2

Coeur d'Alene WA, ID 188,412 98 2

White Mountain AZ 154,092 67 1

Blackfeet MT 154,001 83 2
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

30

Solar PV: Rural Utility Scale

The total technical potential on tribal lands for electricity generation from utility-scale rural solar resource 

is about 9 billion MWh, or 3.3% of total U.S. generation potential. The top tribal lands in terms of 

potential generation are Navajo (2 billion MWh), Tohono O’odham (900 million MWh), and Fort Peck 

(450 million MWh). Developable potential of utility-scale solar is often limited by transmission 

availability and access. A full list of technical potential by tribal land is listed in Appendix 2.

Figure 7. Tribal lands PV utility-scale rural generation potential 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

31

Table 4-8. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Rural Utility-Scale PV Generation 

Tribal Land State

Rural Utility PV 

Power Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Rural Utility 

PV Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Rural Utility PV 

Available Land 

(km2)

Navajo NM, UT, AZ, CO 2,494,474,583 1,087,316 22,652

Hopi AZ 2,295,637,379 998,053 20,793

Tohono O’odham AZ 986,595,977 427,892 8,914

Standing Rock SD, ND 932,953,632 503,395 10,487

Fort Peck MT 609,883,158 327,966 6,833

Pine Ridge NE, SD 450,036,180 240,320 5,007

Uintah and Ouray UT 442,003,250 203,766 4,245

Osage OK 325,020,763 166,400 3,467

Cheyenne River SD 323,595,921 172,803 3,600

Wind River WY 318,333,071 158,647 3,305

Blackfeet MT 299,959,630 161,304 3,361

Rosebud NE, SD 284,184,572 151,746 3,161

Lake Traverse (Sisseton) SD, MN, ND 266,608,010 142,810 2,975

Zuni Pueblo NM, AZ 196,586,404 85,349 1,778

San Carlos AZ 187,916,024 81,500 1,698

Crow WY, MT 183,354,288 98,599 2,054

White Earth MN 180,721,292 109,009 2,271

Laguna Pueblo NM 172,651,833 74,984 1,562

Fort Berthold ND 168,674,984 95,006 1,979

Fort Belknap MT 168,388,007 90,551 1,886

Jicarilla Apache NM, CO 150,130,043 65,203 1,358

Hualapai AZ 134,901,150 58,507 1,219

Leech Lake MN 129,919,796 78,366 1,633

Gila River AZ 129,768,914 56,282 1,173

Yankton NE, SD 121,296,780 64,759 1,349
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

32

Wind

The total technical potential on tribal lands for electricity generation from wind resources is about 1.1 

billion MWh, or about 3.4% of the total U.S. technical potential. The top four tribal lands in terms of 

potential generation are Cheyenne River (183 million MWh), Standing Rock (145 million MWh), Fort 

Peck (122 million MWh), and Pine Ridge (110 million MWh). Developable potential of utility-scale wind, 

particularly in the Midwest where the resource is strongest but typically far from energy intense population 

centers, is often limited by transmission availability and access. A full list of technical potential by tribal 

land is listed in Appendix 2.

Figure 8. Tribal lands wind generation potential
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

33

Table 4-9. Top 25 Tribal Lands by Technical Potential for Wind Electricity Generation

Tribal Land State

Wind 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation at 

80 m and 

GCF>= 30%

(MWh)

Wind Potential 

Installed 

Capacity at 80

m and GCF>= 

30% (MW)

Wind Available 

Land at 80 m 

and GCF>= 

30% (km2)

Cheyenne River SD 188,088,492 57,806 11,561

Standing Rock SD, ND 149,093,091 45,972 9,194

Fort Peck MT 126,258,676 41,331 8,266

Pine Ridge NE, SD 113,398,124 38,028 7,606

Rosebud NE, SD 87,002,780 25,833 5,167

Blackfeet MT 69,911,790 24,476 4,895

Lake Traverse (Sisseton) SD, MN, ND 60,824,322 17,736 3,547

Fort Berthold ND 51,781,459 16,409 3,282

Osage OK 43,853,495 16,357 3,271

Crow WY, MT 43,407,456 16,497 3,299

Fort Belknap MT 32,739,605 11,725 2,345

Yankton NE, SD 21,573,834 6,732 1,346

White Earth MN 19,367,345 7,400 1,480

Crow Creek SD 17,699,282 5,722 1,144

Lower Brule SD 14,521,816 4,509 902

Devils Lake Sioux ND 14,300,155 4,533 907

Omaha IA, NE 12,508,456 3,919 784

Wind River WY 12,306,226 4,345 869

Northern Cheyenne MT 9,371,963 3,522 704

Winnebago IA, NE 6,601,533 2,094 419

Santee NE 6,489,284 2,118 424

Mescalero Apache NM 5,566,143 2,240 448

Fort Hall ID 5,031,295 2,026 405

Potawatomi Prairie Band KS 4,562,289 1,548 310

Yakama WA 3,720,634 1,383 277

 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

34

5 Conclusion

This report provides a summary of the technical potential for capacity and generation from a variety of 

renewable resources on tribal lands. It is intended to provide information to Tribes and researchers as to 

the opportunity for development on tribal lands. Table A2-1 summarizes the estimated technical 

generation and capacity potential on tribal lands for each renewable electricity technology examined in this 

report. As estimates of technical, rather than economic or market potential, these values do not consider:

