Jun 14 2024 26 mins
Mihskakwan James Harper, a proud citizen of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8, Alberta, is passionate about energy storage and how this technology can support decarbonizing the grid and offer opportunities for meaningful engagement with Indigenous people and economic reconciliation for First Nations and Indigenous communities.
“If we're going to reimagine our grid, if we're going to get to net zero and we need to make investments left, right and center to get to net zero, there's also an opportunity to be on the same pathway towards economic reconciliation if we do it properly.”
On this episode of Plugged In, James shares his vision for what an energy transition could look like if we get it right and how kinship and identify support his joy, motivation, and work in the sector.
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“We won’t reach our climate target goals unless we meaningfully empower Indigenous people into these spaces. And I don’t mean just folks like me, for example, Indigenous people working in the industry, which is valuable enough already, but I’m talking about Indigenous folks being a part of climate policy, Indigenous people being a part of electricity system planning, and even involved in conservation. There’s a lot of teachings, a lot of knowledge that Indigenous people of their own territories have and are so valuable, especially in a time like now. ”
Currently the business development manager at NRSTOR Inc., James champions developing large scale energy storage and clean microgrid projects in a way that empowers communities and contributes to meaningful climate action.
James is a part of the SevenGen council, an organization that develops and leads programs for Indigenous youth to lead in clean energy and climate action, he co-hosts the podcast Decolonizing Power, a series that aims to amplify voices worldwide on how clean energy enables authentic community empowerment and he is also on the Boards of the Pembina Institute and Indigenous Clean Energy.
