“i’m glad i was able to participate in the training of solar entrepreneur as part of the community solar program from my village. my work is recognized in the village and people look up to me with respect when they know of my work. but i can’t ignore my household responsibilities and take up this work as a full-time occupation. even since my husband fell ill, i have had to leave the work of a solar entrepreneur and focus on my household and our agricultural work.”

these were the words of one of the interviewees of my field study in jharkhand, india, regarding the impact of the community solar program on beneficiary households. her comments represent the hidden cost of solar energy implementation in rural communities that are geographically remote, not connected to the grid, politically neglected, and economically marginalized.

in 2024, i spent a month in the dumardih panchayat of gumla block in gumla district of jharkhand, india, conducting an ethnographic field study on the distributional impacts of one such community solar program implemented by bindi international. 

the village population of dumardih panchayat consists of indigenous (tribal) households and non-tribal households that have historically depended on agriculture for their livelihood. however, non-tribal households are relatively well off compared to tribal households; furthermore, tribal communities rely on subsistence agriculture for their livelihood and reside in more remote locations away from the main village. as such, there are ethnic divisions between these two groups.

the beneficiary households are spread across tribal and non-tribal ethnicities. the geographical remoteness of tribal households further exacerbates their challenge to access, electricity, education and healthcare services compared to other households who are economically relatively well-off, have access to resources, and have higher power in decision making in community matters.

solar for rural communities in india

the dominant story of solar in rural india often emphasizes numbers: how many households have been electrified, how many watts of solar are installed, how many hours of additional study children get at night, and how much indoor air quality improves. the beneficiary households see reduced indoor air pollution, additional light hours, increased safety, and better sense of well-being. 

solar energy was first introduced in gumla district in 2015 by a non-governmental organization called mlindia with financial support from the indian renewable energy development authority (ireda) (kumar, m., 2022). the first program was a solar mini-grid (20 kw – 40 kw) installed for 44 villages for a total combined capacity of one megawatt (kumar, m., 2022). gumla district has been one of the aspirational districts in the country out of the 112. the categorization is based on literacy rate, health, nutrition, basic infrastructure, and poverty level in the district (green and kapoor, 2023). this has been the driving factor for setting up solar power base programs to reduce the challenges with last mile connectivity in the district and provide opportunities to set up rural enterprises, and boost livelihood (kumar, m., 2022). 

one such organization is bindi international association. the organization was established in 2015, with the aim of empowering rural women across india and contributing to the achievement of the united nations’ sustainable development goals. this focus informs their approach to providing financial independence to rural women: bindi international provides training in digital literacy, marketing, and banking to enable women in remote areas to participate in the rapidly evolving digital world. 

their community solar program model provides electricity access to non-electrified and under electrified households. the program also provides skill training on solar technology to rural women and has established women as key players in delivering renewable energy solutions to remote communities. bindi international identified mahila vikas mandal (mvm), a grassroots non-governmental organization that creates and supports women-led self-help groups as the ground partner for implementation. the organization selected beneficiaries based on a survey of households able to pay an up-front, one-time payment of inr 1000. the households were also required to pay inr 150 per month as a deposit towards a corpus fund created to finance the operation phase of the program. this fund is managed by a village energy and electrification committee (veec), composed of beneficiary household members. the home lighting system consisted of a 40-watt system (a battery pack, four bulbs or two bulbs and a ceiling fan).

the bindi international team designed the program based on consultations with the village community, including a committee representing the beneficiary households. this committee oversees several aspects of the program, including paying the trained women for repair services, replacing parts, and appropriating funds to scale up the system. the program introduced a new culture of ownership, management, and use of solar energy for lighting and cooking that was not present earlier.

however, data from the study showed that women who were trained in the installation, repair, service, market, and sale of new solar products bear the burden of responsibility of solar intervention falling on women, exacerbating existing inequalities in the gendered division of labor within these communities. this is the hidden cost of solar technology based intervention in rural communities. in the rush to adopt a clean energy society, we are overlooking the unequal burden of labour across gender created by such community renewable energy programs.

an uneven burden

my ethnographic study revealed an amnesia in energy scholarship and policy: nobody wants to talk about how the burdens of transition fall unevenly, often along lines of gender. gendered expectations of labour, cultural norms regarding decision-making, and marginalization based on income and ethnicity disproportionately impact marginalized women.providing clean energy through solar home systems gives rural households the power to control their energy supply. but although it represents progress in some ways, the transition from kerosene to solar energy does not automatically dismantle the social, and economic inequalities that shape women’s everyday lives. limited access to resources, limited role in decision making makes its way into design, implementation and operation of community energy programs. 

