ASU, UA projects receive Resilient Energy Economics initiative grants

A University of Arizona professor is the recipient of one of 22 grants from the Resilient Energy Economies initiative. His work is intended to help fossil fuel dependent communities develop strategies to diversify their economies.

Associate professor Andrew Curley studies energy development and production on tribal nations. His research seeks to understand the unique challenges tribal communities face as energy production moves away from fossil fuels to clean energy alternatives.

For example, Curley has studied the economic impact and social costs of closures of the Kayenta Mine and the Navajo Generating Station in northern Arizona.

“I think most of us on the project, most of us that are working as a team of researchers recognize that tribal nations are important stakeholders in energy questions and are not often at the forefront of national discourse of energy transition," he said.

Curley says that when utilities move from one energy source to another, the impact on people on the production side in tribal communities is often overlooked.

An Arizona State University professor is also a recipient.

ASU professor Amanda Ormond says her research revolves around coming up with a funding formula for communities that rely on coal plants and depend on them for jobs.

“These plants are all going to close and we wanted to research what's been done in other states and other regions and with other industries so that we could recommend a funding formula that could be implemented in the state of Arizona," she said.

Ormond says several counties, ranging from Apache County to Navajo County, will be "decimated" as a result of the closures.