Clean energy developers face policy headwinds and financing challenges across Washington. Yet in an often-overlooked corner of the market, momentum is building: tribal nations are positioning themselves as leaders in clean energy and energy sovereignty.

In this episode of Critical Path, host John Engel speaks with Bob Blake, executive director of the nonprofit Native Sun and founder of Solar Bear, about his journey from personal tragedy to clean energy entrepreneurship—and the movement that is reshaping energy and economic opportunity for tribal communities.

The episode also showcases a unique partnership between Native Sun and OATI to bring electric vehicle charging to tribal nations, which serves as a gateway to electrification, resilience, and new revenue streams tied to the global data center boom.

From personal loss to climate leadership

Blake’s story begins with a deeply personal turning point: the death of his brother and his decision to raise his nieces and nephews. “This unbelievable protective feeling came over me,” Blake recalls, and it sparked his determination to fight climate change for the sake of the next generation.

That determination led him to found Solar Bear, a clean energy developer, and later Native Sun, a nonprofit focused on advancing renewable energy projects in tribal communities. What began as grief transformed into a mission: “I can’t just advocate for something. I have to build something.”

Clean energy as public health

Blake argues that clean energy is about far more than climate goals. It is a direct response to a human health crisis in tribal communities, one he ties to poverty. Renewable projects, he says, can provide:

  • Workforce and economic development
  • Purpose and opportunity for tribal citizens
  • A circular economy that reduces dependency on external forces 

This reframes solar, storage, and EV infrastructure not only as climate solutions but as tools for addressing systemic inequities in health and economic outcomes.

Electric Nation and OATI

Out of protests against pipeline projects came a new vision: Electric Nation. Blake and Native Sun pursued federal grants to deploy EV charging stations across tribal nations, reframing infrastructure development as a form of sovereignty. “If they’re going to build pipelines, then we can build an EV charging pipeline.”

The initiative was awarded significant federal funding, earning recognition from the Biden administration. Native Sun partnered with OATI to expand the project’s scope. While Native Sun organizes deployment and engagement with tribes, OATI provides the technology backbone—EV charging infrastructure, smart charging software, and installation. This positions tribes to ultimately take advantage of electrification, resilience, and independence benefits from microgrids, renewable generation, and wholesale energy markets.

Together, Native Sun and OATI are laying the foundation for a scalable tribal energy platform, one that begins with charging infrastructure but could evolve into power pooling and trading among sovereign nations.

A trillion-dollar opportunity

Blake highlights the contrast between tribal gaming and energy: “We tribal people are in the gaming business. That’s a billion-dollar industry. We need to be in the energy business. That’s a trillion-dollar industry.”

With access to land, transmission, and site control, tribes are attracting interest from data center developers and other energy-intensive industries seeking faster, more flexible interconnection. This positions tribes not only as customers but as potential suppliers of wholesale power and partners in large-scale energy projects, where OATI’s expertise in secure, flexible energy platforms is a critical enabler.

Healing communities with clean and reliable power

At its core, Blake frames clean energy as a path toward healing:

  • Healing the environment
  • Healing the relationship between people and land
  • Healing social challenges through economic opportunity 

“What I’m really trying to do is fight a human health crisis… and I believe renewable energy can cure this problem,” he explained.

This philosophy underpins his call for collaboration, urging others to start their own “Solar Bears” and build on the momentum Native Sun and OATI have created.

Key takeaways

  • Energy sovereignty is gaining traction: Tribes are leveraging land, transmission, and federal funding to build infrastructure.
  • Partnership with OATI is pivotal: Together with Native Sun, OATI provides the technology and scalability to expand tribal projects into microgrids and wholesale markets.
  • Economic development and public health are primary drivers: Climate goals are vital, but near-term community outcomes remain the focus.
  • Electric Nation illustrates scalable pathways: EV charging networks can evolve into microgrids and new revenue opportunities, like data center development and energy market integration.
  • Collaboration is essential: Tribes, developers, and technology providers must align to unlock the trillion-dollar opportunity in energy.

Looking ahead

The story of Native Sun, Solar Bear, and OATI demonstrates how tribal leadership in clean energy is redefining sovereignty, resilience, and opportunity. What begins with EV chargers on tribal land can evolve to tribes improving utility relationships, unlocking resilience through microgrids, and trading power on wholesale markets.

For utilities, regulators, and technology partners, the lesson is clear: collaboration with tribal nations—backed by proven technology platforms like OATI’s—is not just a moral imperative but a strategic opportunity in the energy transition.