• Allocation of available land among technologies (available land is generally assumed to be 

available to support development of more than one technology, and each set of exclusions was 

applied independently)

• Availability of existing or planned transmission infrastructure that is necessary to tie generation 

into the electricity grid

• The dependability of consistent electricity generation, at a time coincident to when electricity is 

used 

• The cost associated with developing power at any location

• Presence of local, state, regional, or national policies, either existing or potential, that could 

encourage renewable development

• The location or magnitude of current and potential areas of electricity need.

Overall, the analysis shows that the technical potential on tribal lands is about 6% of the total national 

technical potential. This is disproportionately larger than the 2% tribal lands in the United States, 

indicating an increased potential density for renewable energy development on tribal lands. Next steps for 

understanding the developable potential of renewable energy on tribal lands include assessing tribal 

interests in development (e.g., scale of project, purpose of project, cultural sensitivity avoidance);

understanding the energy environment in which the project would function as a way of assessing potential 

project viability and economics; and working with the local utility and regulatory authorities to understand 

renewable energy needs. 

Updates to these technical potentials are possible on an ongoing basis as resource, system, exclusions, and 

domain knowledge change and data sets improve in quality and resolution. 

 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

35

6 References

Doris, E.; Taylor, R. (2009). 2008 Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Report. TP-6A2-

43614; DOE/GO-102009-2859. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Accessed Aug. 15, 

2012: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/43614.pdf. 

Lopez, A.; Roberts, B.; Heimiller, D.; Blair, N.; Porro, G. (2012). 2012 U.S. Renewable Energy Technical 

Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis. NREL TP-6A20-51946. Accessed August 15, 2012: 

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/51946.pdf. 

Porro, G.; Heimiller, D. (2006). Report to Congress on Renewable Energy Resource Assessment 

Information for the United States - EPACT 201 Report. NREL TP-6A20-50168; DOE/GO-102010-3206. 

Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 

 
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands 

36

Appendix 1. Exclusions and Constraints, Capacity Factors, and Power 

Densities

Table A-1. Exclusions and Constraints for Urban Utility-Scale Photovoltaics 

Slope Exclusion > 5%

Contiguous Area Exclusion < 0.018 km2

Land Type(s) Exclusion Within Urban Boundaries ESRI (2004) 

Landmarks ESRI (2007a)

Parks ESRI (2007b) 

MRLC–Water MRLC (n.d.)

MRLC–Wetlands MRLC (n.d.)

MRLC–Forests MRLC (n.d.)

MRLC–Impervious Surface >= 

1%

MRLC (n.d.)

Table A-2. Capacity Factors for Utility-Scale Photovoltaicsa 

State Capacity Factor State Capacity Factor State Capacity Factor 

Alabama 0.200 Maine 0.191 Oklahoma 0.223

Alaska 0.105 Maryland 0.179 Oregon 0.227

Arizona 0.263 Massachusetts 0.182 Pennsylvania 0.177

Arkansas 0.207 Michigan 0.173 Rhode Island 0.176

California 0.252 Minnesota 0.189 South Carolina 0.202

Colorado 0.259 Mississippi 0.197 South Dakota 0.214

Connecticut 0.182 Missouri 0.193 Tennessee 0.201

Delaware 0.186 Montana 0.212 Texas 0.218

Florida 0.209 Nebraska 0.217 Utah 0.248

Georgia 0.203 Nevada 0.263 Vermont 0.176

Hawaii 0.210 New Hampshire 0.184 Virginia 0.200

Idaho 0.220 New Jersey 0.200 Washington 0.199

Illinois 0.186 New Mexico 0.263 West Virginia 0.172

Indiana 0.184 New York 0.184 Wisconsin 0.180

Iowa 0.199 North Carolina 0.206 Wyoming 0.229

Kansas 0.238 North Dakota 0.203

Kentucky 0.186 Ohio 0.173

Louisiana 0.196 a

 System Advisor Model (SAM)
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands 

37

Table A-3. Exclusions and Constraints for Rural Utility-Scale Photovoltaics and 

Concentrating Solar Power

Slope Exclusion > 5%

Contiguous Area 

Exclusion

< 1 km2

Land Type(s) 

Exclusion

Urban Areas ESRI (2004)

MRLC–Water MRLC (n.d.)

