Hello, Friends of Fresh Energy!
I celebrated my one-year anniversary at Fresh Energy this spring, and I could not be more excited about the amazing things we accomplished together in 2023 — the highlights of which you can read about in the pages of our Annual Report.
As the leader of the extremely high-achieving and motivated team at Fresh Energy, one of the most important roles I play is to think about the future. Over my decades of experience, I’ve had the good fortune to guide multiple organizations in charting a path for achieving their goals.
At Fresh Energy, our goal is to prevent the worst impacts of climate change by fully decarbonizing our economy by mid-century. Though we’ve made incredible progress together, the clock is ticking, and we must ensure that our expertise and capacity are directed to the highest leverage solutions.
Beginning last July, a team of Fresh Energy board members, led by former University of Minnesota Morris Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson, and staff rolled up our sleeves to conduct strategic planning that confirms where we need to be by 2030, how we need to get there, and why Fresh Energy is uniquely positioned to drive progress.
As the plan moves forward to completion, we are doubling down on our role as a clean energy policy leader with a proven ability to shape and secure laws — and get the implementation details right at the Public Utilities Commission and other venues. Equity remains central as we continue to move toward a future where our economy is powered by carbon-free electricity instead of fossil fuel. But we are entering a time when the need for action is more urgent than ever — and the solutions are increasingly complex.
We can and must tackle the hard-to-decarbonize portions of our economy while ensuring that this transformative moment reduces racial and economic disparities. I am so proud to be leading an organization that is taking on this hard work, moving Minnesota and the Midwest to set the pace on climate progress for the rest of the country. I look forward to sharing our exciting vision for the future at our annual Benefit Breakfast in October.
As you will read in this report, 2023 was a landmark year for clean energy and climate in Minnesota. I am so grateful for the support of the individuals, philanthropies, and businesses that enabled Fresh Energy to play such a critical role in advancing ambitious climate policy at all levels over the past year.
Learn more and view our 2024 Annual Report here.
Thank you for your trust in Fresh Energy to lead on climate and for your friendship and generosity that enables us to do this work.
Brenda Cassellius
Executive Director
P.S. Our Benefit Breakfast is right around the corner on October 9. Come early and stay late for the Fair of the Future — and have a blast! We have lots in store for our guests. Learn more and register today.