Renewable Rebirth: Indigenous Workforce Development In Renewable Energy End-Of-Life Management

Our project, entitled “Renewable Rebirth”, seeks to address solar installation decommission, a neglected stage in the solar panel life cycle. This under-addressed stage entails the dismantling and disposal or recycling of solar panels at the end of their lifecycle, a process with immensely significant environmental and economic implications. We are particularly concerned with the proliferation of illegal dumping on the lands of our tribe, the Osage Nation, as a result of this neglect.

Illegal dumping is a major issue for our community, as 200,000 pounds of illegally disposed trash were removed from Osage County between 2017 and 2020. Local authorities reported they received 275 calls, issued 186 warnings and citations, and shut down two unpermitted dump sites throughout this period (Pawhuska Journal-Capital). Our efforts center on the responsible removal of improperly-disposed solar technology which makes up a sizable portion of this waste.

The existing decommissioning process for solar panels presents several challenges which explain why many companies choose environmentally dangerous, economically illogical, and sometimes even illegal methods for disposing of solar waste. 

Technologically, the recycling process is complicated by the variety of materials used in their construction. This complexity threatens the possibility of efficiently separating and recovering high-value materials, hindering recycling efforts and halting the potential economic incentives which would benefit surrounding communities. In fact, Cleanpower.org notes that 85% of all such waste are substances like glass and metal that can be recycled. These statistics have led RYSTAD Energy’s estimation that there is a $3 billion value in panels decommissioned from now to 2030 and another $80 billion by 2050.

From a regulatory perspective, the absence of comprehensive national standards for decommissioning threatens the potential for a unified approach to addressing solar waste. In the United States, many solar decommissioning regulations are relegated to local jurisdictions, while others are state-specific – producing further complications for Indigenous communities that often live under the jurisdiction of the federal government. This is especially problematic when considering the sheer mass of the solar panels that exist in the US – currently numbered at five million tons, but expected to rise to nine by 2030 (IRENA). In conjunction, solar panels have a lifespan of 25-30 years, which promises that by 2050 an additional 10 million tons of panels will meet their retirement age (DSIRE Insight). These numbers not only promise an immediate concern regarding decommission, but an existential, exponential issue over the coming decades.

Without regulatory support, further logistical challenges are produced in the collection and transportation of decommissioned panels to recycling facilities. These logistical and technical challenges are further exacerbated by issues of environmental racism, where landfills and other environmentally toxic dumping groups are disproportionately located on or near Indigenous reservations. 

Addressing these challenges necessitates a concerted effort from policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers to develop standardized, efficient, and sustainable practices for solar decommissioning. This includes investing in research and development for advanced recycling technologies, establishing clear regulatory frameworks, and promoting industry collaboration to streamline the decommissioning process. 

Our intervention into the set of problems outlined above is a revolution of the decommissioning process of legacy solar assets through the inclusion of Indigenous communities into the life cycle of solar infrastructure. This manifests in the implementation of cutting-edge technological innovations and the preservation of Indigenous ancestral knowledges marrying career training, upgraded recycling infrastructure, educational toolkits, and entrepreneurial support with Indigenous leadership and sovereignty. These innovations center Indigenous control of renewable energy systems in the sustainability industry, an industry that sees just 1% of its employees identify as Indigenous.

The first dimension of our solution is the establishment of a recycling center on Osage land, which would double as a sustainability incubator and training center. Utilizing our team partner Righteous Gambit’s innovative technologies, we support the entrepreneurial endeavors of Indigenous communities. Righteous Gambit’s software-based application leverages artificial intelligence to organize and automate the formation of teaming partnerships and identifies ongoing opportunities for community members. Their platform distributes extensive educational content regarding sustainable practices which will train community members with new skills, ensuring understanding and adoption of recycling practices. The creation of several hundred hours of educational content and extensive application buildout have already occurred to ensure web security is optimized for our efforts. Our project continues the long tradition of Indigenous folk being at the forefront of environmental protection and stewardship taking full advantage of generations of Indigenous wisdom and the deep relationships our people have nurtured with the land. Our solution constructs a foundation for further innovations in the field of renewables which positions Indigenous communities across the US as leaders of a new stage of environmental protection. This takes the form of engaging and integrating Indigenous communities into the broader recycling supply chain and ensuring equitable access and economic benefits from the energy recycling industry. This will manifest as partnerships with manufacturers, recyclers, and other key stakeholders. It is essential for us to put the control of these sustainability projects in the hands of Indigenous communities to ensure Indigenous sovereignty over an industry that is only increasing in relevance. 

