Dear Friends of the MREA,
I hope this letter and our Annual Report find you well and looking forward with optimism to a new year. For many of us, the last year had a fair share of highs and lows. For the MREA and for the clean energy transition in the Midwest, the highs have been unmistakable. The continued rise of solar energy as the leading source of new U.S. electricity generation is an indication of the work that was accomplished last year.
With all of the challenges facing industries in the U.S. and around the world, you likely haven’t heard complaints from the U.S. solar industry. I’m sure companies have plenty they could complain about publicly, but you are not likely to hear a peep from the industry home to the country’s fastest-growing profession. Why? Because the good people in this industry are too busy building our energy future.
At the MREA, being a part of this movement gives us pride and continued motivation. To all of you that continue to get up every day to climb on roofs, crawl through attics, and labor in mechanical rooms and open fields to make a clean energy future possible, thank you. We understand that if we want to see change, we have to build it. You make that happen, and we will continue to work hard to provide the training, experience, and support you need. You can see our efforts over the past year in this report.
And, if you are looking for a meaningful job working with great people striving for big goals, let us welcome you to the clean energy workforce. It will likely be one of the best decisions you’ll make. It has been for me.
Rise Up!
Nick Hylla, Executive Director