Circular Announces Launch of EOL Solar
Sheridan’s non-profit Circular showcases Wyoming-built solutions to global waste problems in the energy sector. We work in Sheridan and across Wyoming to highlight the circular economy through art-based projects. All projects focus on second-life uses for energy materials, sustainability awareness, youth and adult art education, new community narratives, and female entrepreneurship.
One very large looming problem in the energy industry is the End-of-Life (EOL) use of solar panels. Options include disposing of them in the landfill, limited recycling options, refurbishment, or repurposing them and giving them a second life.
Many in Sheridan are already familiar with Circular’s small-scale solution to the EOL solar problem. We have already begun repurposing the solar panels as artwork. Artists utilize the EOL panels as a medium to be sold as artwork and functional outdoor decor. They can be presented and sold in galleries, in a home or business, or outdoors as eye-catching pieces of public art.
As part of our first year objectives, one of our main goals was to prove that working in the circular economy could be profitable. Once the project was determined to have profit potential, the next step would be turning it over to a capable local entrepreneur. Our team would then work together and alongside that person to help build a successful, for-profit company.
Today, we are very pleased to introduce Sheridan’s Katie Repsis and our new company, EOL Solar. Katie will work alongside Circular Director Logan Jenkins and other teammates on the Solar Panel Art Collective Endeavor (SPACE) and an end-of-life solar software platform, CircuSolar.
Katie is a speech-language pathologist and dedicated environmentalist. She has spent the last five-plus years volunteering and building community awareness around the importance of a circular economy and sustainable living. While living in Fort Collins, CO she was active in her local Sierra Club chapter, was the Northern Colorado Chair for Recycle Colorado from 2018-2019, and founded the Fort Collins Zero Waste Group in 2016, which is still active today with 287 members.
Born and raised in Sheridan, Katie recently moved back and was happy to discover Circular. Katie and Logan met this summer through their shared interest to bring environmentally sustainable ideas to life here. Katie is excited to join Logan and their team at EOL Solar and establish viable solutions for end-of-life solar panels.
We are excited to share future progress on the SPACE and CircuSolar projects under the new EOL Solar company. As well, we have another brand-new project from Circular to introduce in the coming weeks and working on details for that now.
Stay tuned as we roll out another fun project very soon!