Alongside this traditional wisdom, we employ PV Circonomy’s automated, waterless mechanical separation technology for recycling solar panels as a basis for end-of-life expectations for the industry. This cutting-edge technology efficiently separates valuable materials from solar panels without using water, thereby reducing environmental impact and increasing the feasibility of recycling processes in water-scarce regions. It also ensures run-off risk is eliminated, ensuring that water supplies can be protected and ensures that we train our community members using the most environmentally-friendly, modern technology.

Our mission is to cultivate a recycling ecosystem that respects the Earth through Indigenous knowledge systems and environmentalisms, but empowers Indigenous communities with economic opportunities and job skills for a viable present and sustainable future. By launching targeted training programs and entrepreneurial incubators, we aim to position Indigenous communities at the center of the renewable energy recycling industry, ensuring their vital role in shaping an equitable, clean energy economy.

At the heart of our efforts is a deep dedication to Indigenous empowerment, sovereignty, and environmental innovation. "Renewable Rebirth" is not just a project, but a commitment to empowering Indigenous communities, fostering innovation, and leading a sustainable transition to a clean energy economy. 

Our project is motivated by the philosophy of what we call exponential scaling — a sustainable escalation from a local focus on our tribe, the Osage Nation, outward to a national context, and finally to a global movement. It is important for us to start with our ancestral home to heal the scars of our tribe’s historical reliance on oil, whose layered consequences have most recently been seen in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. In this way, our project is an approach toward healing the intergenerational trauma our people have faced on a communal scale and we as a part of this community have felt on an individual level. Illegal dumping poses a significant challenge for the Osage Nation, with an estimated 200,000 pounds of unlawfully discarded waste cleared from Osage County between 2017 and 2020. Furthermore, authorities responded to 275 calls, issued 116 written warnings, handed out 70 citations, and closed down two unlicensed dump sites operated by waste management companies. (Pawhuska Journal-Capital). Our efforts center on the removal of a sizable portion of this waste in the form of improperly-disposed solar technology.

We will leverage our experience at this local, personal level, to thoughtfully apply our process to Indigenous communities surrounding the Osage Nation, moving gradually outward from our ancestral home in an effort to incorporate the growth and healing of intertribal relationships as a meta-goal for Renewable Rebirth. Ayda Donne, an Osage member of our team, is currently working with the Ramapough nation of New Jersey whose fraught relationship with the Osage Nation is a perfect example of this. 

The Ramapough were once part of the larger Lenape nation, but as the Lenape were pushed from the East coast by colonial invaders, the Ramapough stayed behind in the hills of their home and were later subject to catastrophic environmental crisis due to illegal dumping by the Ford Motor Company. The Osage did not welcome the larger Lenape onto their land, causing rifts even in the Ramapough who still had loyalty and familial connection to the Lenape. Donne’s work with the Ramapough, which bridges the NYU Toxicology department with his expertise as a librarian and instructor of English Literature, consists of a combination of research toward ameliorating environmental damage and on-the-ground, community based activism (cooking classes, infographics, information sessions about a range of health issues that the Ramapough suffer from, etc). From this experience, Donne realized that a central ethos of our work should be about balancing an awareness and respect for myriad Indigenous traditions while also improving the social and political relationships between tribes in an effort to establish real community benefit for Indigenous folks within the United States.

