Solar Maverick Podcast: Recent Episodes
Benoy Thanjan
The Solar Maverick Podcast is the insiders guide to where the solar and energy markets meet entrepreneurship and trailblazing. Hosted by Benoy Thanjan - a serial entrepreneur and founder of Reneu Energy
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan joins Peter Pongracz of Soliverse for a wide-ranging conversation about how the global solar market is changing.
They discuss why early-stage development capital has become more difficult to secure, why investors increasingly prefer later-stage and lower-risk projects, and why solar-plus-storage is becoming the new standard in many markets.
Benoy and Peter also examine the growing importance of community relationships, energy independence, repowering, solar-panel recycling, and innovation as the United States and Europe compete with China’s scale and long-term energy strategy.
A central theme throughout the episode is that solar technology itself is relatively simple, but developing, financing, interconnecting, and delivering projects has become increasingly complex.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Peter Pongracz is the host of Soliverse, a European solar-industry podcast that he describes as, in his own words, "the Solar Maverick Podcast of Europe." He draws on market data from sources including SolarPower Europe and his own client work, including market segmentation research on floating PV, to bring a European and global lens to conversations about solar development, investment, and policy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Peter Pongracz
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterpongraczsaas/
Soliverse
https://www.youtube.com/@Soliversepodcast
Sponsor
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by Reneu Energy.
Reneu Energy works with companies and organizations on renewable energy strategy, project development, owner’s representation, project finance, renewable energy credits, and market advisory services.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.reneuenergy.com
Listen and SubscribeSubscribe to the Solar Maverick Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review. It helps more people discover conversations with the leaders shaping the future of solar, storage, and the energy transition.
The League Episode #51 – Show Notes
In this episode of The League, Clean energy demand continues to accelerate as utilities, data centers, manufacturers, and large commercial customers seek more power. Solar, storage, transmission, and nuclear all have major opportunities, but the next phase of industry growth will depend less on demand and more on execution.
In this episode of The League, we discuss the growing importance of permitting, interconnection, community engagement, tax-credit certainty, domestic manufacturing, and access to capital. We also examine the rising cost of grid upgrades in ISO New England, the renewed interest in nuclear development, and the continued evolution of tax equity and transferable tax-credit markets.
The companies that can navigate complexity, manage risk, and move projects from development to operation will be best positioned to win.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Rene Down down down down downu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more:
https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Recorded at the ACORE Finance Forum, Benoy Thanjan speaks with James Gutman of S&P Global about the findings from S&P Global’s latest report created for ACORE on the state of renewable energy finance and investment in the United States.
James discusses the continued flow of capital into solar, battery storage, and other energy infrastructure, while examining the transmission, permitting, and market challenges that could constrain future growth.
The conversation also explores James’s work with Young Professionals in Energy New York City and the importance of mentorship, networking, and developing the next generation of energy leaders.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
James Gutman
Senior principal analyst at S&P Global focused on providing energy finance analysis and advisory services to financial and capital market clients. Previously a deal advisory senior associate with five and a half years experience in public accounting. He has a distinctive background: started his career advising entrepreneurs on building up successful businesses, scaling up full cycles accounting processes with growth strategies and tax planning. Moved into full time audit and then deal advisory at a Big 4 firm in New York City to assist asset managers and private equity in mergers and acquisitions with a specialization in renewables and infrastructure.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
James Gutman
Report:
https://acore.org/resources/clean-energy-investment-trends-sp-global-energy-report-produced-for-acore/
Email: james.gutman@spglobal.com
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gutman/
Young Professional in Energy NYC: https://www.ypenyc.org/
Sponsor
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by Reneu Energy.
Reneu Energy works with companies and organizations on renewable energy strategy, project development, owner’s representation, project finance, renewable energy credits, and market advisory services.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.reneuenergy.com
Listen and SubscribeSubscribe to the Solar Maverick Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review. It helps more people discover conversations with the leaders shaping the future of solar, storage, and the energy transition.
Episode SummaryIn this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Matt Coleman, CEO of Davis Hill Development and Principal of Skyview Ventures.
