At Wóžu on the Standing Rock Reservation, restoring buffalo is part of a larger commitment to restoring relationships, with the land, with culture, and with one another. Now, renewable energy is helping strengthen the infrastructure that supports that work.
Phase one of the Buffalo Sun Project is complete. The solar panels were unveiled during the inaugural People of the Sun gathering in September 2026, marking a milestone for a partnership rooted in energy sovereignty, food sovereignty, and community resilience.
For Wóžu, an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, the project supports a vision that extends far beyond a single installation. Wóžu means “to grow,” and its work connects buffalo restoration with land regeneration, education, cultural engagement, and opportunities for the community.
Powering the Work Already Underway
Before the Buffalo Sun Project, Wóžu’s buffalo barn had no electricity. That made the daily work of caring for the herd more difficult and limited what the facility could support.
Indigenized Energy partnered with Wóžu, Tribal Energy Alternatives, SolarEdge, and Lightspring to help change that. The project’s overall design calls for approximately 30 kW of solar generation and 40 kWh of battery storage, alongside improvements to the barn and surrounding infrastructure.
The completed solar installation is an important first step. The next phase will include further barn upgrades, continuing the effort to create a safer, more functional facility for the people caring for the buffalo.
The broader project is designed to support lighting, equipment, refrigeration, and critical buffalo care operations. Reliable energy can help protect valuable food resources, reduce reliance on generators, and strengthen Wóžu’s ability to serve the community.
“When you do projects like the one we have with the Buffalo Sun, you have to do it with people that you trust,” said Dave Archambault II, founder of Wóžu.
A Lasting Investment Beyond the Gathering
The September unveiling brought the Buffalo Sun Project into the People of the Sun gathering as a tangible example of what partnership can make possible.
As the gathering’s legacy community investment, the project reflects a commitment to leave behind infrastructure that continues serving Standing Rock long after attendees return home.
“Seeing the panels installed at Wóžu brings this work back to what matters: supporting people who are already doing something important for their community,” said Cody Two Bears, founder and CEO of Indigenized Energy. “This first phase gives us something to build on. As we move forward with improvements to the barn, we’re strengthening the foundation for Wóžu’s buffalo program and the generations who will carry it forward.”
Building Skills Alongside Infrastructure
The Buffalo Sun Project also reflects Indigenized Energy’s approach to building local capacity alongside renewable energy systems.
Working with local contractors and tribal colleges creates opportunities for Indigenous workers to gain hands-on experience. Each installation can become a place to learn, helping the knowledge needed to build and maintain energy systems remain in the community.
At Wóžu, people from Standing Rock have helped bring the project to life. That local involvement builds skills, pride, and a direct connection between the infrastructure and the community it serves.
Tribal Energy Alternatives provided critical grant support through its Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund. SolarEdge contributed inverter technology, battery systems, and specialty components, helping advance the project through a combination of funding, equipment, and collaboration.
With phase one complete, the partners are working toward further barn improvements and the next stage of investment in Wóžu’s facility.
The goal is to strengthen the conditions that allow the buffalo program—and the people behind it—to thrive. That means infrastructure that supports daily care, protects community resources, and creates room for education, employment, and cultural programming to grow.
The Buffalo Sun Project shows what energy sovereignty can look like in practice: a community advancing its own priorities, with renewable energy helping make that work more resilient.
Watch the Buffalo Sun Project video below to hear from the people bringing this vision to life, and explore photos from the September unveiling.
To help support the next phase at Wóžu or projects like it, connect with Indigenized Energy. Together, we can strengthen community-led solutions for generations to come.