Site Management

Midwest Research Institute (MRI), the management and operations (M&O) contractor of SolarTAC, is an independent, not-for-profit contract R&D organization providing services to government and industry. MRI is headquartered in Kansas City with laboratories and offices around the country.

• More than 1,800 staff, including biologists, chemists, and engineers
• More than 1 million square feet of laboratory space and 240 acres of farmland used for field-test studies
• A leader in the fields of energy, agriculture, homeland security and defense, and food safety
• Independent third party technology evaluation and validation.

As M&O contractor for SolarTAC, MRI brings the following experience:

• MRI has managed and operated the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO, since the Laboratory’s founding in 1977
• Currently, MRI is one of two organizations in the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, that manages NREL.
• MRI works for more than 6,500 clients representing government and industry with a focus on innovative testing, evaluation, and validation support
• Ownership, management, and operations of the Center for Integrated Algal Research located in Kansas City, MO
• Operations and management of several research field stations and farms focused on energy and agricultural research including the operation of several open and closed algae bioreactor systems as well as assessment of solar technologies for industrial deployment
• Strategic Investment Partner in Dycor Canada, a provider of innovative technology solutions to energy and military markets.