a woman could be trained in solar technology, confident in marketing and maintaining a system, and yet be bound by the rules of culture and tradition. her entrepreneurial work is not a replacement for household duties but an addition to them. she provides food, tends to children and elderly, and ensures household provisions are in adequate supply while also taking on the new responsibility of promoting renewable energy.

my study of this program in gumla district of jharkhand showed that community renewable energy projects cannot be based on an additive framework of renewable energy plus gender equity and social justice. it is an integrated framework, where existing gender divisions of labor and social inequality across ethnicity shape the access and use of resources across households, which in turn determines the extent of benefits derived from a beneficiary household in a community solar program. energy is political, cultural, and deeply personal. the solar entrepreneurs of jharkhand show that even well-intentioned energy projects can risk reinscribing existing inequalities in rural communities.

did you know there are over 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles in the united states? however, with more americans buying electric and hybrid vehicles, many more stations need to be built to keep up with demand. voltpost is a startup that retrofits lamp posts into charging stations for electric vehicles. “we recognize that in order for people to go from gas to electric, they need convenient and affordable charging access,” said jeffrey prosserman, a voltpost founder. they have voltpost stations available to the public in michigan and are hoping to have volpost available in more states in the coming months.

tucked away behind a catholic organization building in northeast washington, d.c., lies a vast solar farm soaking up the sun’s rays as energy for catholic buildings. 

dan last, the co-executive officer of mission energy, which is partnered with the catholic energies program, helped build this solar farm for catholic charities along with 18 other solar farms for catholic organizations in the washington metropolitan area. but most recently, last said he has been taking screenshots of the united states department of energy websites because of the “uncertainty” president donald trump’s administration has introduced into the industry. 

“rather than going out and trying to give nonprofit organizations equal access to solar and help develop new projects so that i can employ my people, i am a highly paid ceo who is taking screenshots,” last said. 

since taking office, the new york times reported the trump administration has taken down more than 8,000 web pages from across more than a dozen u.s. government websites. this includes more than 3,000 pages from the center for disease control and more than 1,000 pages from the office of justice programs. 

several pages mentioning environmental policy initiatives have also been taken down from the department of the interior website. 

what last is screenshotting in response are energy community maps. last said these are areas “disproportionately” impacted by power production, meaning they are communities surrounded by infrastructure like power plants or mining sites. 

these screenshots last took shows individuals in areas eligible to receive an extra 10% of direct pay for renewable energy projects affiliated with the inflation reduction act.

former president joe biden passed the inflation reduction act (ira) in 2022 which partly helped individuals and businesses receive tax credit if they install renewable energy on their property. for last and his clients at catholic nonprofits at mission energy, the inflation reduction act subsidizes 30% to 50% of the costs for their projects through direct pay. 

“it really was a game changer for nonprofit organizations,” last said. 

on trump’s first day in office on jan. 20, one of 26 executive orders he signed titled, “unleashing american energy,” stopped individuals and organizations from receiving funding for projects like the ones from mission energy. this order still remains in effect.

“all agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the inflation reduction act of 2022,” the executive order stated. 

last said he is not sure what will happen if ira funding completely goes away. but if it stops, the funding of renewable energy projects will shift back towards power purchase agreements, a method organizations used before the ira. these agreements have third party developers pay for renewable energy projects and are paid back from the organizations to investors over a set amount of years. 

“[third party developers] like working with our groups because churches, catholic healthcare systems, religious communities are not going anywhere and in some cases have been around for hundreds of years,” last said in a previous planet forward article.  

third party developers for renewable energy projects are only allowed in at least 29 states and washington, d.c. 

out of mission energy’s 40 completed projects, 26 of them have used a power purchase agreement. since the passage of the ira, only two out of the 14 projects under construction are having a power purchase agreement. all 14 projects are using some ira benefits with 12 of them using direct pay. 

besides working with catholic institutions, mission energy also works with other nonprofits. last said before the ira, most groups chose to go the power purchase agreement route. last year last said only one power purchase agreement was settled for a project.

“i’ll proudly say this as a ceo of a solar company, i think it would be ludicrous to repeal the direct pay,” last said. 

these huge projects are thanks to the catholic climate covenant, an organization headquartered in washington, d.c., which helps the catholic community understand and act on the issue of climate change.

executive director dan misleh founded the covenant in 2006 after he worked on environmental policy for the u.s. conference of catholic bishops. one of the ways the organization has helped catholic communities act on the issue of climate change is by encouraging community members to install solar panels on their properties to help them save money and lower their reliance on fossil fuels.

for misleh, climate change education is an essential part of the process. he said that when he discusses environmental issues with catholic organizations, he always tries to bring it back to his faith.