MRLC–Wetlands MRLC (n.d.)

BLM ACEC Lands (Areas of Critical 

Environmental Concern) (BLM 2009)

BLM (2009)

Forest Service IRA (Inventoried Roadless Area) 

(USFS 2003)

USFS (2003)

National Park Service Lands USGS (2005)

Fish & Wildlife Lands USGS (2005)

Federal Parks USGS (2005)

Federal Wilderness USGS (2005)

Federal Wilderness Study Area USGS (2005)

Federal National Monument USGS (2005)

Federal National Battlefield USGS (2005)

Federal Recreation Area USGS (2005)

Federal National Conservation Area USGS (2005)

Federal Wildlife Refuge USGS (2005)

Federal Wildlife Area USGS (2005)

Federal Wild and Scenic Area USGS (2005)

 

Table A-4. Capacity Factors for Concentrating Solar Powera 

Class Kwh/m2/day Capacity Factor 

1 5-6.25 0.315

2 6.25-7.25 0.393

3 7.25-7.5 0.428

4 7.5-7.75 0.434

5 > 7.75 0.448 a System Advisor Model (SAM)
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

38

Table A-5. Exclusions and Constraints for Onshore Wind Power

Slope Exclusion > 20%

Distance 

Exclusion

< 3 km Distance to Excluded Area (does not apply to 

water)

Land Type(s) 

Exclusion

50% Forest Service Lands (includes National 

Grasslands, excludes ridge crests)

USGS (2005)

50% Department of Defense Lands (excludes ridge 

crest)

USGS (2005)

50% GAP Land Stewardship Class 2–Forest CBI (2004)

50% Exclusion of Non-Ridge Crest Forest (noncumulative 

over Forest Service land)

USGS (2005)

Airports ESRI (2003)

Urban Areas ESRI (2004)

LULC–Wetlands USGS (1993)

LULC–Water USGS (1993)

Forest Service IRA (Inventoried Roadless Areas) USFS (2003)

National Park Service Lands USGS (2005)

Fish and Wildlife Lands USGS (2005)

Federal Parks USGS (2005)

Federal Wilderness USGS (2005)

Federal Wilderness Study Area USGS (2005)

Federal National Monument USGS (2005)

Federal National Battlefield USGS (2005)

Federal Recreation Area USGS (2005)

Federal National Conservation Area USGS (2005)

Federal Wildlife Refuge USGS (2005)

Federal Wildlife Area USGS (2005)

Federal Wild and Scenic Area USGS (2005)

GAP Land Stewardship Class 2–State and Private Lands 

Equivalent to Federal Exclusions

CBI (2004)
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

39

Table A-6. Capacity Factor for Offshore Wind Powera

Depth Class Watts/m2 Capacity Factor 

Shallow 

0–30 meters 3 300-400 0.36

0–30 meters 4 400-500 0.39

0–30 meters 5 500-600 0.45

0–30 meters 6 600-800 0.479

0–30 meters 7 > 800 0.5

Deep 

> 30 meters 3 300-400 0.367

> 30 meters 4 400-500 0.394

> 30 meters 5 500-600 0.45

> 30 meters 6 600-800 0.479

> 30 meters 7 > 800 0.5 a Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS)

Table A-7. Conversion of Offshore Wind Speeds at 90 Meters to Power Classesa

Wind Speed (m/s) Power Class 

6.4-7.0 3

7.0-7.5 4

7.5-8.0 5

8.0-8.8 6

> 8.8 7 a Marc Schwartz, NREL wind analyst, personal communication
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

40

Table A-8. Exclusions and Constraints for Offshore Wind Powera

Distance Exclusion < 50 nautical miles from shoreline

Land Type(s) Exclusion

Federal Exclusions National Marine Sanctuaries

Marine Protected Areas Inventory–“NAL,” “NIL,” “NTL”

Office of Habitat Conservation Habitat Protection Div. EFH–

Shipping Routes, Sanctuary Protected Areas

NOAA Jurisdictional Boundaries and Limits–Coastal 

National Wildlife Refuges–Pacific 

Navigational & Marine Infrastructure–Shipping Lanes, 

Drilling Platforms (Gulf), Pipelines (Gulf), Fairways (Gulf)

NWIOOS–Towlane Agreement WSG 2007

World Database on Protected Areas Annual Release 2009 

Global Dataset–Offshore Oil and Gas Pipelines/Drilling 

Platforms

Texas Pipelines and Easements

Audubon Sanctuaries

Gulf Intercoastal Waterway/Ship Channels

National Wildlife Refuges

Shipping Safety Fairways

State Coastal Preserves

Dredged Material Placement Sites

State Tracts with Resource Management Codes

North Carolina Significant Natural Heritage Areas

Sea Turtle Sanctuary 

Crane Spawning Sanctuary

Great Lakes IM AOC EPA

IM Ship Routes

Virginia Near-shore Coastal Parks

Threatened and Endangered Species Waters

Crab Sanctuary

Security Areas

Striped Bass Sanctuary 

State Park and State Dedicated Natural Area Preserve 

(w/in 1 mile of shoreline)

