Power to the People

Pine Point Resilience Hub Starting in 2021, Akiing and 8th Fire Solar began a partnership with 10Power, a BIPOC and woman-owned solar company, and the Pine Point Elementary School to launch the ambitious Pine Point Resilience Hub. This project plans to address larger-scale energy poverty in the Pine Point community.

The Pine Point Community Resilience Hub will generate 809,068 kilowatt-hours of energy per year for a village currently facing economic challenges and will provide the community school with 100% of its electricity. This will completely negate the need to pay electric utility bills, which currently average around $71,600 and are paid to the Itasca Mantrap Cooperative. This project will also include backup batteries, ensuring the school and village have power during grid outages—an essential step to protect against harm caused by increasing blackouts during extreme weather events.

The project was installed in the fall of 2025, and is expected to provide the power fore the tribal school ! One of the project’s unique aspects is its use of solar panels made in Minnesota by Heliene in the Iron Range. Additionally, there is a strong commitment to training tribal members for both installation and maintenance, ensuring long-term sustainability and workforce development. The project was installed in October 2025, with hopes for a full connection and battery system by the end of the year. We have been working to negotiate a fair power purchase agreement with Itasca Mantrap Cooperative.