Final Report on renewable energy feasibility for the Bridgeport Indian Colony Prepared by Josiah Johnston Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab University of California Berkeley

Feasibility of Large-Scale renewable investment Looked at projects 1MW and larger Ruled out large scale solar for not making a return on investment Examined 37 sites for utility- scale wind farms and geothermal plants. No project would produce a return on investment Medium scale solar ( kW) might be financially viable.

Lower Heating bills with Solar Heating and Weatherization Most houses could save 1 or 2 pallets of firewood annually by installing solar retrofits Adding insulation to walls and ceilings would reduce heat losses by 20% and take over 9 years to pay for itself with energy savings I have a lead on implementation funds if the tribe wants to pursue this

Running the electric meter backwards: Solar and Wind on reservation Wind is not practical – Wind speeds are too low to make enough electricity to justify expense Solar is practical – Would take less than half an acre of land – Would cost around $500,000 – At current retail prices of $0.17 / kWh, the savings in electricity bills would pay for the system in 12 to 15 years – Major parts come with 15 to 20 year warranty – System size of 67 kW (with tracking) or 91 kW (without tracking) would supply ~100% of reservation’s electricity

Solar Hot Water I looked at four different systems to get the range of costs and performance. Costs $7,000 or 8,000 per house. – $5,000 or 6,000 with a 30% federal tax credit Saves 150 to 225 gallons of propane per year – $450 to $675 per year at $2.94 per gallon – Cuts propane use by 35-50%, depending on collector and number of people All systems used flat-plate collectors with a closed-loop heat exchanger and active pumping. Evacuated tube collectors would also work well for your climate. They would provide higher temperatures and work better on cloudy days, but cost significantly more than flat-plate collectors.

Water heater Current hot water heater

Solar + Water heater Solar Collectors (on roof) Storage tank with built in heat exchanger. Pre-heats and stores water for hot water heater Current hot water heater

Solar water heater estimates SystemCost Cost after 30% tax credit Propane saved annually, gallons Propane saved annually, % Annual savings at $2.94 per gallon Current annual fuel costs (estimate d) CO 2 savings over system life, tonnes Skyline sq.ft., 5 people $8,090 $5, %$673$1,61593 Skyline sq.ft., 4 people $7,190 $5, %$459$1,28363 AET Propack - 52 sq. ft., 4 people $7,399 $5, %$629$1,28387 AET Propack - 52 sq. ft., 2 people $7,399 $5, %$454$63463 AET Propack - 52 sq. ft., facing Southwest $7,399 $5, %$609$1,28384 Rheem, 2-5 people$5,200 to $8, to 171 $456 to $50357 to 64

Solar Hot Water Cost breakdown