Frontier Energy: Helping MMUA members save in power

After six years in the Navy working in engine rooms and cryogenic facilities, Matt Haley found his true calling in energy efficiency. Following years working at various consulting firms and then starting his own company in 1998, Haley now serves as the senior vice president of business development and chief program officer at Frontier Energy.

Frontier Energy is a result of a series of mergers between long-established business groups dating back to 1981. The firm Haley founded eventually evolved into Energy Insight, which was acquired by Frontier Energy in 2019. Two years earlier, Bevilacqua-Knight, Davis Energy Group, Frontier Associates and CDH Energy and Fisher-Nickel had merged to form the company as we know it today.

Haley initially led Frontier's industrial, commercial, and implementation group. Today, following the company's nationwide reorganization, he has assumed a new role as Frontier Energy's Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer. In this new role, Haley has transitioned from managing day-to-day project operations to providing cross-functional support and strategic guidance across all business units.

Frontier Energy supports numerous electric and gas utilities nationwide by delivering energy conservation programs. The conservation programs include conducting energy audits, offering technical analysis, and helping customers implement energy-efficient solutions.

Haley entered the energy sector in 1991, at which point energy efficiency was just emerging. He appreciates working in Minnesota, noting the American Council for Energy Efficiency Scorecard shows that Minnesota has consistently been one of the top performers in the US, maintaining a position in the top 10 since the scorecard's inception.

Minnesota’s 2023 law requiring electric utilities to supply 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040 means big changes for the industry. Frontier supports municipal utilities in reaching this goal by educating customers about energy efficiency, analyzing energy-saving projects, assisting with documentation for savings claims, and reporting to the State of Minnesota.

Along with providing energy efficiency services, Frontier takes pride in customer service and, in turn, helps utilities do the same for their customers. Haley says, “We're all about helping them succeed in whatever tasks the utility might want to undertake and then executing those tasks in the most cost-effective way. If we can do it cost-effectively, it will help [utilities] keep their costs down so they don't have to keep raising rates for their customers.”

Having Haley on Frontier Energy’s team means MMUA members are working with someone who truly has their best interests in mind. Haley says, “We know how to operate in that landscape and how to help these utility customers be more efficient. Help them be more sustainable. Help them help their communities. I believe it's a positive message that many municipal utilities we interact with enjoy providing these services to their customers.”

Even after 34 years in the industry, Haley still loves his work. Seeing a project come together despite facing challenges and celebrating successes remains rewarding after all this time. He also enjoys mentoring the next generation of engineers and analyst technicians who will work with technology that might “blow his mind.”

Outside of work, Haley stays equally as driven. A devoted family man, he enjoys traveling with his spouse and four children. A dedicated runner, he has completed 20 marathons in 16 years, along with several triathlons and a 100-mile bike ride. He’s currently training for a 50-mile ultramarathon, running 60 to 70 miles weekly. Unlike other Minnesotans who go south in the winter, Haley flies north to pursue downhill and backcountry skiing. Over the past few years, he’s made multiple ski trips to British Columbia, Alaska, and California, often combining family time with solo backcountry adventures.

With a wealth of experience, a passion for innovation, and a deep commitment to supporting clients and communities, Matt Haley continues to be a driving force in advancing energy efficiency. Frontier Energy continues to expand each year, creating more opportunities to support municipal utilities.