"Let's look to the past and learn so we can figure out what we need to do for the future," said Dr. Monica Mayer, a tribal councilwoman for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, at a Nov. 5, 2022, panel discussion focused on geothermal energy possibilities for the tribal nation.
That statement weighs heavy in an area where past injustices are too numerous to list. These injustices include the loss of nearly all tribal lands, partially for the sake of what was then called "energy progress" when the area was flooded in the 1950s from the creation of the Garrison Dam.
"The major transition in energy we are facing is a chance to correct the mistakes of the past," said panelist Brian Tande, dean of the College of Engineering and Mines at the University of North Dakota. "We make better decisions when we involve more people with diverse perspectives."
Students from the University of North Dakota (UND) and Reykjavik University team "UND Geothermal Vision" are attempting to do just that. The second-place winners of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC) hosted the November 2022 event to bring their geothermal ideas to the community, seeking input and dialogue.
"What we go to in the future is exactly what you are doing today," Dr. Mayer said to the students. "You come out to the community, you talk to the people, you tell them what your ideas are, you let them know how you are going to be respectful of culture, tradition, way of life, and help us keep our land, air, and water clean and not take advantage of us. That is called meaningful tribal consultation."
The team came in second place for their design of a combined heat and power geothermal system for the city of New Town, North Dakota, which is located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The team used extensive preexisting geological information from oil and gas exploration in the area to design a system that could heat and power an entire district, including the possibility for greenhouses and aquaculture efforts.
Propane, which can rise in cost exponentially during the cold winters, is the current heating source for the town of nearly 3,000 people. There are no natural gas utilities in the service area, despite the recent increase in extraction of shale gas across the local Williston Basin. These economic pressures have led to a greater desire in the community to switch fuel sources.
"We want to thank the MHA Nation," said Jessica Eagle-Bluestone, a recent graduate of UND with a master's in energy systems engineering and one of the 17,107 enrolled members of the MHA Nation. "We went through the tribal council to request the proper resolutions for different aspects of the project; getting the tribe's consent and support was pivotal."
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