“if god has given us a gift, and if we just take that gift and throw it in the trash, that’s not being very respectful to the gift giver,” misleh said.

in recent years, many catholics felt motivated by pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ published in 2015 which established climate change as a moral issue catholics should address. in 2021, pope francis put his plans from the letter into action by telling catholic organizations to launch a seven year plan to create environmentally sustainable efforts within their communities.

but misleh said that when he had the idea to install solar panels on catholic properties, he needed more help. through the covenant, misleh created catholic energies which focuses on the installation of these solar panels with the help of mission energy — a company that works to reduce energy costs through solar panels. misleh said mission energy provides the “expertise” the covenant needs to install solar panels.

dan last, who is the co-chief executive officer of mission energy, said misleh approached him eight years ago with the idea to form a group within their company. he said mission energy was interested in creating catholic energies because they help catholic organizations reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they release and save money.

“there was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm around doing work like this,” last said.

laura clark, who is the vice president of operations for mission energy, also said solar panels help the environment because they reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

according to misleh, installing solar panels on catholic buildings has helped them save between a few thousand to over a hundred thousand dollars in their electrical bill since they were installed.

paying for power

these catholic organizations pay to install their solar panels through the help of a power purchase agreement. last said that with this agreement, a third party is responsible for paying for the installation of these solar panels, with the catholic organizations later paying back the third party over a set amount of years.

“[third party developers] like working with our groups because churches, catholic healthcare systems, religious communities are not going anywhere and in some cases have been around for hundreds of years,” last said.

but since the passage of president biden’s inflation reduction act in 2022, last said the amount of money catholic organizations have to pay back to third parties under the power purchase agreement is lower since the federal government is now subsidizing up to 50% of the cost for sustainable projects.

through the work of catholic energies, catholic organizations are finding it easier and cheaper to carry out sustainable practices. since the establishment of catholic energies within mission energy, last said the group has completed over three dozen projects across the united states. 

solar at scale in d.c.’s backyard

one of the biggest solar projects energies undertook was installing solar panels for the catholic charities of the archdiocese of washington.

catholic charities focuses on social ministry, guided by the message of jesus christ. they specifically help the poor, immigrants and people with mental and developmental disabilities through various support programs like food distribution.

last said catholic charities approached them when they were switching to led-powered lights within their facilities. he said catholic charities was interested in installing solar panels on a 14 acre property they owned on the far northeast side of washington, d.c., behind the gift of peace house and convent. last said they wanted the solar panels to be built on this space because it was mostly clear and flat.

“long story short, that turned into the solar project,” last said.

the project was completed in the fall of 2019 and includes a large solar panel farm of 5,000 panels. according to the catholic energies website, the project offsets nearly 3,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually which is the equivalent of getting rid of 735 car emissions in one year.

since the solar panels are located in a field, they also created a pollinator garden using the space between the panels. according to the dc department of energy & environment, pollinator gardens improve habitats for wildlife and require little attention as they thrive without fertilizer, pesticides or extra water.

“it’s got lots of great, positive impacts for the catholic charities and the community,” misleh said.

even though the solar panels are concentrated in one area, they help subsidize the cost of catholic charities’ 12 buildings located all across washington, d.c. misleh said the solar panel farm gives energy to pepco, lowering the utility company’s reliance on fossil fuels.

in total, misleh said catholic energies has helped catholic charities cut their electric bill by $250,000. even though a third party is in charge of operating the solar panels which misleh said costs $185,000 per year, a total of $65,000 in savings is going towards other projects run by catholic charities.

“we were very, very proud of that project,” misleh said.

creative solutions to make a difference

catholic energies also works with local communities such as nativity catholic church and nativity catholic school in burke, va. husband and wife, george and kim young, who are parishioners at nativity, volunteer their time within the creation care ministry. unlike catholic charities which installed their solar panels in a field, theirs are installed on a roof.

in their full time jobs, george young is a licensed clinical social worker and master addiction counselor with a private practice, while kim young is a naturalist at hidden oaks nature center. after pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ came out, they wanted to create an organization within their parish to address environmental issues.

“that really provided more inspiration and more support for this idea,” kim young said.

when george and kim young discovered nativity needed a new roof, they thought the parish could also install solar panels. according to kim young, they were inspired by the success of installing solar panels on their own home years earlier. they were not in charge of the final decision making process but instead.

“constantly when we would see the pastor in the hall, we would mention it when the opportunities presented itself,” kim young said.

their advocacy paid off in july 2020 when nativity completed the installation of the solar panels on its new roof. the project is expected to decrease nativity’s carbon footprint by 7,700 tons along with estimated savings of $200,000 over the next 25 years after paying off the power purchase agreement.

due to nativity’s efforts towards environmental issues, george and kim young helped the church win an interfaith power & light award in 2022 for outstanding energy stewardship in response to climate change.”

although kim young said she feels parishioners do not commonly think about the solar panels on the roof anymore, she said parishioners were excited when the pastor made a “big deal” in his sermon about the solar panels and when they won the interfaith power & light awards.

kim young said she wants to push for parishioners to reconnect with the environmental difference nativity is making and caring for the environment is not something “extra.”

