After eight years with RENEW Wisconsin, I will be stepping down from my role as interim executive director to take on a new opportunity as marketing and communications director at WHEDA. My last day with RENEW will be Friday, September 12.

I stepped into the interim executive director role earlier this year with the goal of guiding the organization through a leadership transition. Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed the strength of a team firmly grounded in its mission. When the opportunity arose to build on my communications strengths in service of another mission I believe in, I accepted, knowing RENEW is in steady hands.

The board has appointed Ismaeel Chartier as interim executive director while they organize an executive search. Over the past several months, Ismaeel and I have worked closely together, and I am confident in his leadership, trusted relationships, and deep knowledge of our work. Supported by a talented and dedicated staff, RENEW is well-positioned to continue advancing renewable energy in Wisconsin.

RENEW has always thrived on collaboration, and I am deeply proud of what we’ve built together. Whether advancing programs like Solar for Good and MadiSun, policy advocacy at the PSC and Capitol, or convening our community at the Renewable Energy Summit, I am grateful to have worked alongside so many of you to ensure the benefits of clean energy reach every corner of Wisconsin. The creativity and tenacity of this community have been a constant source of inspiration.

I leave with immense gratitude for the relationships and shared accomplishments of the past eight years, and with confidence in RENEW’s future. I look forward to cheering on the continued success of the organization and industry from my new role, and I hope to cross paths with you all in the years ahead.

Today, the U.S. House passed a reconciliation bill eliminating key clean energy tax credits. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. This is a serious challenge for our industry, especially residential solar and small businesses.

Thanks to pressure from clean energy champions, the Senate version softened some of the most harmful provisions. It removed the proposed excise tax on wind and solar, dropped FEOC restrictions that would have penalized projects using certain foreign components, and extended eligibility for commercial and utility-scale projects that begin construction within a year of enactment through 2027. But the Section 25D tax credit is now set to expire on December 31, 2025, with residential projects losing eligibility for any expenditures made after that date. That puts real pressure on small clean energy businesses to adjust planning and project timelines.

It is disappointing to see Congress roll back what was once bipartisan common sense. Since 2005, clean energy tax credits have helped families lower energy bills, driven innovation, and supported hundreds of thousands of jobs. Reversing that support now risks slowing the momentum we have built together.

Installers will face pressure to adjust pipelines to meet an unusually short timeline. Developers may need to reassess projects they can no longer bring online before the new deadline. The result may be fewer jobs, fewer local investments, and reduced progress at a time when clean energy leadership is urgently needed.

Still, I am hopeful.

Over the past eight years, I’ve seen clean energy businesses across Wisconsin grow exponentially. I’ve watched electricians, designers, sales teams, and service professionals build lasting careers and deepen their roots in Wisconsin communities. Federal incentives helped lay the foundation, but they did not create the deep commitment we see today. That credit belongs to all of you and the lasting impact of your work across the state. I am disappointed by this decision, but my belief in this community has not wavered. This industry has weathered tariffs, shifting political winds, and policy uncertainty before and has come back stronger every time.

RENEW is ready to support you through this next chapter. We will continue to advocate for state and local policies that strengthen the business case for renewables. We will work to remove barriers to clean energy access, elevate your success stories, and help businesses adapt to the new federal landscape. Because we still believe that clean energy is the best way to build a healthy, thriving Wisconsin.

I encourage you all to take some time this weekend to rest and recharge. Next week, we’ll begin digging into the legislation and planning for the days, weeks, and years ahead.