From Fort Severn to Whitehorse: Community‑Led Clean Energy at RIRC 2025

At the Renewables in Remote Communities Conference (RIRC 2025), speakers such as our own Charles Lewthwaite of Hedgehog Technologies alongside Graham Lovely, partner at MCW, highlighted the critical role of Indigenous energy sovereignty in remote renewables. Community‑led projects differ from conventional urban-based models by placing decision‑making power and ownership directly with the community, fueling stronger engagement, reliability, and economic benefits.

Why Community Leadership Matters

When Indigenous communities guide renewable projects, the outcomes extend beyond reduced diesel use and lower emissions. Local direction fosters pride of ownership, ensuring diligent operation and inspiring future expansions. In Fort Severn, this approach enabled a 300kW solar microgrid that cuts up to 400,000 L of diesel annually and creates local maintenance opportunities.

Building Trust and Partnerships

Successful collaborations begin with listening. Early design phases in Fort Severn prioritized face to face leadership to engineer discussions and community meetings rather than pre‑packaged plans and remote presentations. Consistent follow‑through on commitments—such as hiring local crews and adjusting design based on community input—cemented long‑term trust. This foundation of reliability carried the project through logistical challenges, from winter‑road transport to technical adjustments.

Aligning Engineering with Local Priorities

Effective project planning leverages local land‑use knowledge and community goals. Fort Severn leaders identified priorities—housing, economics, fuel reduction, reliability, youth training—and guided array placement and construction timing accordingly. Co‑creating solutions ensured that technical designs fit cultural and environmental contexts, reinforcing the community’s confidence in renewable systems.

Supporting Energy Sovereignty

Energy sovereignty requires community‑driven planning, tailored microgrids, and capacity‑building. The government investment in communities exemplifies this model, funding not only the solar installation but ongoing mentorship and integration with local utilities. Ensuring community control over governance, operations, and future expansions is central to sovereignty.

Key Lessons for New Practitioners

1. Listen First: Ground designs in local values and knowledge.
2. Earning Trust Takes Time: Demonstrate reliability through clear, consistent commitments.
3. Co‑Create: Involve community members at every decision point.
4. Stay Flexible: Adapt schedules and designs to cultural protocols and logistical constraints.
5. Commit Long Term: Provide training, follow‑up support, and mentorship beyond commissioning.

By prioritizing collaboration, professionalism, and lasting partnerships, engineers and policymakers can support Indigenous communities in achieving true energy self‑determination, transforming remote renewable projects into engines of resilience and economic opportunity.

Read about MCW’s impact and how they deliver renewable solutions.