Dear Friends,
What an exciting time to step into the role of CEO of Utah Clean Energy—the Beehive State’s leading voice for climate and clean air solutions for over a quarter century! Having worked for the organization in its early years, from 2004 to 2014, I am honored to return to my roots and lead our next chapter.
And I am pleased to share our annual report—a retrospective celebrating 25 years of unstoppable momentum! For those of you who have been with us since the early days, I invite you to take a walk down memory lane and recall just how far we’ve come. If you’re newer to Utah Clean Energy, I hope our journey further inspires you to support our work.
My Top 5 Takeaways After 5 Months
Serving as Utah Clean Energy’s CEO for the past five months has been a whirlwind to say the least. In addition to taking the reins and getting to know our incredible team, board of directors, partners, and supporters, I have loved having a front row seat to so many big wins! Here are my top five takeaways from my first five months:
Utah’s clean energy economy is thriving!
We have overcome countless policy and regulatory barriers over the years, leveling the playing field for homegrown clean, renewable energy resources and energy storage. Our hard work is paying off, and we are seeing a record number of clean energy projects coming online, along with the long-anticipated launch of the Community Clean Energy Program with 16 participating communities.
The clean energy sector has growing bipartisan support across the state, and more of our elected officials are realizing the value clean energy brings to Utah’s economy and quality of life. In May 2026, solar energy generation eclipsed all other electricity sources for the first time ever, producing nearly 1 terawatt hour, which is enough energy to power roughly 100,000 Utah homes for a year. And, as of March 2026, Utah has built 8.5 Gigawatts (GW) of new clean energy capacity, representing $17 Billion in economic development in the state, with another 4.5 GW in the queue!
Utah’s unique geothermal resource is gearing up for greatness!
With one of the nation’s top geothermal resources, Utah has been a leader in geothermal energy for decades. Thanks to new enhanced geothermal technologies, Utah is poised to deliver clean firm capacity to meet growing demand—we have nearly 50 GW of untapped potential! Companies like Fervo Energy, Ormat, Zanskar, and Rodatherm, among others, are all working to tap into Utah’s rich underground renewable resource. In Beaver County, the Utah FORGE research team is working to further advance enhanced geothermal system technologies. As a participant in the recently launched Mountain West Geothermal Consortium, Utah Clean Energy is excited to partner with other states and organizations to reduce barriers and scale geothermal power across the Mountain West.
Energy-efficient, all-electric buildings are transforming Utah’s built environment!
After decades of work to lay a strong foundation for all-electric efficient buildings, we are seeing a major market transformation, especially in the affordable housing space. With the completion of Habitat for Humanity’s Summit and Wasatch County Chapter’s 10 NextGen Energy Star townhomes and the Call to Action/Ivory Innovation’s affordable housing development in Liberty Wells, among others, energy efficient, all-electric affordable housing is taking off. With Utah Clean Energy’s technical assistance and strategic partnerships, more building stakeholders are gaining experience with high-performance, zero- and low-emissions buildings.
Indeed, our very-own Climate Innovation Center just earned its certification as Net Energy Zero and Net Carbon Zero, demonstrating that fully decarbonized buildings are not just a futuristic concept. State-of-the-shelf technologies are making buildings better, healthier, more comfortable, and more affordable—and with Governor Cox’s goal to build 150,000 new homes, including affordable starter homes, we are just getting started!
Electrified transportation is key to tackling Utah’s air quality challenges.
Over the years, Utah Clean Energy has been accelerating emission-free transportation, helping fleet owners and drivers confidently choose clean electric vehicles and ensuring equitable access to charging infrastructure. We’ve helped preserve utility-led charging incentives, supported fleet owners as they consider electric vehicles to meet business needs, and worked with local governments to adopt proactive EV charging ordinances.
We also worked with the State of Utah and Utah’s Congressional delegation to preserve allocated federal grants and develop the Beehive Emissions Reduction Plan—Utah was one of just 25 awardees (out of 200) that received implementation funds. The $74 million grant is already at work helping reduce emissions and improve air quality across the state, including through new EV and charging incentives offered by Utah Department of Environmental Quality (check out their new Clean Air Incentive Finder to see what is available for you)!
Converging challenges compel us to recommit to climate and clean air solutions.
We know from experience that working in collaboration to find common ground offers a proven path forward amidst omnipresent challenges. Today, Utah faces a new set of challenges, including energy- and water-intensive data center demand, record-temperatures, drought, rampant wildfires, and a declining Great Salt Lake. In the face of these interconnected issues, Utahns are calling for meaningful action, along with greater transparency and smart policy.In a recent Deseret News Op-Ed, Sarah Wright and I joined a range of Utah leaders to recommit to our Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact. As we have done for 25 years, we will continue working on collaborative solutions that will keep Utah healthy and thriving in the face of major challenges facing our communities, namely a changing climate and air quality.
As a fifth generation Utahn, I love this state. I am so proud of Utah Clean Energy’s long legacy of progress and this incredible community committed to advancing the health, well-being, and economic resilience of Utahns, and I’m honored to serve in this leadership role. Together with you, we are shaping Utah’s clean energy future.
Thank you!
Sara Baldwin-Griffin
We would like to clarify that Utah Clean Energy is not a solar company. We are a nonprofit organization that advocates for solar and other clean energy technologies, but we do not install or sell solar in any way.