Over the past while, Boke Consulting has been privileged to help out with some initiatives undertaken by Aki Energy. Aki is a non-profit First Nations social enterprise that provides training, employment, and green economic development opportunities on First Nations.
Some of the initiatives include:
- figuring out renewable energy heating alternatives in Northands Dënesųłiné First Nation, on Lac Brochet
- finding out if biomass is a feasible option for heating non-residential buildings on three other First Nations communities
- exploring ways to integrate northern communities into Manitoba’s waste recycling programs
- exploring ways to expand vehicle salvage operations in communities accessible only by winter roads
Community Energy Plans
One of the most active initiatives is the development and implementation of community energy plans for three diesel-dependent First Nations in northern Manitoba.
More detailed versions of these plans are also available:
- Barren Lands Community Energy Plan
- Northlands Dënesųłiné Community Energy Plan
- Sayisi Dene Community Energy Plan
These plans were built on even-more-detailed analyses. Two of the key components:
- residential energy and water audits conducted by prairieHOUSE Performance
- an optimization analyses to determine the mix of energy systems that will best meet each community’s electricity and heat needs conducted by SofWhite60
- (more are available from Aki Energy)
In every case, we have three goals:
- find solutions to energy and “waste” problems that are both environmentally and financially sustainable for which you may need to hire an expert Accounting.
- create local jobs.
- build local green economies.
The Northlands project is underway, as is the vehicle salvage initiative. The other two are in feasibility studies. Even at these early stages, it is clear that many, many opportunities exist where all three of these goals can be achieved simultaneously.
You can find out more about Aki Energy here.