Rhode Island Habitat Restoration Area

Hazardous Material Sites Designated by the U.S. EPA and 

RIDEM (w/in 0.5 miles of shoreline)

CRMCWT08 (Type = 1 or 2)

South Carolina Refuges

OCRM Critical Area

New Hampshire Conservation Focus Area

Florida Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites

Aquatic Preserve Boundaries

California Cordell Banks Closed Areas
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

41

Massachusetts Ferry Routes

Oregon Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuges USFWS 2004

Oregon Marine Managed Areas

Oregon Cables OFCC 2005

Dredged Material Disposal Sites ACOE 2008

New Jersey New Jersey Coastal Wind Turbine Siting Map–Exclusion 

Areas a Exclusions were developed by Black and Veatch (2009).

Table A-9. Exclusions and Constraints for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa

Land Type(s) Exclusion National Park Service Lands

Fish and Wildlife Service Lands

Federal Parks

Federal Wilderness

Federal National Monuments

Federal National Battlefields

Federal Restoration Areas

Federal National Conservation 

Areas

Federal Wildlife Refuge Areas

Federal Wild and Scenic Areas a United States Geological Survey (USGS) (2005)
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

42

Table A-10. Power Densities for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa

Temperature C MW/km2 

150–200 0.59

200–250 0.76

250–300 0.86

300–350 0.97

> 350 1.19 a Augustine (2011)

Table A-11. Exclusions and Constraints for Enhanced Geothermal Systemsa

Depth Constraints Depth > 3 and < 10 km

Land Type(s) Exclusion National Park Service Lands

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Lands

Federal Parks

Federal Wilderness

Federal National 

Monuments

Federal National Battlefields

Federal Restoration Areas

Federal Conservation Areas

Federal Wildlife Refuge 

Areas

Federal Wild and Scenic 

Areas a USGS (2005)
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

43

Appendix 2. Technical Potential by Tribal Lands for Renewable Resources

Table A2-1. Tribal Renewable Energy Potential—Hydrothermal, Hydropower, and Biopower

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Acoma Pueblo NM 20,363 3 2,523 1 0 0 13 0

Agua Caliente CA 475 0 3,783 1 6,322 1 268 0

Alabama and Coushatta TX - - - - 3,493 0 3 0

Alamo (Navajo) NM 8,452 1 1,152 0 2 0 1 0

Alturas Rancheria CA 8 0 - - - - 0 0

Augustine CA 60 0 - - 127 0 0 0

Bad River WI - - 12,290 3 32,417 4 45 0

Barona Rancheria CA 96 0 - - - - 36 0

Bay Mills MI, MI - - 168 0 22 0 1 0

Benton Paiute CA 53 0 - - - - 0 0

Berry Creek Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 5 0 0 0

Big Bend Rancheria CA 11 0 - - 21 0 0 0

Big Cypress FL - - - - 15,013 2 17 0

Big Lagoon Rancheria CA - - - - 5 0 0 0

Big Pine Rancheria CA 83 0 - - - - 0 0

Big Sandy Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 5 0 0 0

Big Valley Rancheria CA 258 0 - - 64 0 0 0

Bishop Rancheria CA 521 0 - - 448 0 0 0

Blackfeet MT 60,031 8 445,893 102 87,202 11 98 0

Blue Lake Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 20 0 0 0

Bois Forte (Nett Lake) MN - - - - 28,872 4 3 0

Bridgeport Colony CA 18 0 - - - - 0 0

Brighton FL - - - - 18,809 2 24 0

Burns Paiute OR 2,436 0 - - 21 0 0 0

Cabazon CA 604 0 112 0 124 0 44 0

Cahuilla CA 511 0 241 0 67 0 7 0

Camp Verde AZ 25 0 - - 26 0 1 0

Campo CA 760 0 307 0 - - 3 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

44

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Capitan Grande CA 165 0 1,624 0 - - 16 0

Carson Colony NV 66 0 - - 58 0 0 0

Catawba SC - - - - 645 0 4 0

Cattaraugus (Seneca) NY - - 9,678 2 971 0 26 0

Cedarville Rancheria CA 21 0 - - 0 0 0 0

Chehalis WA 10 0 1,545 0 3,205 0 2 0

Chemehuevi CA 4,412 1 - - - - 2 0

Cheyenne River SD - - 47,065 11 35,581 5 68 0

Chicken Ranch Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0

Chitimacha LA - - - - 172 0 2 0

Cochiti Pueblo NM 17,958 2 25,682 6 39 0 33 0

Cocopah AZ, CA 1,368 0 - - 1,161 0 25,403 3

Coeur d'Alene WA,ID 24,563 3 18,416 4 264,737 34 84 0

Cold Springs Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 1 0 0 0

Colorado River AZ, CA 41,401 5 106,505 24 17,814 2 34 0

Colusa (Cachil Dehe) Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 13 0 0 0

