Selected
2024 Indigenous Communities Fellowship

Renewable Rebirth: Implementing Indigenous Stewardship in Renewables End-Of-Life Management

Empowering Indigenous communities to lead the recycling of legacy renewable energy assets, merging traditional wisdom with sustainable practices.

Team Leader
Saxon Metzger

Solution Pitch 

The Problem

Millions of tons of material from renewable and legacy energy assets require decommissioning, and the Osage Nation and surrounding areas already lack the infrastructure to handle household recycling. By investing in material processing, we can employ hundreds, facilitate land cleanups, and facilitate circularity for the energy industry.

The Solution

Renewable Rebirth revolutionizes decommissioning legacy solar assets by fully integrating Indigenous communities into the solar infrastructure lifecycle. 

By combining advanced technology with Indigenous ancestral knowledge, we focus on career training, recycling infrastructure, educational toolkits, and entrepreneurial support. At the heart of our approach is the establishment of a recycling center on Osage land, which will also serve as a sustainability incubator and training hub. This center empowers Indigenous communities by providing the skills and tools necessary to participate fully in the renewable energy recycling industry. 

Our mission is to cultivate a recycling ecosystem that respects the Earth, honors Indigenous knowledge systems, and creates economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. By launching targeted training programs and entrepreneurial incubators, we aim to position Indigenous communities as leaders in the renewable energy sector, ensuring their sovereignty and equitable participation in the growing sustainability industry.

Stats

The population of the Osage Nation, where Renewable Rebirth is working to pilot a recycling facility, is 20,000. 48,000+ live in Osage County more broadly, of which 5,000+ live in poverty.

Solution Overview & Team Lead Details
More About Your Solution
Your Team

Organization Type:

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Headquarters:

Pawhuska, United States

Stage:

Prototype

Working In:

United States

Current Full-Time Employees:

1

Website:

8thgenconsulting.com

Solution Team:
Saxon Metzger
Saxon Metzger
Founder - Owner