Our teaming list, possessing experience spanning more than 35 years, will bring this project into fruition with your support. 

Our first team member is the Osage-owned Eighth Generation Consulting, with graduate professors from NYU and Wilmington University possessing published research and presentation experience as well as recognition by the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference for its Sustainability Planning and Indigenous collaboration and research. The Osage who run this organization offer a personal dedication to the cause, experience in professional and academic settings related to sustainability, and UN validation – a powerful evaluation of our work.

Secondly, EUCI, an accredited organization through IACET and ANSI, provides over 250 seminars and workshops annually that cover cutting edge research over the last 35 years. EUCI, along with our third team member, Righteous Gambit, Inc, an organization with experience working with Louisiana State University and LSU Cybersecurity Clinic and over 2 million total end users of their over 50 hours of video training footage, provide the educational infrastructure required for comprehensive career training. Additionally, Righteous Gambid has worked extensively with tribal-owned entities as a core mission of their organization, providing additional experience with respectfully and effectively serving these communities.

Fourthly, our team includes StraightUp Solar, the oldest solar company in Missouri, with over 2500 solar installations with experience in numerous racial and social justice initiatives. With a B Corp Certification, work with numerous solar Group Buy programs, webinar creations, media presentations, and the uplifting of rural solar organizations with minimal solar experience, we have consistent visibility on wide swaths of territory. This experience will map onto the effective implementation of our technology in the decommissioning process. Additionally, its membership in the Amicus Cooperative allows for rapid sharing and requesting of data and information.

Fifthly, Professor Saxon Metzger is a member of the Osage Nation and a preeminent expert in decommissioning and recycling of solar assets through NuLife Power, Green Clean Solar, and Eighth Generation Consulting. He is the creator of the first decommissioning calculator for commercial photovoltaic assets. He served as the Vice-Chair of the Sustainability Commission for the City of Carbondale and a mentor for Indigenous students with the American Indian Science and Education Society. Professor Metzger has worked on contract with Indigenous communities, Fortune 500 organizations, Tier 1 Research Universities, and governmental and non governmental agencies.

Lastly, Ayda Donne is the Chief Librarian of the International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma – the only digital resource center and library dedicated to the study and amelioration of intergenerational trauma with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. He is a PhD student and instructor at New York University.

Our proposal and teaming package was selected in March of 2024 as a winner of a $100,000 Community Energy Innovation Prize in Manufacturing as part of the American American Made Challenge series hosted by the US Department of Energy, administered in cooperation with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 

"Renewable Rebirth" is accurately designated at the Prototype stage as we are currently in the process of testing and refining our solution, which integrates Indigenous wisdom with the lifecycle management of renewable energy assets, particularly in the decommissioning and recycling of solar panels. This stage is characterized by the development and iterative improvement of our initial working model, supported by strategic industry partnerships that enhance our capabilities. Eighth Generation has developed initial agreements to offer project and construction management services to more than two dozen upcoming repowering and decommissioning projects, representing over 10 mW and some of the first decommissioning work at scale in the Midwest and Southeast, indicating that we're looking to take our prototype model for indigenous management of end of life for renewable energy and deploy it to study the market impact beyond our completed feasibility studies.

PV Circonomy: Contributing significantly to our prototype's development, PV Circonomy has engineered an innovative, waterless mechanical separation technology for recycling solar panels. Their prototype machine is central to our project, enabling the efficient separation of valuable materials from solar panels, which is crucial for validating the effectiveness and environmental compatibility of our recycling process during this pilot phase.

WeRecycle Solar: With their extensive experience in managing large-scale solar recycling operations, WeRecycle Solar handles the logistical aspects of our waste stream management. Their capacity to process hundreds of thousands of solar panels supports our ability to conduct broad-scale testing, ensuring our recycling efforts can be effectively scaled across multiple Indigenous communities in future phases.