Colville WA 70,390 9 247,936 57 59,616 8 89 0

Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw OR 0 0 - - 5 0 0 0

Cortina Rancheria CA 40 0 - - - - 0 0

Coushatta LA - - - - 73 0 0 0

Cow Creek OR 0 0 - - - - 0 0

Coyote Valley CA 22 0 - - 72 0 0 0

Crow WY, MT 28,073 4 89,049 20 43,001 5 229 0

Crow Creek SD - - 3,303 1 23,293 3 18 0

Crow/Northern Cheyenne Area MT 417 0 - - 17 0 0 0

Cuyapaipe CA 227 0 - - - - 1 0

Deer Creek MN - - - - 1,800 0 1 0

Devils Lake Sioux ND - - - - 46,079 6 32 0

Dresslerville Colony NV 15 0 - - 14 0 0 0

Dry Creek Rancheria CA 192 0 - - 6 0 0 0

Duck Valley NV, ID 164,004 21 14,913 3 - - 2 0

Duckwater NV 915 0 - - - - 0 0

Eastern Cherokee NC - - 13,299 3 3,223 0 25 0

Elk Valley Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 29 0 0 0

Ely Colony NV 57 0 - - 60 0 0 0

Enterprise Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 6 0 0 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

45

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Fallon NV 6,611 1 - - - - 1 0

Fallon Colony NV 75 0 - - 19 0 0 0

Flandreau SD - - 621 0 1,565 0 0 0

Flathead MT 151,999 19 816,341 186

123,57

2 16 262 0

Fond du Lac MN - - 8,042 2 41,847 5 86 0

Fort Belknap MT 7,786 1 5,108 1 16,216 2 14 0

Fort Berthold ND - - 3,819 1 109,151 14 43 0

Fort Bidwell CA 3,080 0 1,265 0 47 0 0 0

Fort Hall ID 179,275 23 70,593 16 101,896 13 210 0

Fort Independence CA 50 0 - - - - 0 0

Fort McDermitt NV, OR 18,956 2 2,347 1 3 0 0 0

Fort Mojave NV, AZ, CA 4,992 1 3,050 1 565 0 50 0

Fort Peck MT 120,159 15 57,645 13 159,234 20 71 0

Fort Yuma (Quechan) AZ, CA 9,903 1 12,331 3 2,518 0 7 0

Gila Bend (TON) AZ 112 0 - - 1 0 0 0

Gila River AZ 27,789 4 47,987 11 26,922 3 459 0

Goshute NV, UT 44,152 6 5,833 1 75 0 1 0

Grand Portage MN - - 10,877 2 3,174 0 3 0

Grand Ronde OR 23 0 6,123 1 20,641 3 3 0

Grand Traverse MI - - - - 2 0 0 0

Greenville Rancheria CA 13 0 - - 29 0 0 0

Grindstone Creek Rancheria CA 1 0 - - - - 0 0

Hannahville Community MI - - - - 763 0 1 0

Havasupai AZ 9,880 1 5,692 1 153 0 4 0

Ho-Chunk WI - - 1,364 0 68,939 9 7 0

Hoh WA - - - - 34 0 0 0

Hollywood (Seminole) FL - - - - 406 0 29 0

Hoopa Valley CA 623 0 38,550 9 55,748 7 10 0

Hopi AZ 42,330 5 1,860 0 745 0 62 0

Hopland Rancheria CA 31 0 - - 10 0 0 0

Hualapai AZ 210,076 27 897 0 580 0 16 0

Huron Potawatomi MI - - - - 51 0 0 0

Inaja-Cosmit CA 48 0 895 0 - - 0 0

Indian Township (Passamaquoddy) ME - - 157 0 3,797 0 4 0

Iowa KS, NE, MO - - 237 0 7,368 1 2 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

46

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Isabella (Sag Chip) MI - - 5,177 1 41,506 5 320 0

