MMCI Solar

MMCISolar intends to create turnkey opportunities for regional workforce development in renewable energy. Using its patented AirPane technology, it will support the revitalization of the solar thermal industry with an inclusive workforce, generating jobs in a sector that struggles with diversity. The technology will be dedicated to social enterprises that will seed the systematic deployment of solar heat infrastructure from economically challenged regions across the country.

MMCI’s technology centers on a solar thermal collector design which utilizes air to transport heat. This eliminates the use of copper in the construction of the panel, and stainless steel piping to transport heat. Water, the prevailing choice to transport heat, creates expense because the system must be designed to compensate for potential freezing or boiling events driven by outdoor conditions. Air removes this concern, and allows for the manipulation of flow to improve collector performance. Air also makes possible the manufacture of components from lower cost, recyclable polymeric materials using a molding process. Solar Thermal systems based on this technology can be simply and easily retrofitted to existing water or process heating infrastructure.

The underutilization of the Solar Thermal sector presents a unique opportunity for its revitalization in way that does not reprise systemic outcomes regarding participation by diverse populations in high tech. As with Solar PV, there are a wide range of jobs to be created. Most reside at entry level rooftop deployment while the rest are a rich assortment encompassing system design, sales and marketing, manufacturing, operations and maintenance. It may be that the only way to establish a representative workforce is by inserting a kind of “DNA for diversity” into the business ecosystem at its inception, and subsequently and proactively nurturing a culture of inclusivity. This could continue until critical mass is achieved in both industry growth and in participation by groups historically locked out of such opportunities. A successful outcome will be replicable across the country, laying avenues for growth that drive the creation of self-reliant, vibrant, and sustainable communities.