These partnerships underscore the appropriateness of the Prototype stage for our project, as we leverage these technologies and capabilities to refine our recycling processes and training programs. Our current focus is on gathering feedback from pilot projects within the Osage Nation, using this input to make necessary adjustments and enhancements. This iterative process is essential for ensuring that our solution not only meets technical requirements but is also culturally attuned and economically beneficial for the Indigenous communities involved.

This stage of prototyping is critical as it allows us to address any challenges and optimize our approach before moving to a broader deployment phase. Our strategic partnerships provide the necessary foundation and support to advance from this initial stage to widespread implementation, aiming to significantly increase the number of beneficiaries and achieve a transformative impact in the renewable energy sector.

We are applying to SOLVE to access a network of experienced experts, a wide diversity of resources, and the opportunity to connect with other Indigenous entrepreneurs in a project of communal uplift and innovation. This program would open doors and create invaluable opportunities, allowing our team to “come to the table” and make truly revolutionary contributions to the field of renewable energy. The networking inherent to the SOLVE program will help us build the foundation for a range of cross-industry programs at the core of our mission, such as developing curriculum for Indigenous students, toolkits for regulatory and permitting authorities, and creating a sustainable system of job creation that will have lasting economic impacts to our tribe and others. 

Our existing teaming partners and funding can make a sizable change as we are, but the expansion that will become possible through SOLVE will allow us to take our initiative to the next level, rolling out a commercial space on Osage Nation land and constructing the foundation for further partnerships with Indigenous folk who share our set of missions. It is imperative we grow alongside other Indigenous thinkers and entrepreneurs, and this opportunity gives us the chance to connect with other changemakers to build relationships across tribal boundaries for the sake of an (inter)national Indigenous identity. It will also allow for our plan to create a mentorship program for Indigenous youth interested in the sustainability industry, eventually developing into a scholarship program when our initiative reaches a certain economic threshold. 

This aspect of our work is especially important to our team members Ayda Donne and Saxon Metzger, who were beneficiaries of educational scholarships through their tribe, the Osage Nation. This invaluable assistance during a critical juncture of their professional lives became a foundation for their careers and highlighted to them the importance of giving back to their communities which allowed for their training and education in the first place. A fundamental aspect of our work is the uplifting of other Indigenous entrepreneurs to create a network of innovators who find creative ways to work together, grow together, and do work for our communities together.  Partnering with an institution like MIT will not only do this, but give further credence to our project and encourage further industry-wide support. This respect given to diverse tribal contexts will set the foundation for relationships of mutual respect and collaboration between tribes that will ultimately manifest in additional collaborative relationships between tribal nations and even heal those that have been damaged throughout history. Projects such as this signal to Indigenous communities across the US and beyond that organizations like MIT care about them and their needs and we are dedicated to continuing to foster these relationships.

Our solution is innovative not only because it addresses a fundamentally unconsidered issue, but because our approach to decommissioning incorporates Indigenous communities at every stage of the process. Consequently, our solution doubles as both a career training program, bringing economic growth, new skills, and career directions to Indigenous communities, but also a method of giving Indigenous people a seat at the table of the sustainability industry. Their involvement will incorporate Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the creation of new solar technology, including our reimagined decommissioning process. Indigenous communities are at the cusp of becoming an integral part of the renewables energy. In a 2019 study of 35 tribes by the Department of Energy, 32 of 35 were exploring solar options for their communities. Our mission is to increase this number to touch upon as many of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the US as possible. 

While many falsely assume that environmentally-conscious energy solutions are not financially appealing, our approach to solar decommissioning is – taking advantage of what IRENA estimates is 78 million tons of solar panel waste by 2050 to turn a profit for surrounding Indigenous communities, an important mission given that while comprising only 5% of the global population, Indigenous communities represent nearly 15 percent of the world's impoverished individuals (International Fund for Agricultural Development, 2019). While we are investing long-term in our tribe and others through comprehensive job creation programs that ensure sustainable employment through the introduction of entirely new career paths, we are also offering immediate financial assistance to the tribe through the creation of construction, office, and educator jobs. In this way, our initiative starts from a curriculum and workforce development goal to a fundamental cultural shift to how we view renewable energy and decommissioning, continuing the long tradition of Indigenous folks at the forefront of environmentalist movements.