Isleta Pueblo NM 44,203 6 8,483 2 561 0 169 0

Jackson Rancheria CA 1 0 418 0 29 0 0 0

Jamestown S'Klallam WA 0 0 - - 2 0 0 0

Jamul Village CA 0 0 - - - - 0 0

Jemez Pueblo NM 32,709 4 3,944 1 25 0 14 0

Jicarilla Apache NM, CO 143,397 18 15,647 4 10,155 1 16 0

Kaibab AZ 17,715 2 452 0 14 0 4 0

Kalispel WA 177 0 - - 923 0 1 0

Karuk CA 1 0 - - 88 0 0 0

Kickapoo KS - - 1,109 0 10,874 1 5 0

Kootenai ID 1 0 - - 0 0 0 0

La Jolla CA - - 30,993 7 - - 9 0

La Posta CA 376 0 516 0 - - 1 0

Lac Courte Oreilles WI 205 0 616 0 27,629 4 16 0

Lac du Flambeau WI - - - - 12,766 2 27 0

Lac Vieux Desert MI - - - - - - 0 0

Laguna Pueblo NM - - 8,823 2 43 0 38 0

Lake Traverse (Sisseton) SD, MN, ND 88,772 11 229 0 300,466 38 97 0

L'Anse MI - - 6,201 1 7,898 1 22 0

Las Vegas Colony NV 509 0 - - 10 0 2 0

Laytonville Rancheria CA 15 0 - - 54 0 0 0

Leech Lake MN - - 1,792 0 158,657 20 126 0

Likely Rancheria CA 2 0 - - 0 0 0 0

Lone Pine Rancheria CA 84 0 - - - - 888 0

Lookout Rancheria CA 29 0 - - - - 0 0

Los Coyotes CA 1,111 0 362 0 - - 2 0

Lower Brule SD - - 225 0 12,104 2 11 0

Lower Elwha WA - - - - 94 0 0 0

Lower Sioux Community MN - - - - 874 0 1 0

Lummi WA 12 0 1,263 0 1,210 0 50 0

Makah WA 45 0 5,908 1 11,043 1 3 0

Manchester (Point Arena) Rancheria CA 12 0 - - 104 0 0 0

Manzanita CA 204 0 164 0 - - 1 0

Maricopa (Ak-Chin) AZ 2,313 0 313 0 11,100 1 9 0

Mashantucket Pequot CT - - - - 5 0 5 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

47

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Menominee WI - - 11,198 3 246,145 31 42 0

Mesa Grande CA 587 0 593 0 - - 1 0

Mescalero Apache NM 41,007 5 7,696 2 10,073 1 27 0

Miccosukee FL - - - - 17 0 0 0

Middletown Rancheria CA 523 0 - - - - 0 0

Mille Lacs MN - - - - 117 0 1 0

Minnesota (Chippewa) Homestead Trust 

Lands MN - - - - 88 0 0 0

Mississippi Choctaw MS - - - - 23,696 3 12 0

Moapa Band River NV 15,138 2 784 0 - - 4 0

Montgomery Creek Rancheria CA 14 0 - - 45 0 0 0

Morongo CA 1,515 0 4,523 1 183 0 77 0

Muckleshoot WA 9 0 46,137 11 1,911 0 56 0

Nambe Pueblo NM 7,461 1 2,720 1 327 0 13 0

Narragansett RI - - - - 12 0 6 0

Navajo

NM, UT, AZ, 

CO 597,545 76 369,000 84 103,018 13 1,755 0

Nez Perce ID 51,827 7 1,445,260 330 336,781 43 104 0

Nisqually WA 12 0 57,594 13 3,049 0 23 0

Nooksack WA 68 0 2,473 1 342 0 4 0

North Fork Rancheria CA 0 0 - - - - 0 0

Northern Cheyenne MT 17,254 2 10,969 3 16,660 2 35 0

Northwestern Shoshoni UT 69 0 358 0 - - 0 0

Oil Springs NY - - - - 31 0 0 0

Omaha IA, NE - - 61,961 14 143,838 18 44 0

Oneida (East) NY - - - - 2 0 0 0

Oneida (West) WI - - 723 0 33,087 4 232 0

Onondaga NY - - 2,880 1 727 0 17 0

Ontonagon MI - - - - 200 0 0 0

Osage OK - - 33,957 8 13,679 2 659 0

Ozette WA - - - - 121 0 0 0

Paiute of Utah UT 14,736 2 2,268 1 6 0 24 0

Pala CA 789 0 2,933 1 - - 12 0

Pascua Yaqui AZ 135 0 - - 415 0 10 0

Passamaquoddy Homestead Trust 

Lands ME - - 5,322 1 12,789 2 0 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

