Kacie Anne Peters

KACIE PETERS, one of the world’s and solar industry’s greatest shining lights, passed away peacefully in her home on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in Denver, CO. She was 37.

 Kacie was born on April 25, 1986, in New Brunswick, NJ alongside her twin sister, Briane. She leaves behind her son Nathan “Nate” Stanley and her husband Erik. Kacie is predeceased by her parents Richard and Dolores (née Gorman) Peters, and leaves behind her brother Christopher & his fiancé Kate of Bellefonte, PA, her nephew Axl of Cheverly, MD, and her sister Briane & her fiancé Jacob of Highland Park, NJ. Raised in South River, NJ, she attended Mother Seton Regional High School before leaving for Bala Cynwyd, PA for college at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Throughout her childhood, she enjoyed dancing, singing, and acting, and her favorite role models were famous fictional feminist icons Punky Brewster and Daria. Her daily mismatched style, like her wit, was unpredictable.

After moving from PA where she had been in local politics, Kacie began her career in renewable energy in Delaware. With her true wit and style, she met and fell in love with her future husband on a visit to Chicago, IL, and moved there in 2012, becoming a rising star in the solar industry there. Erik and she married in September of 2014 and have loved each other unconditionally since.

With the support of her family, Kacie gradually became a powerhouse in solar energy in 2015. She worked for companies like SunEdison and Pivot Energy while also serving on the board of COSSA and ISEA and she chaired multiple WRISE leadership forums. Kacie created the largest solar industry monthly networking event in Colorado and her commitments to growing solar capacity nationally, increasing diversity, and mentoring fellow professionals ultimately created a better work environment for people and businesses through the solar value chain.

In 2016, her greatest accomplishment arrived. Her beloved son Nate. She and Erik raised him to be a healthy, happy, curious, thoughtful, and polite child. Loving him so deeply, she spent many of her last hours ensuring he can delight in their memories as he journeys through life. Though she may have had an outstanding career in the solar industry, her favorite job was being a mom. She had unparalleled passion to create Nate a homemade Halloween costume every year, taught him how to swim, how to dance, and how to remain unapologetically himself.

Kacie is remembered as enthusiastic, vibrant, brilliant, hilarious, sarcastic, witty, irreverent, artistic, and incredibly thoughtful. She was a former ballet dancer who loved dancing, hiking and being outside. We are grateful that these traits have been passed down to Nate and will live on.

Kacie sought to empower us with the futures we have been generously given. Here are some of her final asks:

“- Make renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure as catchy as “natural gas.” End the culture war against wind and solar. Let’s normalize reusing resources and innovating on what we have.

- By the time my son is 50, the air should [be] cleaner than it was when my mom hit that milestone.

- Let’s work on bringing the cost of living in line with reasonable benefits and wages—whether that be through the help of AI or other innovations—so that every person can take the personal time they deserve when making big life changes. I want everyone to feel the job security and support that I had through this time.”

Kacie’s family will be holding a Celebration of Life Service at Seven Stones - Chatfield on Thursday, September 7th beginning promptly at 9am. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to either the Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) or Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) in Kacie's name.