“we see it as integral to our faith,” kim young said. “and to the point really, that it’s an obligation of our faith.”

in the middle of a solar panel array in north carolina, the grass rustles with movement. a raccoon wanders between the panels. a fox wriggles through the permeable fencing and darts around the site. a cluster of turkeys stare accusingly into the wildlife camera. eventually, a curious bobcat prowls outside the fence, slinking inside and outside of the site boundary. 

the animal sightings were made possible by a carefully-placed camera trap used for conservation research. the project is part of efforts from the nature conservancy to investigate how solar development influences animal movement and work with solar developers to preserve the small corridors — or wildlife passageways — that allow for that movement. 

the sight of wildlife lingering at a solar facility between crystalline panels is an unusual one. but in north carolina, a state that ranks fourth in the nation for solar energy production and ninth for biodiversity, scientists and developers are realizing that the choice between renewables and biodiversity doesn’t have to be a trade-off.  

solar energy in the energy transition and climate crisis

amid national efforts to decarbonize the u.s. energy sector and achieve current emissions reductions goals, the u.s. is increasing its buildout of renewable energy. in the last decade, the solar industry saw an average annual growth rate of 24%, according to the solar energy industries association. 

as more and more renewables projects gain traction in states like north carolina, biologists have raised concerns over potential impacts on wildlife populations, especially amid overdevelopment and fragmentation. scientists have begun to research those impacts, but many studies have focused narrowly on bird deaths, habitat conversion,  pollinator habitat, or soil ecosystems, with fewer insights on migration and movement specifically. with climate change exacerbating the need and scale of future migrations, this research gap is a pressing one. 

while people often think of climate change as the biggest threat to biodiversity, the answer is actually habitat loss. liz kalies, the lead renewable energy scientist at the nature conservancy, spreads this message in her conservation work. “we can’t justify poor siting of renewable energy in the name of biodiversity,” said kalies. 

“but similarly, if we ignore climate change, that will also have severe consequences for biodiversity. so, we just really need to keep the two in our mind simultaneously, and not sacrifice one for the other,” she said.

strategies for building wildlife-friendly solar

fortunately, solar developers haves several options to avoid making those sacrifices: selecting sites responsibly (including repurposed mine land), building in wildlife passageways (small corridors to allow animals to pass through)—which could mean splitting a site down the middle—and letting nature reclaim parts of the facility by growing wildflowers, planting native species, or building pollinator habitats. a simple change, such as mowing the lawn in september or october instead of august, after breeding season, can make a difference, according to a research team in new york. 

one of the most promising strategies so far is permeable fencing: swapping out traditional chain-link fencing for larger-holed fencing, which is meshy enough to allow small-to-medium sized mammals to slip through. animal monitoring reports show the early promise of this fencing, as camera traps capture foxes, birds, and coyotes navigating around the fencing. in one study, wildlife-permeable fencing increased the probability that ungulates (hoofed mammals) successfully crossed through the fence by 33% — and they were able to do so in 54% less time.

camera trapping and bobcat tracking: the research behind wildlife-friendly solar

kalies and her team have launched several projects to study solar-wildlife interactions, including the camera trap project, direct site visits with developers, and even a bobcat-specific project. kalies and her team are currently working on the latter, which involves locating, sedating, radio collaring, and tracking bobcats to generate visual maps of their meanderings. bobcats are secretive, elusive animals who prefer uninterrupted vegetation, making them good candidates to study the challenges that animals may face in in solar landscapes. 

surprisingly, bobcats are interacting with the solar facilities. from the videos kalies played, it appears some of them are even drawn to the facilities for unknown reasons. in their preliminary data, one bobcat appeared to cut through a solar facility that didn’t even have a permeable fence. the team hopes to increase their sample size of bobcats in order to predict impacts of solar buildout on their populations through simulation alone.

do developers really want foxes and bobcats roaming through their facilities?

sometimes, the answer is yes, according to developers. medium-sized predators may help quell rodent populations, and rodents have been known to gnaw through the panels’ wiring, breaking the solar array.  

wildlife passageways offer other benefits to developers. at face value, building wildlife-friendly infrastructure is great for a company’s brand image and public relations — especially when local opposition to renewable projects is so prevalent, and sometimes stems from animal conservation concerns. additionally, installing wildlife-friendly fencing is economical, according to kalies. it costs roughly the same as a chain-link fence and holds up just as well structurally, based on her reports from developers. 

“i love the idea of wildlife friendly fencing,”  said scott starr, co-founder of highline renewables. 

