Martha Staskus

A recognized leader in the development of over 250 megawatts of commercial wind and solar renewable energy projects, Martha brings her extensive background spanning practical issues and leadership skills in navigating the intricate and frequently challenging landscape of renewable electric generation development and deployment across the New England region to her clients.  

Since joining VERA in the 1990's, Martha has applied her knowledge and practical experience in identifying and permitting suitable sites for grid-connected, electric generation facilities. Her expertise in the electric utility, renewable energy, and regulatory fields, shared with clients in state and local governments, utilities, landowners and developers plays out in leading a team that respects the environmental, legal, engineering, and political constraints confronting projects at the local, state, and regional regulatory levels.  Her personable demeanor coupled with her effective management skills ensures efficiencies in bringing projects through the latter stages of financing, construction, and operation.  

Martha has played key development rolls in 4 of the 5 utility wind facilities in Vermont and 99 MW Granite Reliable Wind in New Hampshire.  After commissioning of the Georgia Mountain Community Wind project, she turned her focus on completing over 25 Vermont solar net-metering projects, including a half dozen at Vermont state agencies facilities. 

Recent years, as Chief Development Officer for Norwich Technologies, she has been responsible for the development activities of over 100 commercial solar installations from 150 kilowatts to 5 megawatts in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.  She now continues her work at VERA assisting clients in all aspects of development and regulatory compliance, from site identification, design, and permitting to operations.   

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Martha has presented testimony before the Vermont State Legislature on contemporary electric energy policy matters and provides expert testimony on behalf of clients in state and local regulatory proceedings. She has served as Chair and Vice Chair of the industry trade group, Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), and continues to contribute to the organization.  She was awarded the REV Renewable Energy Champion award in 2019, which recognizes an individual who ‘champions’ the benefits of developing, creating, informing, and striving to improve Vermont in the fields of renewable energy generation.  Currently, Martha is Chair of the Waterbury Planning Commission after serving on the town’s Development Review Board for over a decade.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Vermont and completed graduate work in the Landscape Architecture Master Program at the University of Pennsylvania.  Her personal time will find her gardening, biking or hiking with Copper.