The conversation centers on Davis Hill's partnership with HiveTracks, an innovative program that uses beekeeping and honey analysis as a biodiversity monitoring tool on solar sites. Matt explains how HiveTracks analyzes honey, pollen, and environmental DNA to track pollutants, invasive species, and ecosystem health, and how that data informs vegetative maintenance, mowing schedules, and seeding decisions on Davis Hill's projects.
Benoy and Matt also discuss agrivoltaics and multi-use land strategies, including grazing, hay production, and a new cranberry bog project in Massachusetts, the importance of long-term partnerships with farmers and landowners, how community-focused land stewardship can strengthen permitting outcomes, and the evolving role of solar-plus-storage and standalone battery projects. The episode closes with Matt's advice for early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs on differentiation and market timing.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Matt Coleman
Matt Coleman joined Skyview in February 2016 and brings over fifteen years of expertise in renewable energy via project development and finance, corporate investment, and technology development. Mr. Coleman was most recently EVP of Business Development at Clean Focus, where he led the company’s commercial and utility solar power project development and acquisition. Prior to Clean Focus, Mr. Coleman co-founded and managed one of the first renewable energy sector hedge funds in the United States. He also helped launch two different concentrating solar firms, Soliant Energy and Hyperlight Energy, and developed and financed a variety of distributed generation technologies for RealEnergy. Mr. Coleman earned an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA and a BA in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Matt Coleman
Skyview Ventures
https://skyviewventures.com/
Davis Hill Development
https://www.davishilldevelopment.com/
Hivetracks
https://www.hivetracks.com/
Matt Coleman on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattecolem/
SponsorThis episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by Reneu Energy.
Reneu Energy works with companies and organizations on renewable energy strategy, project development, owner’s representation, project finance, renewable energy credits, and market advisory services.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.reneuenergy.com
Listen and SubscribeSubscribe to the Solar Maverick Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review. It helps more people discover conversations with the leaders shaping the future of solar, storage, and the energy transition.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Noelle Paige, Vice President of Project Development at Aspen Power.
Noelle shares her journey from classical ballet and public administration into renewable energy, including her work at Cypress Creek Renewables, Sol Systems, Summit Ridge Energy, Onyx Renewables, and now Aspen Power. She discusses what it takes to lead project development teams, how Aspen Power approaches community solar and distributed generation, and why stable markets like New York, Illinois, and Maryland remain important for community solar growth.
Benoy and Noelle also discuss the changing solar market, the impact of policy uncertainty, the growing role of battery storage, and how companies are adapting as the industry shifts from pure solar development toward broader energy solutions.
The conversation also highlights Noelle’s involvement with Solar Sisters and the Let’s Share the Sun delegation to Puerto Rico, including the importance of women’s leadership, mentorship, and building a stronger, more diverse renewable energy industry.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Noelle Paige
Noelle Paige is Vice President of Project Development at Aspen Power, where she leads project development strategy and execution for distributed generation and community solar projects.
She has approximately a decade of experience in the solar industry, with prior roles at Cypress Creek Renewables, Sol Systems, Summit Ridge Energy, and Onyx Renewables. Her background includes community outreach, zoning, project finance diligence, development management, and team leadership.
At Aspen Power, Noelle and her team help guide projects from acquisition and development through development completion, working closely with channel partners, finance teams, policy teams, and preconstruction teams.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Noelle Paige
Email: npaige@aspenpower.com
Aspen Power
https://aspenpower.com
Noelle Paige on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellepaige/
Solar Sisters
https://solar-sisters.org
Solar Sisters first interview on the Solar Maverick Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT-7t_K_4Oo&t=1093s
SponsorThis episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by Reneu Energy.
Reneu Energy works with companies and organizations on renewable energy strategy, project development, owner’s representation, project finance, renewable energy credits, and market advisory services.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.reneuenergy.com
Listen and SubscribeSubscribe to the Solar Maverick Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review. It helps more people discover conversations with the leaders shaping the future of solar, storage, and the energy transition.
SMP 290
Key Takeaways
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Community solar depends on stable marketsNoelle explains that Aspen Power is focused on community solar markets with stable and predictable programs. New York and Illinois are especially important because their community solar frameworks give developers more certainty around project economics, awards, timelines, and offtake.