“you’re going to be a partner with the community for 30 plus years. so, you want to do things like screen it with evergreens or use wildlife friendly fencing […] and even if it’s a small upcharge, you are looking for things to make the project work that don’t just show up in the pro forma but are also a benefit to the community.” 

as a developer who specializes in small-scale distributed generation,  starr notes that it’s common to screen for endangered species early on as part of choosing a site. “we are very careful as developers towards critical species, critical habitat, wetlands, things like that. that is part of the process.” 

but, when it comes to sharing land with wildlife, the territory is more unfamiliar. starr elaborates on the policy gaps in how governments incentivize wildlife-friendly buildout. 

“the only things that i’ve really seen are ‘we’ll give you adders to put it on this rooftop!’ and ‘we’ll give you adders if  you put it on a brownfield or co-locate with some kind of agricultural operations!’ said starr. “there never is really anything about wildlife corridors—we just don’t know.” 

while developers can’t claim that solar sites are equivalent to wildlife refuges, they do share some compelling similarities: they’re quiet, isolated, fenced off, and relatively low-disturbance on the landscape. whether or not a site is wildlife-friendly often comes down to what’s adjacent to the facility, says kalies, meaning rural sites typically have better luck than urban, overdeveloped, already-degraded plots of land. 

challenges and limitations of building wildlife passageways

some of the biggest research-specific challenges for kalies’s team include accessing sites in the first place, finding partners willing to collaborate, and hours of challenging fieldwork. another difficulty lies in data interpretation. even with data from camera traps, for example, seeing an animal onsite doesn’t mean it’s necessarily benefitting. the animal could be migrating, breeding or nesting, foraging, lost, or simply hanging out. 

starr adds that, from a developer’s perspective, even if you support wildlife-friendly fencing,  you may get a ‘no’ from the county, from financiers, or from any long-term owners of the project who might consider wildlife a risk to their multi-million dollar asset. (some developers are even concerned about bird droppings reducing the efficiency of their solar panels.)

overall, the solar industry’s ability to become “wildlife-friendly” may depend on the level of discussion happening in government. “we need clear guidance and policymaking that incentivizes these kinds of considerations,” said starr.

the future of wildlife-friendly solar 

despite these challenges, pursuing wildlife-friendly solar in north carolina may be a promising step toward preserving biodiversity. the state ranks the 13th highest in the nation for risk of species loss. while wildlife movement patterns are being studied in the western u.s. (such as pronghorn migration), more research is needed on patterns in eastern states.

the first step to preserving biodiverse populations is ensuring that animals can continue to move freely across landscapes. through siting adjustments, permeable fencing, planting wildflower pollinator habitat, and actively collaborating with scientists, the solar industry has a chance to protect wildlife. energy developers and biologists alike can take part in this initiative, giving a new meaning to “energy conservation.” 

america’s solar industry is in trouble. 

who and what’s the cause of this are questions not easily answered. some point to complex supply chains. others point to problems with domestic innovation. and a few point to mamun rashid, the ceo of auxin solar, which the wall street journal calls “the most-hated solar company in america.”

the reasons for this are several. auxin filed a petition with the commerce department in 2022 accusing several chinese solar manufacturers of evading u.s. tariffs. last august, the commerce department ruled that four companies in southeast asia circumvented american tariffs on chinese made components. as a result, sweeping new solar tariffs are set to face the industry in june 2024. the countries in which those tariffs will be levied account for “nearly three-quarters of solar modules imported to the united states.”

tariffs are taxes on the import of foreign goods. they are paid by the domestic company who is purchasing those goods. 

“we are facing an unprecedented moment in american solar. many companies have relied on cheap foreign labor for their products. what we’re doing is shedding light on faulty business practices that favor china and harm american workers. we’re fighting for energy independence,” rashid said.

yet, many clean energy advocates have resoundingly criticized auxin. secretary of energy jennifer granholm stated in an interview with npr, “at stake is the complete smothering of the investment and the jobs and the independence that we would be seeking as a nation to get our fuel from our own generation sources.”

such advocates anticipate the ruling will make solar projects in america far more expensive and lengthy. according to cnn, the ruling has apparently stalled many u.s. solar projects, upending an industry critical to a clean energy future. 

this frustration, rashid claims, reflects just how reliant america’s solar industry is on foreign supply chains, many of which seep through china. according to the wall street journal, “chinese manufacturers make around 63% of the polysilicon used in most solar panels globally, and more than two-thirds of the wafers that are the next step in the manufacturing process.”

