Most clean energy organizations don’t have someone dedicated full time to working with MISO, the Midwest’s regional grid operator. Fresh Energy does — and that’s a critical difference in how we’re shaping the future of our electric grid.
Mike Schowalter, director of regional transmission organization advocacy at Fresh Energy, spends his days deep in the complex world of grid planning and transmission — ensuring that decisions made at MISO prioritize clean energy over costly fossil fuels. Since joining Fresh Energy in 2021 after working in environmental and renewable energy law, Mike has become our voice in the rooms where some of the Midwest’s biggest energy decisions happen.
MISO oversees the electric grid across 15 states and manages the planning and operation of transmission lines — the high-voltage power lines that carry bulk electricity from where it’s generated to where it’s used. As we transition to more wind and solar power, transmission becomes even more critical. Renewable resources are often located far from cities, and without adequate transmission those clean electrons can’t reach homes and businesses.
Mike works in partnership with other clean energy organizations as part of MISO’s planning process and serves as vice chair of MISO’s Distributed Energy Resources Task Force. He even engages with decisions at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where major policies affecting the Midwest’s energy system are decided — like a recent battle to build a transmission line that would unlock more clean, affordable, and reliable electricity to flow across our nation.
On October 8, Mike attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Becker, Minnesota, for the Northland Reliability Project. This transmission line, which runs near the largest solar farm in the Upper Midwest, will carry clean energy more than 180 miles from central Minnesota to a substation near Grand Rapids.
“Transmission is how we access cheaper wind and solar power,” Mike said. “Building these connections means lower electricity bills and a more reliable grid that can handle extreme weather events. It’s essential infrastructure for a carbon-free future.”
Having Mike plugged into MISO’s work ensures Fresh Energy stays ahead of the curve on the transmission system that a clean energy future requires.