Finally, our project is innovative because of its sustainable approach to growth within tribes and between them. We are beginning our work in our tribal lands, then moving to nearby tribes, then moving continually outward. What this does is create a network of projects across tribal lines and manifests connections and communication channels between tribes, laying the foundation for further environmental and economic collaboration and an empowerment of the Indigenous national political identity.

We have created a network of professionals with skills well equipped to fundamentally change the process of solar decommissioning and are pursuing programs such as SOLVE to help us continue to grow this network. We are dedicated to expanding our reach to partners that allow us to uplift other Indigenous changemakers and have a rippling effect of positive impact across Indigenous nations. Our work fundamentally lays the foundation for an overall shift in the solar industry as well as Indigenous communities’ relationship to renewable energy as a whole. 

Our theory of change rests on three dimensions of the material conditions of Indigenous communities, most specifically our tribe, the Osage Nation. 

The first is that we encourage Indigenous sovereignty through career training opportunities and immediate job creation. The economic benefits that come from projects such as our own increase the political power of Indigenous communities in the US. Through these layered economic benefits, Indigenous nations will see an immediate improvement in the average quality of life in their community members, while also inculcating generational wealth in their community as a whole. Further, recycling and repurposing of materials from decommissioned panels contributes to the structure of a circular economy, reducing the need for raw materials and excess energy consumption associated with the production of new panels through principles of economic sustainability and self-reliance. 

A major concern for investors regarding environmentally sustainable energy resources are their economic appeal, but our revolutionized process of solar decommissioning marries economic and environmental benefit. These economic benefits will go directly to Indigenous communities at each stage of our initiative, resulting in the second dimension of our work – increased Indigenous representation in the sustainability industry. 

The second dimension is that through this increase in Indigenous visibility in the sustainability sector, the representation will have a positive impact in the number of Indigenous youth that pursue this as a viable career path. The representation we address here goes further than this however, as our idea of representation involves a real political seat at the table of future sustainability conversations that currently Indigenous populations do not have access to. Socially, the decommissioning process involves labor, promising job opportunities and new pathways into the renewables industry. A fundamental element of our process then, is the involvement of Indigenous adults and young adults to learn this new trade for economic empowerment that ripples outward, building on the inherited knowledge from elders of how specific tribes articulate their relationship to the land. This empowerment leads to our third dimension – the inculcation of real political and social power for Indigenous folks through the wealth and prestige produced by sustainability initiatives.

The third dimension is that the involvement of Indigenous communities within their own environmental sustainability efforts will allow for the more effective solution of complex social issues such as environmental racism and economic justice. Failure to address solar decommissioning adequately introduces risks such as the accumulation of solar waste in landfills, where hazardous materials may leach into the ground, and resource inefficiency, where valuable materials are not recovered. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) projects that by 2050, there could be up to 78 million tons of solar panel waste, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable decommissioning practices to mitigate environmental impacts and harness the economic value of recycled materials. Indigenous reservations in the US are more-frequently positioned near dumping sites, landfills, and areas of environmental contamination, making this issue heavily relevant to Indigenous sovereignty and overall well-being. 

Our first goal, which addresses the UN’s “No Poverty” Sustainable Development Goal, is to develop and execute a circular economy model within the Osage Nation, focusing on the recycling and repurposing of renewable energy assets to promote environmental sustainability and economic efficiency within the community. We will evaluate this model’s effectiveness in terms of recycling rates and waste reduction and plan to have a fully-implemented model by Q1 2025. We will achieve this goal through leveraging the expertise, facilities, and partnerships established through the project to create a sustainable recycling loop.

