Haleigh Reed, Microgrids, Alaska
Haleigh Reed is a Microgrid Project Manager at the Renewable Energy Alaska Project.
Why is clean energy important to you? Almost everything in our lives touch energy. Most people don't think about where the energy comes from to turn on their lights or charge their phones, but through education, community engagement, and project developments, intentionality can be brought to energy use and production to directly improve the quality of life of Alaskans.
What’s your proudest accomplishment in clean energy? I am proud of how much I've learned about the uniqueness of Alaska so that I can help communicate the needs of rural communities to outside technical teams, funders, and other partners. It's overwhelming for local leaders that hold many responsibilities in small rural communities, and it is always a good day when I can add capacity to help support their work and their goals.
What did you do prior to working in clean energy? Before I began working in climate, I studied business in college. While I had a lot of catching up to do on climate-specific topics, my background in business has definitely helped me in project management and understanding how to work with partners to our non-profit.
How did you first get introduced to clean energy? I was lucky to work with Launch Alaska, a climate tech startup accelerator, right out of college. They were a great introduction into all types of climate problems and solutions, and helped shape my outlook on climate to be optimistic seeing so many brilliant people working in the industry.
What does your job mean to you and your community? Building relationships with leaders in rural Alaskan communities to develop community energy plans takes the guessing out of what to do next on energy decisions and creates a pathway for clean, resilient, and affordable energy for the future.
How is clean energy helping your community / state? Many rural communities in Alaska rely on flying or barging in diesel to produce energy, which makes clean energy a high priority. Producing energy locally has many health, economic, and resilience related benefits. It's also an issue that affects everyone, which can be a great connector for organizations who may not have worked well together on previous issues.
Why do you think clean energy provides the jobs of the future? I think clean energy offers a variety of purpose-driven work for both young people and folks looking to transition out of their current jobs. While it's an industry with a strong foundation, there is so much room for innovation that I think young people could have the answers for.
Why should congress invest in clean energy jobs? I think the energy transition cannot be accelerated without the support of Congress. Phasing out fossil fuels will require top-down action that will shift the financial incentives to the energy of the future.