“what a decision like this forces businesses to do is rethink the way they conduct business,” said rashid. “many companies wouldn’t be as angry as they are if they hadn’t made the mistake of relying on china, so now the band-aid is peeled off and they need to develop new long-term plans. we need to incentivize companies to play by the rules and produce in america.”

rashid notes that covid exacerbated already dangerous supply chains, shedding light on american manufacturers’ reliance on foreign labor. that is what inspired him to pursue the investigation with the commerce department. now, he says, america’s solar industry bears the burden of re-shoring the supply chain. that is a process he believes tariffs will set in motion.

clean energy advocates in america believe in the need for a robust domestic solar industry. it’s an urgent policy priority. but they say in order to achieve this, we need the global supply chain in the interim.

they say it will simply take too long to accomplish energy independence to afford shattering the global supply chain, an outcome that would undoubtedly impede a clean energy future. one of these advocates is abigail ross hopper, the ceo of the solar energy industries association (seia), the trade association representing america’s solar industry. she vehemently opposes auxin’s investigation.

“the bottom line is that we all want energy independence and for america’s solar industry to thrive. but in order to achieve those long-term goals, we’ll need to rely on the global supply chain in the short-term to continue building and supporting solar projects in america over the next three to five years.” hopper said.

to re-shore america’s solar supply chain and meet this critical moment, both rashid and hopper note it will take time. but there are important steps being taken right now to bolster america’s industry. among these steps is the inflation reduction act, which offers economic incentives for solar companies to produce in america. 

and while rashid applauds the ira, he still says at the heart of the debate is the need for american companies to re-evaluate their best practices and no longer rely on imports from southeast asia. 

“for far too long, american companies have benefited from foreign producers that violate american law. the ira is an important first step, but we need long-term solutions from the businesses themselves, a commitment that they will no longer rely on unfair and, quite frankly, illegal activity in the supply chain.“

through indigenous ways of knowing, and self-knowledge of who we are as stewards of newe sogobia (mother earth), the original people of what is known as the ‘americas,’ have made efficient use of resources through the management of agricultural practices, fire regimes, land use, etc. since time immemorial. having understood this from an early age, i spent my youth attending ceremonies that helped me connect to the natural world through cultural teachings. my name is bahnwahntze. i am newe (shoshone), and i grew up on the south fork indian reservation in northeastern nevada. my upbringing involved spending summers in northern california, both in urban areas and on the round valley reservation near covelo, ca. growing up, my parents, raised on reservations, taught me that nature and people worked together as one. while living in the urban setting i was being exposed to an ideology that my peers around me weren’t. this helped me to understand and appreciate the symbiotic relations that give us life. i began integrating my understanding into the western science teaching i was receiving. 

my interest in technology began at an early age. as a traditional powwow dancer, i was used to hearing loud music, so at home i began learning how to connect additional speakers to my stereo and also how the amps affected the output of the speakers. i would also practice my dance steps by watching videos of other dancers. to watch the videos, i had to switch connections from cable television to a dvd player. soon my family began to notice my interest in technology and would have me help them with their technological difficulties. after i graduated high school, instead of going into a stem academic program, i went into a technical program at d-q university, a tribal university that offered a technical certificate in cable networking. in the program, i learned how to properly install cable networks for television including fiber optics for the internet. having proven myself successful in installing cable networks, i felt stunted in my personal expression. trapped in a cycle of work and little rest, ignoring my instinct to be on the land, i was forced to listen to that instinct when i was injured at work. my story truly begins once i allowed myself to reeducate and start a new career. 

going into academics having already been in a career for several years, i had no idea what i wanted to do or what kind of research was happening. my mentality at that point was just to get into a program where i could learn office skills, as my injury left me with sedentary work restrictions. i had always liked plants, so i started looking into agriculture programs. what caught my attention was an agricultural business and education program at a local community college.

this program was designed to transfer me into an agricultural science program at a 4-year institution, but i had only wanted to get my 2-year degree so i could begin working right away. fortunately, i was able to get into a research internship during my first semester. while the experience was a great introduction to research, it was the connections i made through the internship that allowed me to progress as a researcher.

soon after i was invited to another fellowship where i presented my first inquisition poster. it was during these sessions i began to notice research that was being done within tribal communities. my perspective on experimentations that had occurred on tribal lands and within tribal communities had mostly been negative; due to the history of the government performing malicious acts on indigenous people and their lands in the name of science. during the conference, i began to learn about different organizations that promoted indigenous scientists. this led to a path where i am currently in my academic career. not only did this program focus on traditional ecological knowledge, but it broke me free from the negative connotations of research within indigenous communities. after this incredible experience, i decided to apply to graduate school so that i could contribute to the science benefiting indigenous communities.

i was introduced to agrivoltaics (av) through my recent internship which took me to the navajo nation. i had been seeking out an internship that would allow me to work within a tribal nation as none of my previous internships had allowed me to. i was unfamiliar with the topic, but i was interested in the program that was presented to me. i learned that av is an emerging innovative agricultural system that places photovoltaic (pv) panels within existing agricultural areas and vice versa. it is an integrated agricultural and energy production system that enhances water conservation and is the very definition of what is known as a food, energy, and water nexus.