Our second goal, which addresses the UN’s “Reduced Inequalities” Sustainable Development Goal, is to conduct comprehensive training for 100 Indigenous community members on solar and storage recycling processes.We will measure the success of this goal through tracking the number of participants who complete the training program by Q2 2025. We will achieve this goal through utilizing existing community facilities and local experts to deliver the training within the specified timeframe. This goal will lay the foundation for the training needed for skilled labor in the recycling sector in our community.

Our third goal, which addresses the UN’s “Decent Work and Economic Growth” Sustainable Development Goal, is to help establish at least five Indigenous-led startups focused on clean energy recycling. This will simply be measured through counting the number of startups officially launched by the end of Q3 2025. We will accomplish this through providing incubation support, including mentorship, funding access, and business development training. This is a vitally important goal to accomplish our desire to encourage entrepreneurship within our community, contributing to economic development and innovation in recycling. 

Our fourth goal, which addresses the UN’s “Climate Action” Sustainable Development Goal, is to develop a pilot program for indigenous local recycling efforts, whose success will be measured by assessing the facility’s operational status and capacity. This will be achieved through securing site partners and using programs such as SOLVE to build further operations relationships. This will be the key goal to ensuring that the job training programs sustainably stimulate local employment and make a lasting impact. Our goal is to have this facility up and running by Q1 2026.

Our final goal, which addresses the UN’s “Partnerships for the Goals” Sustainable Development Goal will be to force at least three partnerships with local manufacturing companies to build goodwill and sustainable relationships within the community and at least one partnership with another member of the MIT SOLVE program to encourage cross-tribal relationships that expand our impact outward to other Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs. We will achieve this goal through continuing to actively engage in networking events, presentations, and direct outreach. Our partnerships with local manufacturing companies will also help us build resilient supply chains and material sourcing for recycling.

Our solution, "Renewable Rebirth," harnesses a diverse array of technologies to address the end-of-life management of renewable energy assets, specifically solar panels. At the core of our technological approach is the fusion of modern innovations with traditional Indigenous knowledge systems, ensuring that our solution not only addresses environmental sustainability but also supports economic growth within Indigenous communities.

Our first technology we define as “Advanced Recycling Technologies.” We will employ and educate utilizing PV Circonomy’s automated, waterless mechanical separation technology for recycling solar panels as a basis for end-of-life expectations for the industry. This cutting-edge technology efficiently separates valuable materials from solar panels without using water, thereby reducing environmental impact and increasing the feasibility of recycling processes in water-scarce regions. It also ensures that run-off risk is eliminated, ensuring that water supplies can be protected. Current recycling technology in the industry has limited visibility due to how new and patented many processes are, which has allowed for some technologies with run-off and low reclamation rates to proliferate or recycling technology isn’t regionally available, which creates leaching and run-off risk for illegally dumped solar panels. 

Our second technology consists of entrepreneurial and educational platforms: Utilizing Righteous Gambit’s innovative technologies, we support the entrepreneurial endeavors of Indigenous communities. Their software-based application leverages artificial intelligence to organize and automate the formation of teaming partnerships and identifies ongoing opportunities for community members. This technology is crucial for scaling local businesses and integrating them into the broader market. Our approach includes a comprehensive digital platform built by Righteous Gambit that distributes extensive educational content in both text and video formats. This platform is essential for disseminating knowledge on sustainable practices and training community members in new skills, ensuring widespread understanding and adoption of recycling practices. Several hundred hours of educational content and extensive application buildout have already occurred to ensure web security is optimized for our efforts. 

We accentuate our first two technologies with logistics and planning utilities. We incorporate sophisticated technologies for calculating and planning the end-of-life management of renewable resources. Additionally, our project utilizes advanced transportation logistic technology to optimize the collection, redistribution, and upcycling of decommissioned solar assets. This ensures maximum economic efficiency and environmental sustainability by extending the life of solar materials and reducing the need for new raw materials.

We accentuate all of this technology with the integration of ancestral knowledges. In keeping with our commitment to honoring traditional knowledge, our project integrates centuries-old Indigenous practices with modern technologies. This combination enriches our solution by embedding cultural wisdom into sustainable practices, promoting a deeper connection to the land and more sustainable community practices.