48

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Pauma CA 220 0 - - - - 2 0

Payson (Yavapai-Apache) Community AZ 5 0 - - - - 0 0

Pechanga CA 357 0 - - 219 0 32 0

Penobscot ME - - 189,260 43 12,513 2 13 0

Picayune Rancheria CA 0 0 - - - - 0 0

Picuris Pueblo NM 11,905 2 8,657 2 27 0 3 0

Pine Ridge NE, SD - - 29,895 7 13,596 2 124 0

Pinoleville Rancheria CA 36 0 - - 71 0 0 0

Pit River Tribe of California CA 312 0 2,098 0 168 0 0 0

Pleasant Point (Passamaquoddy) ME - - - - 28 0 1 0

Poarch Creek AL - - - - 27 0 0 0

Pojoaque Pueblo NM 5,128 1 567 0 571 0 7 0

Poospatuck NY - - - - 27 0 2 0

Port Gamble WA 5 0 - - 111 0 4 0

Port Madison WA 20 0 - - 2,192 0 61,835 8

Potawatomi Forest County WI - - - - 2,377 0 2 0

Potawatomi Prairie Band KS - - 772 0 11,095 1 19 0

Prairie Island Community MN - - - - 65 0 0 0

Puyallup WA 46 0 9,170 2 15,640 2 427 0

Pyramid Lake NV 324,409 41 31,167 7 222 0 8 0

Quartz Valley Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 76 0 0 0

Quileute WA - - - - 408 0 0 0

Quinault WA 406 0 339,978 78 161,549 20 12 0

Ramah Navajo Community NM 1,875 0 - - 0 0 1 0

Ramona CA 26 0 - - - - 0 0

Red Cliff WI - - - - 2,145 0 3 0

Red Lake MN - - 117 0 124,764 16 54 0

Redding Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 18 0 0 0

Redwood Valley Rancheria CA 29 0 - - 69 0 0 0

Reno-Sparks Colony NV 1,991 0 - - 18 0 8 0

Resighini Rancheria CA 3 0 - - 14 0 0 0

Rincon CA 101 0 968 0 - - 7 0

Roaring Creek Rancheria CA 22 0 - - 39 0 0 0

Robinson Rancheria CA 54 0 - - - - 0 0

Rocky Boy's MT 3,044 0 2,858 1 18,430 2 9 0

Rohnerville Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 27 0 0 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

49

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Rosebud NE, SD - - 31,800 7 20,291 3 85 0

Round Valley CA 1,672 0 20,205 5 15,239 2 2 0

Rumsey Rancheria CA 2 0 - - - - 0 0

Sac and Fox (Iowa) IA - - 3,564 1 2,952 0 2 0

Sac and Fox (KS-NE) KS, NE - - 4,678 1 8,689 1 5 0

Salt River AZ 3,589 0 17,910 4 3,495 0 59,395 8

San Carlos AZ 179,374 23 49,442 11 12,211 2 76 0

San Felipe Pueblo NM 13,693 2 9,678 2 17 0 19 0

San Felipe/Santa Ana joint area NM 191 0 - - 0 0 0 0

San Felipe/Santo Domingo joint area NM 216 0 - - 0 0 0 0

San Ildefonso Pueblo NM 11,631 1 13,036 3 349 0 15 0

San Juan Pueblo NM 10,803 1 12,465 3 1,859 0 48 0

San Manuel CA 41 0 - - 5 0 3 0

San Pasqual CA 34 0 - - - - 2 0

San Xavier (TON) AZ 13,619 2 2,638 1 575 0 293 0

Sandia Pueblo NM 4,499 1 1,770 0 596 0 53 0

Sandy Lake MN - - - - 0 0 0 0

Santa Ana Pueblo NM 17,965 2 7,128 2 133 0 37 0

Santa Clara Pueblo NM 34,534 4 11,984 3 2,109 0 104 0

Santa Rosa CA 1,390 0 108 0 - - 1 0

Santa Rosa Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 18 0 0 0

Santa Ynez CA 43 0 - - 31 0 0 0

Santa Ysabel CA 1,249 0 599 0 - - 1 0

Santee NE - - 4,184 1 27,871 4 10 0

Santo Domingo Pueblo NM 20,388 3 10,871 2 718 0 40 0

Sauk-Suiattle WA 2 0 - - 11 0 0 0

Sault Ste. Marie MI, MI - - - - 104 0 1 0

Seminole Homestead Trust Lands FL - - - - 10 0 0 0

Seneca (Allegany) PA, NY - - - - 4,979 1 17 0

Shakopee Community MN - - - - 126 0 2 0

Sheep Ranch Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0

Sherwood Valley Rancheria CA 37 0 - - 81 0 0 0

Shingle Springs Rancheria CA 1 0 - - - - 0 0

Shoalwater WA - - - - 390 0 0 0

Siletz OR 9 0 - - 1,072 0 1 0

Skokomish WA 12 0 15,169 3 6,301 1 6 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

50

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Skull Valley UT 15,562 2 - - - - 0 0