during this program, i had the opportunity to work at an agricultural experiment station. i worked closely with the research director who made me aware of opportunities with a new graduate program they were offering. my mentor at the time had wanted to place sheep under the pv panels but i expressed my interest in traditional agriculture practices like intercropping to begin the project. so began my journey into av systems and the three sisters garden system.  

being able to make contributions back to society in a way that promotes indigenous knowledge is one thing, having a project that allows me to go directly into tribal communities and promote localized community growth is another. on the navajo nation, it is fairly well known that a significant number of households are not connected to any kind of grid. understanding that av contributes to built environment as off-grid av systems will greatly benefit remote communities and give them opportunities to power additional agricultural infrastructure such as greenhouses.

when discussing av and how it contributes to built environment with my research director, kevin lombard, ph. d., professor of horticulture at the new mexico state university (nmsu) agricultural science center at farmington; stated that “there is increased interest in urban built environments and having greenhouses closer to consumers.” he then went into how the greenhouses are essentially closed systems and mentioned, “combining that with solar panels to artificial lighting or supplemental lighting makes a lot of sense”. not only will av systems make energy available to agricultural equipment, but they will also have the opportunity to make beneficial use of the land under the pv panels. giving community members the knowledge of how to manage the space under the panels will allow them to grow different crops.

one thing the pandemic exposed was our need for food sovereignty and increased localization of resources. part of my graduate research project is to use the energy produced to support an off-grid greenhouse; this encourages me to continue to push the topic of incorporating indigenous agricultural practices that will contribute to the sustainable component of a controlled environment system. israel joukhdar, a senior research scientist at nmsu college of agricultural, consumer, and environmental sciences, stated “that’s the great thing about building for the future, it’s not that we have to totally transform and tear down all our buildings and do all this stuff, but doing very small things can make a huge change […] a small change goes a long way”. av systems create microenvironments under the pv panels because of the shade that is created. through the microenvironments, we are combating climate change and preventing the degradation of land through smaller built environment systems. 

with the integration of western science into indigenous knowledge as a way to enhance thousands of years of research with the modern infrastructure of today, av shows promise as a component in the efforts to mitigate climate change. the understanding of symbiotic relationships is essential to assisting in rebuilding the environment and increasing the nexus between food, energy, and water to conserve and restore resources. adapting to both forms of scientific knowledge is leading research and i am thankful my culture and upbringing have allowed me to assist in the science that will benefit the work being done. awh’ho

in the heart of panama’s lush landscapes and vibrant cultures, a narrative of resilience and transformation unfolds. here, amidst the rich tapestry of indigenous communities – the guna, emberá, wounaan, bri bri, naso tjërdi, and bokota – a story of empowerment emerges, transcending the confines of mere survival.

once bound by the chains of generational poverty and subsistence living, these communities stood at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. it was in this dynamic juncture that my organization, empower natives, ignited a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a partner in their journey towards sustainable progress.

i founded empower natives to uplift indigenous communities in panama and address their challenges such as extreme poverty and lack of access to resources.

amidst the rustling palms and ancestral whispers, empower natives embarked on a transformative quest. they didn’t arrive with ready-made solutions but embraced a vision founded on respect, cultural understanding, and collaboration. they listened intently to the wisdom of elders and the dreams of the youth, recognizing that true empowerment blossoms from within.

with innovation as their compass, empower natives introduced a symphony of change. they facilitated workshops on entrepreneurship, gently guiding these communities to see their agricultural endeavors not merely as subsistence but as thriving businesses. digital tablets, augmented reality, and tailored training became the tools paving the path toward economic empowerment and technological adaptation.

but empower natives didn’t stop there. they recognized that progress must weave through the fabric of tradition, not sever it. cultural preservation became intertwined with each initiative, celebrating age-old wisdom while embracing contemporary innovation.

the narrative shifted – from the struggle to survive to the empowerment to thrive. economic landscapes flourished; traditional knowledge found synergy with modern practices; communities stood taller, brimming with newfound confidence.

today, the once-forgotten whispers of these indigenous communities echo louder. empower natives, hand-in-hand with the communities they serve, have redefined the narrative. it’s no longer about surviving; it’s about thriving. they’ve sparked a movement where ancient wisdom meets innovation, where subsistence living transcends into sustainable development, and where empowerment paves the way for a brighter, more promising tomorrow.

picture a young chimp, once subjected to the horrors of captivity and the whims of the pet trade, now swinging confidently through trees, a sign of restored freedom. imagine the camaraderie among rescued gorillas as they form close-knit bonds, reminiscent of their wild counterparts. these snapshots of triumph over adversity paint a canvas of hope for biodiversity.