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Project development is about executionA major theme of the episode is execution. From development milestones to permitting, finance, interconnection, landowner communication, and preconstruction, getting projects across the finish line requires coordination across many different teams.
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Policy changes are forcing companies to adaptThe conversation explores how changes to the investment tax credit, safe harboring, equipment requirements, and broader political uncertainty are forcing solar companies to rethink project design, timelines, and market strategy.
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Storage is becoming increasingly importantNoelle discusses how Aspen Power is evaluating storage opportunities, including solar-plus-storage and standalone storage. As the market changes, more companies are looking at batteries as a way to diversify, strengthen project economics, and maximize existing assets.
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Leadership means serving your teamNoelle shares her approach to management, including the idea that her team does not work for her, but that she works for them. She emphasizes listening, understanding how people learn and operate, and creating a culture where team members can grow and succeed.
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Women’s networks are essential in renewable energyThe episode highlights Solar Sisters, a growing community of women in solar and renewable energy. Noelle discusses the importance of peer support, mentorship, and creating spaces where women can share experiences, challenges, wins, and opportunities.
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Diversity requires intentional actionNoelle explains that hiring and leadership require more than good intentions. Companies need to be intentional about broadening candidate pools, creating access, and making sure more people have the opportunity to become “the best person for the job.”
Memorable Quotes“People don’t work for me. I work for them.”
“Learn it once, touch it once, do it once.”
“Community solar is great for those of us who are trying to get a bunch of things done at once.”
“You can build a great project and have all your permits, but if you don’t know where you’re selling your energy, there’s a big problem.”
“Your network is everything, and it’s not just who you know, it’s who knows you.”
“Go get some shit done, or get out of the way.”
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Eric Ries, bestselling author of The Lean Startup, about his new book, Incorruptible.
Eric explains why successful companies often lose their mission as they grow, take on outside capital, and face pressure to prioritize short-term shareholder returns over long-term value. He explores how founders can protect the original purpose of their companies through stronger governance, legal structures, aligned investors, and what he calls “mission integrity.”
The conversation also covers lessons from Costco, FedMart, Anthropic, public benefit corporations, employee ownership, and purpose trusts. Eric also explains why the core principles of The Lean Startup remain highly relevant in the age of artificial intelligence.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Eric Ries
Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, author, and leading thinker on innovation, management, and organizational design. He is best known as the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, which introduced the Build-Measure-Learn framework and helped transform how startups and established companies develop new products under conditions of uncertainty.
His latest book, Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great, examines why organizations lose their founding principles and how leaders can design companies that remain trustworthy, mission-driven, and successful over the long term.
Eric has worked with startups, major corporations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and leaders across industries to create more innovative and resilient organizations.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Eric Ries
Website: https://incorruptible.co
Website: https://howisincorruptiblegoing.com
Legal services (Virgil): https://tryvirgil.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eries/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Bill Taylor, CEO and owner of DCE Solar, about his 17-year journey building one of the solar industry's most resilient racking and construction companies. Bill shares how DCE Solar grew from a racking supplier into a group of businesses spanning racking systems, construction services, engineering and design, carports, ground mounts, rooftop systems, and single-axis trackers for solar projects across the United States.
The conversation covers how Bill has navigated the "solar coaster" through financial discipline, a strong company culture, and a focus on quality and long-term customer relationships rather than competing purely on price. Bill and Benoy also dig into the technical side of racking and tracker design for challenging terrain and cold climates, DCE's exclusive U.S. partnership with Spain's Axial Structures, and why AI-driven data center growth is making reliable power access more critical than ever for the US’'s energy strategy.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a large solar and storage construction firm, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Bill Taylor
Bill Taylor is an accomplished entrepreneur and executive with over two decades of experience successfully navigating and scaling the alternative energy and sustainability sector. As the CEO and Owner of DCE Solar, DCE Services, and DCE Design, he is driven by a commitment to innovation and an unwavering belief in making solar the most cost-effective energy source globally.