Smith River Rancheria CA 0 0 - - 8 0 0 0

Soboba CA 263 0 854 0 165 0 64 0

Southern Ute NM, CO 188,245 24 243,721 56 1,978 0 144 0

Spokane WA 12,184 2 16,571 4 66,932 8 18 0

Squaxin Island WA 4 0 - - 1,159 0 2 0

St. Croix WI - - - - 278 0 1 0

St. Regis Mohawk NY - - 3,293 1 2,257 0 21 0

Standing Rock SD, ND - - 18,638 4 24,045 3 64 0

Stewarts Point Rancheria CA 16 0 - - 5 0 0 0

Stillaguamish WA 0 0 - - 7 0 0 0

Stockbridge-Munsee WI - - - - 74 0 1 0

Sulphur Bank (El-Em) Rancheria CA 76 0 - - - - 0 0

Summit Lake NV 10,851 1 - - - - 0 0

Susanville CA 79 0 - - 176 0 0 0

Swinomish WA 39 0 3,080 1 1,769 0 22 0

Sycuan CA 5 0 - - - - 12 0

Table Bluff Rancheria CA - - - - 5 0 0 0

Table Mountain Rancheria CA 1 0 - - 6 0 0 0

Taos Pueblo NM 46,205 6 16,518 4 985 0 62 0

Te-Moak NV 14,860 2 6,340 1 169 0 1 0

Tesuque Pueblo NM 5,948 1 635 0 58 0 9 0

To’Hajiilee Chapter, Navajo Nation NM 11,434 1 398 0 8 0 10 0

Tohono O'odham AZ 510,243 65 - - 7,512 1 296 0

Tonawanda NY - - 779 0 156 0 5 0

Torres-Martinez CA 10,284 1 152 0 1,160 0 10 0

Trinidad Rancheria CA - - - - 42 0 0 0

Tulalip WA 62 0 815 0 9,470 1 164 0

Tule River CA 140 0 23,717 5 788 0 76 0

Tunica-Biloxi LA - - - - 141 0 0 0

Tuolumne Rancheria CA 1 0 926 0 83 0 1 0

Turtle Mountain ND, MT 0 0 - - 6,268 1 34 0

Tuscarora NY - - - - 708 0

440,92

5 56

Twenty-Nine Palms CA 18 0 - - - - 0 0

Uintah and Ouray UT 78,807 10 442,276 101 11,811 1 335 0
Geospatial Analysis of Renewable Energy Technical Potential on Tribal Lands

51

Tribal Land State

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Annual 

Generation 

(MWh)

Unidentified 

Hydrothermal 

Potential 

Installed 

Capacity 

(MW)

Hydropower 

Generation 

Potential 

(MWh)

Hydropower 

Capacity 

Potential 

(MW)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residuesa

(MWh)

Biopower 

from Solid 

Residues

(MW)

Biopower 

from 

Gaseous 

Residuesb

(MWh)

Biopower

from 

Gaseous 

Residues

(MW)

Umatilla OR 3,998 1 57,403 13 31,490 4 34 0

Upper Lake Rancheria CA 119 0 - - - - 0 0

Upper Sioux Community MN - - - - 653 0 0 0

Upper Skagit WA 1 0 - - 22 0 0 0

Ute Mountain NM, UT, CO 40,583 5 34,258 8 5,442 1 27 0

Vermillion Lake MN - - - - 137 0 0 0

Viejas Rancheria CA 15 0 - - - - 3 0

Walker River NV 246,481 31 16,585 4 - - 14 0

Warm Springs OR 405,953 51 130,737 30 35,935 5 31 0

Washoe NV 687 0 10,030 2 121 0 3 0

White Earth MN - - 3,357 1 138,785 18 115 0

White Mountain AZ 119,240 15 115,435 26 14,148 2 182 0

Wind River WY 47,999 6 350,640 80 6,349 1 183 0

Winnebago IA, NE - - 48,821 11 76,709 10 22 0

Winnemucca Colony NV 350 0 - - 13 0 0 0

Woodfords Community CA 89 0 - - - - 0 0

XL Ranch CA 8,312 1 2,726 1 117 0 1 0

Yakama WA 155,549 20 669,640 153 274,750 35 329 0

Yankton NE, SD - - 5,029 1 114,257 14 55 0

Yavapai AZ 197 0 - - 639 0 8 0

Yawapa Apache AZ 1,658 0 14,108 3 190 0 74,323 9

Yerington NV 268 0 - - 9 0 0 0

Yomba NV 1,941 0 172 0 - - 0 0

Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo TX - - - - 15 0 1 0

Yurok CA 642 0 912 0 25,962 3 6 0

Zia Pueblo NM 34,064 4 1,864 0 38 0 6 0

Zuni Pueblo NM, AZ 44,632 6 7,926 2 3,457 0 67 0 a Solid residues are represented by forest, crop, primary mill, and urban wood residues. Generation estimated assuming 1.1 MWh/bone dry tonne of residue.

b Gaseous residues are represented by landfill and domestic wastewater residues. Generation estimated assuming 4.7 MWh/tonne of CH4 produced by the residues.