in the heart of cameroon’s wild expanse, a chorus of life echoes through the trees of mefou park, located south of the country’s center region, bearing witness to an extraordinary tale of compassion and resilience. at the helm of this story stands ape action africa, an organization that is at the frontline of forest and biodiversity conservation, working to rewrite the fate of endangered primates orphaned by the sinister illegal bushmeat and pet trades. with a steadfast commitment to conservation, they’re not only saving lives, but changing the narrative of biodiversity preservation.

as the sun rises over the horizon, the sanctuary comes to life with a symphony of sounds, resounding tales of resilience, and second chances. sights and trails greet visitors fortunate enough to step into this haven. among the towering trees and lush foliage reside the voices of survival, the beating hearts of almost 300 rescued primates. chimpanzees, gorillas, and small monkeys are given a new chance on life, nestled within the protective embrace of ape action africa, a stark contrast to the horrors they’ve endured. 

“for every individual who is found, rescued and brought here, it is estimated that up to 10 adults died in the wild, with whole families being wiped out to supply the illegal bushmeat trade. and this is not just a cameroonian problem. it is an international problem,” communications coordinator at ape action africa, jo gaweda said.

she stressed the need to protect gorillas, which are classified as an endangered species by the international union for conservation of nature.

growing challenges in ape conservation

gaweda spoke of their close collaboration with the cameroonian government through the ministry of forestry and wildlife, where the ministry confiscates the orphans and hands them over to ape action africa to bond with a new family. 

“this is our 27th year of operation,” she said, a testament to their enduring commitment. however, she expressed a deep concern that “we do not want to be growing, but every year we receive more orphans, meaning we have to build more forest enclosures for individuals who have been taken from their natural home – the wild.” she suggested that their growth is not by design, rather necessity as each year ushers in a new wave of orphans and drives them to build more enclosures and secure additional funding to ensure these innocent lives are safeguarded.

powered by community and solar energy

amidst the heartwarming tales of rescue, the innovative use of solar-powered electric fences shines through as visitors tour the sanctuary. ape action africa’s embrace of sustainable technology underscores their commitment to preserving both the lives of primates and the planet. these solar powered fences portray cutting-edge solutions to energy challenges such as access to electricity. 

ape action africa’s impact extends beyond enclosures and energy sources. their reach is felt through the hearts and minds of local communities. the organization’s dedication to empowering locals and alleviating poverty is revealed in gaweda’s words. 

“we employ over 50 local cameroonian staff members and much of the food we provide for the primates is purchased from local farmers,” gaweda said. the international union of forest research organizations has recommended that in an effort to alleviate poverty, governmental policies should not only focus on agriculture, infrastructure, and cash transfers, among others, but also take into consideration the role of forests.

ape action africa also amplifies their conservation efforts through educational programs where their staff members visit local schools and teach the children about conservation, igniting the flames of awareness on the invaluable role these species (primates) play as the “gardeners of the forests,” gaweda stated. she further explains that by educating the younger generation to preserve forests, we preserve biodiversity.   

this transformative education sets the cornerstone for building a future where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. forests are not only home to more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and a force in tackling climate change, they also intersect with livelihoods by providing food and medicine to more than 1 billion people.

a hopeful future for cameroon’s apes

as the sun sets over the sanctuary, it casts a warm glow of hope for primates as they see the engraving on ape action africa’s wall. 

“for those who made it to mefou, you are safe now. for those who sit, waiting, imprisoned, we will find you. for those who live wild and free, we will keep you there.” 

despite all the conservation efforts, gaweda still strongly believes that “in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need sanctuaries. i’d be happier if the animals we rescue had been able to stay in the wild. at ape action africa, we try to create a semi-wild space where our rescued primates can live in new family groups in a forested environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.”

the organization doesn’t just rescue and care for primates, they nurture a legacy of compassion and resilience that connects different worlds. according to gaweda, “we receive a good number of both national and international visitors at the sanctuary every day,” inviting everyone to play a part in primate conservation. 

after spending a few years in cameroon, gaweda, a british national, affirmed that “cameroon has an incredible natural heritage worthy of protection.”

at a time when conservation and climate are topical as the world struggles to reach zero carbon emissions, ape action africa emerges as a beacon of hope. through their efforts, they are not just saving primates, they are sowing the seeds of future harmony with nature. the sanctuary acts as a living classroom, where generations learn to coexist with wildlife.

“if the world cannot protect and save primates from extinction when they are so similar to us, then i don’t think there is much hope for other species,” gaweda said.

if you are interested in adopting one of the orphan primates, or want to help sustain the conservation efforts of ape action africa, visit www.apeactionafrica.org/donate to make a donation.