Construction to Proceed on the First Native American Owned and Operated Large-Scale Wind Turbine

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Construction to Proceed on the First Native American Owned and Operated Large-Scale Wind Turbine

NativeEnergy to purchase renewable energy credits

SOUTH DAKOTA, ROSEBUD AND NORTH FERRISBURGH, May. 7 -/E-Wire/-- The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council and NativeEnergy today announced the completion of an agreement that will bring critical financial support that will allow the Tribe to proceed with construction on its first large-scale wind turbine, which has been stalled over the past year due to funding uncertainties. Tribal officials see this first turbine as a start of an economic development initiative that will bring a vital industry to the reservation, and they will position this first unit as a "show horse" with an educational mission.

William Kindle, President of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe said, "We have spent many years studying our wind resource and planning our first wind turbine installation, and are pleased that the combination of the Tribe's efforts, NativeEnergy customer support and special assistance from the DOE, will allow us to construct this first wind turbine."

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is enthusiastically pursuing a plan to tap a virtual ocean of energy that consistently blows across the Great Plains, and sees wind farm development as a way to drive economic development without polluting the earth. This project was initiated through the vision of the Rosebud Utility Commission as the first step in the provision of clean energy at a competitive cost to meet tribal community needs and also to access off-reservation markets. This initial turbine has been assisted by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and a loan through the Rural Utilities Services, associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"The tremendous wind resources of the northern Great Plains have many Indian tribes looking at utility scale renewable energy generation as a "no-regrets" sustainable homeland economic development strategy, with a positive impact on CO2 emission reduction. And the Rosebud Wind Project is leading the way in bringing tribal utility scale wind power on line." Pat Spears, President, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy.

Under a long term agreement, NativeEnergy will purchase renewable energy credits â known as "green tags" â that will be generated by the wind turbine over its operating lifetime. NativeEnergy will use the green tags, including their associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions, to provide emission offset services to individuals and businesses through its WindBuilderssm programs. Participation in these programs help build new wind farms and reduce the CO2 emissions that cause global warming. By joining WindBuilderssm, individuals and businesses can have the same impact on global warming as powering and heating their homes and businesses entirely with wind-generated energy.

"We are very pleased to take this first step with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and fully share their optimism regarding the future benefits that the Tribe will realize as they expand their participation in the renewable energy market," said Tom Boucher, President & CEO of NativeEnergy. "This is a great example of how the purchase of green tags allows individuals and businesses throughout the U.S. to help build a wind project that can take advantage of a high wind resource to displace high CO2 emitting energy generation on the local power grid."

The largest industrial source of CO2 emissions is burning fossil fuels to generate electricity. The U.S. is the world's single largest source of CO2 emissions. Building new wind farms fights global warming by reducing the amount of electricity otherwise needed from power plants that burn fossil fuels. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe Wind Farm will be interconnected through Cherry Todd Electric to one of the highest CO2 emitting utility systems in the U.S., due to the high level of coal-fired generation that is normally relied upon. This will maximize the environmental benefits associated with the wind farm by boosting the amount of CO2 emissions reduced for each kWh of wind energy generated.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe Wind Farm will initially consist of one 750 kilowatt (kW) NEG Micon wind turbine. The turbine will stand atop a 170 foot tubular tower and have three blades, spanning a diameter of 150 feet. The average wind speed at the site is estimated to be 17.9 mph at a 155 feet above ground, and the initial turbine is expected to produce about 2,400,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each year, enough to match the energy required by about 200 homes. Construction is expected to commence this summer with commercial operation by fall. Rosebud is working with Disgen, Inc., the developer of this project, on longer term plans for further development of the wind farm under a 100% Tribal ownership structure.

About the Rosebud Sioux Tribe The present day members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe are the descendants of the Sicangu Oyate (Brule or Burnt Thighs Nation). The Sicangu are a part of the Titonwan Lakota Oyate (Dwellers of the Plains), more commonly known to history as the Great Sioux Nation. The people of the Sioux Nation, from west to east, refer to themselves as Lakota, Nakota or Dakota which means friend or ally. The expansive, rolling prairies, the shallow, winding rivers, and the ever-present winds that annually average about 18 miles per hour, are all integral parts of the continuing history, culture and remaining economic base upon which the Lakota people who call the Rosebud home depend. Today, the Sicangu have begun to look to the inexhaustible energy of the Four Winds upon which to build an ecologically sustainable future in their traditional homeland for their generations to come. William "Willie" Kindle, President, and Vernon "Ike" Schmidt, Vice President, are the official elected representatives of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. For additional information please contact Mr. Ronald Neiss, president or Mr. Rod Bordeaux, vice president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Utility Commission at [REDACTED-PHONE] or via the internet at: [REDACTED-EMAIL] and [REDACTED-EMAIL] About NativeEnergy Founded in 2000 and based in North Ferrisburgh, Vermont, NativeEnergy offers individuals and businesses everywhere simple, effective and verifiable ways to fight climate change. NativeEnergy's patent-pending WindBuilderssm programs enable concerned Americans to help finance the construction of new wind farms and other renewable energy projects that directly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to meet the nation's electricity needs. For more information, call [REDACTED-PHONE] or visit www.nativeenergy.com

The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council and NativeEnergy

Rosebud Sioux Tribe Utility Commission: Rod Bordeaux, (605) 747-4097, [REDACTED-EMAIL];

NativeEnergy: Tom Boucher, (800) 924-6826

http://www.nativeenergy.com

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