By integrating these technologies, "Renewable Rebirth" not only revitalizes decommissioned solar assets but also empowers Indigenous communities with new economic opportunities and a leading role in the sustainable industry. Our solution’s innovative use of technology and traditional knowledge exemplifies the kind of holistic, impactful approach that MIT Solve champions—driving innovation that benefits both people and the planet.

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Our team has been working on renewable end of life management for two years, with Professor Metzger interviewed for the first time on end-of-life considerations for renewable energy in the Midwest in 2022 by Energy News Network. Collectively, the team has grown to include recycling partners and waste logistics firms (We Recycle Solar and Green Clean Solar and Wind with several years experience), EUCI with thousands of hours of accredited educational seminars in renewable energy, StraightUp Solar as the oldest solar company in Missouri with thousands of installations and legacy asset data at their disposal. 

We fundamentally believe in the tenets of diversity, equity, and inclusion and our project is built fundamentally upon these principles. In fact, Renewable Rebirth would simply not exist without this set of ideals. 

As reflected in MIT SOLVE’s DEI statement, partnership is of essential importance in our initiative. Our work finds us in partnership with myriad tribal nations with diverse approaches to environmental work, disparate levels of trust in external partners, and above all incredibly specific, singular needs. We as a team have found the most logical, and indeed the most effective, approach to working alongside other Indigenous communities is to place the agency and power within their hands and let them tell us what they’d like to see us do with the skills and resources we are providing. This process starts with us approaching a community with a proposal of collaboration based in humility and deference to their knowledge of their home, and continues through each stage with careful consideration of distinct community needs and respectful dialogue that is human-centered and seeks to address all groups within the tribe.

This leads to our next understanding of DEI which reflects MIT SOLVE’s commitment to equity and inclusion: each community is a collection of numerous identities which intersect. When we approach working with a tribe, we are not working with a monolith, but a brilliantly diverse group of people with individually distinct identities and needs. We are constantly asking ourselves questions which keep us conscious of potential assumptions we have. Have we taken into consideration economic inequality within a community? Are we providing accessibility resources for disabled members of the tribe? How are gender, sexuality, and age, alongside other identity categories, taken into account when we work with a tribe?

Ayda Donne and Saxon Metzger, two of our partners, are from the Osage Nation and dedicate themselves to incorporating the ideals of mutuality, respect, and unconditional support fundamental to numerous Indigenous communities. All 8 team members come from diverse and/or under-represented populations. Three of the team members are women, two are Indigenous from the Osage Nation, one team member is Hispanic with Indigenous South American ancestry, another comes from economically impoverished communities adversely affected by the energy transition in Appalachian coal country, and another is a certified minority business owner. Our identities inform the ways in which we understand the world, a kind of embodied knowledge that we center at the heart of our work with respect and humility to others’ experiences. 

At Renewable Rebirth we believe that we are strongest when we have a team of people with diverse lived-experiences and skills and believe that “no person is an island.” We are working with populations that have suffered tremendous intergenerational trauma and it is our highest priority to remain sensitive, kind, and considerate of the difficulties and sensitivities that come with working in such contexts. 

"Renewable Rebirth" embodies a pioneering initiative committed to integrating Indigenous stewardship into the management of renewable energy assets across their lifecycle, with a notable emphasis on the decommissioning and recycling of solar panels. This visionary endeavor not only champions environmental sustainability but also catalyzes economic empowerment within Indigenous communities, heralding a transformative shift in renewable energy management.

At the heart of our approach lies cutting-edge, waterless mechanical separation technology developed by PV Circonomy. This innovative process enables the efficient recycling of solar panels, recovering valuable materials and mitigating environmental contamination. Serving as a cornerstone of our operations, this recycling method yields significant ecological and economic benefits.