Under his leadership, the DCE companies design, engineer, and build solar power plants, managing projects from complex commercial carports and rooftops to large-scale 100 Megawatt (MW) utility installations nationwide.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Bill Taylor
Website: https://www.dcesolar.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billetaylor/
Bill Taylor recommended Good to Great by Jim Collins.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #50 – Show Notes
In this episode of The League, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down the latest clean energy trends. They discuss litigation surrounding alleged battery leaks in Suffolk County, the revocation of a permit for a major Ohio solar project, and the growing regulatory risks confronting developers. They also explore why data centers, warehouses, and other large energy users are increasingly adopting behind-the-meter solar and storage as grid constraints and interconnection delays make access to reliable power a critical business issue.
The episode concludes with a major industry milestone: solar generated more U.S. electricity than coal in May 2026. Benoy and David explain why pairing solar with battery storage can make renewable power more valuable, flexible, and responsive to periods of peak demand.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Rene Down down down down downu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more:
https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Inigo, co-founder and CEO of Concentro and founder of Folio, about how AI is helping streamline clean energy project finance. Inigo shares the story behind Concentro and how tax credit transferability created new opportunities in the market. The conversation focuses on Folio, an AI-powered platform created by Concentro that helps project finance teams organize data rooms, manage diligence, extract key information from documents, and prepare projects for financing.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Iñigo Rengifo MeliaIñigo Rengifo Melia is the co-founder and CEO of Concentro and Folio, two companies transforming how clean energy projects are financed and managed.
An electromechanical engineer by training with a strong background in energy, Inigo began his career as the first employee at a startup studio, where he was part of the founding team of two early-stage companies. He then joined McKinsey as a management consultant, specializing in energy including a nearly 10-month engagement helping one of Spain's largest utilities build and launch a distributed generation platform.
Inigo went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School, where he met his co-founder Tao.
Concentro is a hands-on tax credit transferability platform focused primarily on distributed generation, managing the entire process from diligence to transaction management to legal documentation. The firm works with both sellers (IPPs, developers, sponsors) and buyers (corporations seeking vetted tax credits).
Folio, spun out from Concentro's internal tooling, is an AI-powered diligence and project finance platform that helps clean energy teams process documentation faster, maintain precision, and manage the full lifecycle from financing preparation through asset management.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Iñigo Rengifo Melia
Folio Website: getfolio.io
Concentro Website: concentro.io
Email (Folio): inigo@getfolio.io
Email (Concentro): inigo@concentro.io
LinkedIn: Iñigo Rengifo Melia — Concentro
Solar Maverick listeners can request a free two-month trial of Folio — mention Solar Maverick when reaching out.
Prior Episode of the Solar Maverick with Inigo and Tao from Concentro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgIbZo4upM8
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
A special thank you to everyone who attended and supported the Summer Solstice Fundraiser benefiting Let’s Share the Sun. It was an incredible evening bringing together the clean energy community to support solar and battery storage for communities in Puerto Rico. We are grateful to our sponsors and partners who helped make the event possible, including Folio, Concentro, SolHarvest Energy, Kinetic Communities Consulting, Jordan Energy, Positive Deviancy, New Energy Equity, Reneu Energy, the Solar Maverick Podcast, and Let’s Share the Sun. We also want to thank everyone who made additional donations, attended the event, shared the fundraiser, and helped bring the community together. Your support helps advance clean energy, resilience, and community impact where it is needed most.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Russell Laplante, Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States.
Russ shares his nearly two-decade journey in renewable energy from his Goldman Sachs training program to becoming the first employee at wind startup Own Energy in 2007, through utility-scale solar at Tradewind Energy and Savion, and now leading the financial strategy at Convergent's distributed and utility-scale battery storage platform.
The conversation covers Convergent's business model working with commercial and industrial customers on behind-the-meter battery and solar-plus-storage projects, how they save C&I customers up to 40% on their energy bills, and how batteries help utilities defer costly transmission and distribution upgrades.
The episode dives deep into the financing of battery storage, including tax equity, portfolio debt financing, partnership flip structures, and why distributed generation requires a fundamentally different capital strategy than utility-scale projects. Russ also shares his perspective on the massive opportunity around data centers, AI-driven load growth, speed to grid, the Big Beautiful Bill, ITC extension for storage, and what Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) compliance means for the battery supply chain.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Russell Laplante
Russell Laplante is the Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States, with over $1 billion deployed and 800 megawatts of projects operational, under construction, or in development.
