Bad River Microgrid – Ishkonige Nawadide “It catches Fire”
-In 2016 the Bad River Tribe experience a 500 year flood that would devastate tribal and surrounding infrastructure and communities. Utility outages eliminated critical infrastructure from being used and roadways were flooded over cutting communities off from each other.
-In response the Tribe revisited emergency planning and development and
installed over 500 kW of solar with over 1000 kWh of battery storage at three critical facilities located in the Odanah Community: The Chief Blackbird Administration Building, Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the Health &Wellness Center (H&WC).
-These microgrids are being used primarily for resiliency and as examples that solar works and can provide clean back-up power when needed. The systems were completed and fully commissioned by the Tribe in May of 2021.
Solar Street lights
-23 solar powered Street Lights were installed on Birch Hill in spring of 2025. These LEDs in these solar lights will last 20 years before needing to be replaced.
– With no operating costs and a continuous supply of light even in the event of power outages, these lights will provide visibility and security to the Birch Hill community.
