- Meet Our Team
Mary O'Donnell, CEO
"Solar Mama" Mary O’Donnell began her career in the energy industry three decades ago when she purchased a 105 acre sand and gravel pit in Kingston, Massachusetts. After an extensive study, Mary abandoned plans to re-develop the site into a waste-to-energy facility, but her foray into the industry had begun.
In 2010, after a developer’s quest to create a transit oriented 40R development on the site collapsed under the weight of the a troubled economy, Mary resumed her mission to develop energy on the site after learning the Town of Kingston had conducted a successful three year wind feasibility study on municipal land that directly abutted her 105 acre site. Kingston Wind, No Fossil Fuel’s 6MW flagship renewable farm, was commissioned on January 20th, 2012.
Mary founded two solar development companies and went on to develop No Fossil Fuel Marshfield Solar, a 4 MW solar facility commercially operational since 2013. The project was sold to Washington Gas and Energy Systems. The project was built on a private capped landfill, and the power sold locally to the Town of Marshfield.
In addition to No Fossil Fuel Marshfield Solar, Mary co-founded No Fossil Fuel Dartmouth Solar, a 6 MW solar facility commercially operational since 2014. The project has off-take agreements with Silver Lake Regional School District, and the Town of Carver. The project was constructed on the site of a cranberry bog.
Mary is politically active, and engages in renewable energy policy and regulatory rulemaking proceedings, as well as partner with universities to educate next generation of renewable energy leaders. Mary is certified WBE as a renewable energy developer by the Supplier Diversity Office of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She is a member of the CleanTech Business Club and serves on the board of directors for Southeast Regional Network as well as the Kingston Business Association.
Michael Frenette, CFO
Michael graduated from George Washington University in 2006 with a B.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in International Economics. After a year and 3 months working for Chimera Capital as an equity trader, Frenette transitioned to work for US Bank, where he spent 4 years working in CDO Operations for the Wealth Management division. As a Senior Analyst at US Bank, Frenette spent his weeknights and weekends working as the controller for No Fossil Fuel, and was instrumental in preparing the costs and coordinating 1603 Cash Grant application. Frenette leveraged his experience in operations, compliance and financial reporting from the banking sector and left in May 2012 to become the CFO of No Fossil Fuel.
Frenette has successfully closed over $20 MM in term financing and project finance under his tenure at No Fossil Fuel. In addition to his role as CFO, he functions as a project manager, and lead the acquisition, design, permitting, and sale of the 650 kW PV project in Wilbraham, MA. Frenette is responsible for the asset management of No Fossil Fuel’s 6 MW wind farm.
Company Affiliations
CleanTech Business Club