Russ has nearly two decades of experience in renewable energy. He began his career at Goldman Sachs before joining Own Energy in 2007 as its first employee, where he worked hands-on in utility-scale wind development across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He later joined Tradewind Energy in an origination role before leading M&A for the solar platform that eventually became Savion. After Shell acquired Savion in 2021, Russ served as Chief Investment Officer before joining Convergent in 2025 as CFO.
At Convergent, Russ oversees capital markets strategy, debt and tax equity financing, and the company's portfolio approach to distributed energy storage across commercial, industrial, and utility customers.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-laplante-cfa-42353510
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Convergent Energy and Power
Website:https://www.convergentep.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergent-energy-power/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with members of the Solar Sisters about their organization, their partnership with Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, and their recent delegation to Puerto Rico around International Women’s Day.
The conversation features Abby Hopper, Noelle Paige, Yejdie Olutosin, Addie Momyer, and Erin Greeson, who share how the Solar Sisters came together, why women’s leadership matters in clean energy, and how solar and battery storage can create life-changing impact for communities facing energy insecurity.
The group discusses their experience visiting La Casa de Bondad, a domestic violence shelter in Puerto Rico supported by Let’s Share the Sun, and participating in a residential solar installation for a homeowner who relies on reliable electricity for medical needs.
The episode also touches on the challenges facing Puerto Rico's grid, the role of solar and storage in energy resilience, the ongoing work of Let's Share the Sun to bring energy access to underserved communities, and a fundraiser Benoy is organizing on June 4th in Jersey City to support that mission.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar plus storage developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guests Information
Abby Hopper
Abby Hopper is the founder of Solar Sisters and former President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). A passionate advocate for clean energy and women's leadership in the industry, Abby created Solar Sisters as a community built around three pillars: service, growth, and connection. She has been a driving force behind the Solar Sisters delegation to Puerto Rico, partnering with Let's Share the Sun to bring energy equity to domestic violence shelters on the island. Abby is widely recognized for opening doors for women across the clean energy sector and building a culture of collaboration over competition.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigailhopper/
Noelle Paige
Noelle Paige is Vice President of Project Development at Aspen Power, where she manages a large team and leads project development efforts. She is deeply passionate about workforce development, women in business, and the clean energy transition.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellepaige/
Yejdie Olutosin
Yejdie Olutosin is the Director of the Accelerate Program at ACORE, based in Washington, D.C., where she manages a market access platform supporting clean energy founders scaling solutions across the value chain. Since 2020, the program has grown to support over 60 companies across more than 30 states. A former Peace Corps volunteer originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Yejide brought a deeply personal connection to the Puerto Rico delegation, drawing on her own experience with energy insecurity in island communities.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolutosin/
Addie Momyer
Addie Momyer is Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal Operations at the Solar Energy Industries Association, a role she has held since 2023. Prior to SEIA, she spent her career in public interest representation and litigation at Maryland Legal Aid. Addie is passionate about ensuring the clean energy transition happens equitably and that all communities are included.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addie-momyer-bb3752262/
Erin Greeson
Erin Greeson is the founder and principal consultant of ClimateLine, a communications and marketing firm focused exclusively on companies committed to the clean energy transition.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eringreeson/
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Solar Sisters
Website: https://solar-sisters.org
Let’s Share the Foundation
Website: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary
In this special episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Russell Laplante, Flavia Cabral, and Stephen Jordan to reflect on the November 2025 Puerto Rico delegation with Let’s Share the Sun.
The group reflects on their time in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, where they helped install solar and storage systems, spent time with beneficiary families, and saw firsthand why energy resilience can be life-changing.