Moreover, "Renewable Rebirth" offers comprehensive training programs tailored to equip Indigenous community members with the necessary skills for emerging roles in sustainability and recycling sectors. Additionally, we provide educational resources that blend traditional Indigenous wisdom with modern scientific practices, fostering community involvement in environmental stewardship.

Through a dedicated incubation program, we support Indigenous-led enterprises by providing mentorship, business development training, and access to a vast network of industry connections. This initiative aims to stimulate innovation and drive economic growth within the communities we serve.

Central to our ethos is deep collaboration with local Indigenous communities to ensure that the benefits of our services—such as job creation, educational opportunities, and environmental improvements—are directly experienced by those most affected by environmental degradation. Recycling and training facilities are strategically located within these communities, facilitating local economic enrichment and skill development.

By addressing the crucial issue of solar panel end-of-life management through an Indigenous-led model, "Renewable Rebirth" not only meets the imperative for sustainable disposal and recycling practices but also delivers significant community benefits in terms of employment opportunities and self-sufficiency.

Our initiative, "Renewable Rebirth," signifies our commitment to fundamentally reshaping the decommissioning process of solar installations—a historically overlooked phase in the solar panel lifecycle. We commence our efforts at this lifecycle's conclusion, offering the prospect of a fresh start by revolutionizing the recycling of solar panel materials to repurpose them for further solar infrastructure in Indigenous communities. This truly sustainable approach not only empowers Indigenous communities to oversee solar infrastructure, fostering economic growth and environmental preservation but also addresses the shortcomings of the solar installation decommissioning process.

Our dedication to interdisciplinary collaboration and community-focused work is evidenced by the diverse expertise within our team - ranging from an English Literature major studying Indigenous environmentalisms collaborating with the NYU Environmental Health Department, to an MBA-holding solar industry professional and businessman. Throughout our team's and team members' professional journeys, we have remained steadfast in centering community-focused work, giving back to the community that has shaped us.

We believe in the power of individuals from various intellectual backgrounds uniting to support one another in making a greater impact - rejecting the notion of a singular organization prioritizing profit over meaningful contributions to the communities we serve.

The financial viability of "Renewable Rebirth" is supported by a diverse revenue model that aligns with our social and environmental objectives, ensuring the project's long-term sustainability and scalability.

In terms of existing revenue streams, we generate consistent revenue through service contracts for decommissioning projects, securing agreements with government entities and private companies drawn to our unique approach as a community-centric provider of environmentally responsible decommissioning services.We also participate in the sale of materials reclaimed from the recycling process, including metals and glass, are sold to manufacturers and other end-users. This not only yields direct financial returns but also contributes to the circular economy by reducing the demand for virgin materials. Finally, we offer specialized training programs and workshops to external organizations, charging fees that contribute to our operational funding. These programs are valued for their integration of traditional and modern sustainability practices.

Renewable Rebirth has already demonstrated its viability through a number of successes through our project’s lifetime. The effectiveness of our financial model is evidenced by the grants and awards we have received, our successful pilot projects creating estimation and project/construction management guidance for utility scale renewable firms and regional utility firms, and our strategic partnerships across the waste, recycling, manufacturing, and freight logistics industries. In terms of direct awards, our team was honored with a $100,000 Community Energy Innovation Prize by the US Department of Energy, recognizing the innovative nature and potential impact of our recycling technologies and community engagement approach. Moving onto our pilot projects, the success of our initial pilot initiatives have demonstrated the feasibility of our recycling processes and established a blueprint for replication, crucial for scaling our operations. Finally, our collaborations with industry leaders such as PV Circonomy and WeRecycle Solar enhance our technical capabilities and credibility, attracting additional investment and contract opportunities. This positioning reflects our commitment to the sustainable upscaling of our business model in order to remain financially viable – thus producing the most sustainable economic and environmental impact.

Through these strategies, "Renewable Rebirth" ensures its financial sustainability while expanding its influence, positioning itself as a trailblazer in sustainable renewable energy management and Indigenous economic empowerment.