The episode also touches on the importance of energy independence, the challenges facing Puerto Rico’s grid, the role of solar and storage in building resilience, and why service-based experiences can create deeper relationships than traditional networking or industry events.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credit transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla's Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating renewable energy projects and maximizing the performance of the assets. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm's renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Russell Laplante
Russell Laplante is the Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, a leading energy storage solutions provider in North America. He has spent more than 17 years in the renewable energy industry, with experience across finance, project development, M&A, and energy storage. In this episode, Russell reflects on his November 2025 Let’s Share the Sun delegation to Puerto Rico, where he installed a solar panel for the first time despite nearly two decades in clean energy. His perspective brings together project finance, energy resilience, and the personal impact of seeing solar and storage deployed directly for families in need.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-laplante-cfa-42353510/
Stephen Jordan
Stephen Jordan is Director of Marketing for Jordan Energy and is closely involved with Let’s Share the Sun Foundation. He is passionate about storytelling, community, clean energy, and using solar as a tool to empower people. Stephen has experience on the installation side of solar and helps share the mission of Let’s Share the Sun through writing, video, voice, and community engagement. He is also a published author and has worked in music therapy, including with Voices of Our City Choir, which received the Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent. In this episode, Stephen reflects on the November 2025 Puerto Rico delegation, the next generation of Let’s Share the Sun leadership, and why solar, storage, and community-building are deeply connected.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-jordan-062413159/
Flavia Cabrel
Flavia Cabral is a singer and vocal coach originally from Argentina and joined the November 2025 Let's Share The Sun delegation alongside her husband Russell. She brings a deeply human perspective to this conversation about service, community, and energy access. During the November 2025 Let’s Share the Sun delegation to Puerto Rico, Flavia formed powerful connections with beneficiary families, especially the women she met during the trip. She shares how listening, empathy, and making people feel heard can create meaningful bonds across cultures and backgrounds. In this episode, Flavia reflects on the importance of showing up, giving back, and understanding the real-life impact of reliable electricity for families facing outages, medical needs, and hardship.
Instagram: @flavia.111
Stay Connected
Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Podcast: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Let's Share The Sun Website: https://www.letsSharethesun.org
Summer Solstice Fundraiser — Jersey City, NJ
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
Please Leave a 5-Star Review
If you got value out of this episode, please take a minute to rate, review, and share the Solar Maverick Podcast. Every review helps more people in the clean energy community find the show and stay ahead of what is happening in solar, storage, and the energy transition.
About Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, commercial and industrial solar, utility-scale solar, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Victoria Stulgis, President of Black Bear Energy, to explore one of the most underrated opportunities in the solar industry: commercial real estate.
Black Bear Energy acts as an owner’s representative for institutional property owners, helping them deploy on-site solar and battery storage across their portfolios at scale.
Victoria discusses Black Bear’s recently published 2025 Real Estate Solar Leaderboards Report, a first-of-its-kind dataset tracking energized on-site solar across major U.S. real estate owners and managers.
The numbers are eye-opening. Prologis leads with 309 MW deployed in the U.S. alone and more than 1 GW globally. Public Storage has quietly completed more than 1,100 projects totaling 111 MW. According to Morgan Stanley, there is still 326 GW of untapped solar capacity sitting on commercial rooftops across the country.
The conversation gets into the real mechanics of how large REITs and institutional landlords are approaching solar today, why most deals are front-of-meter rooftop leases, what is driving community solar adoption in Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland, and what the ITC phase-out means for lease rates and deal economics going forward.
Victoria also makes the case for why battery storage is the next major frontier for commercial real estate and what it will take for the capital markets to catch up.
BiographiesBenoy ThanjanBenoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credit transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Victoria StulgisVictoria Stulgis is the President of Black Bear Energy, where she oversees the company’s growth and day-to-day operations following the departure of founder Drew Torbin at the end of 2025. She has been with Black Bear for more than nine years, joining in the company’s early days and working her way up through client-facing roles.
Before Black Bear, Victoria built her career at two nonprofits focused on market-based solutions to climate change. She started at The Carbon War Room, Sir Richard Branson’s climate NGO, where she worked on decarbonizing the maritime shipping industry.
After The Carbon War Room was acquired by Rocky Mountain Institute, Victoria shifted her focus to corporate virtual PPAs, working directly with Fortune 500 companies that were early adopters of large-scale clean energy procurement. RMI was also an original seed funder of Black Bear Energy, which is how she connected with Drew Torbin and eventually joined the team.
Black Bear Energy is now owned by Legence, a Blackstone portfolio company that went public through an IPO in September 2025.
Stay ConnectedBenoy Thanjan
Email: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Podcast: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Victoria Stulgis
Website: https://www.blackbearenergy.com
2025 Real Estate Solar Leaderboards Report: https://www.blackbearenergy.com
Email: https://luma.com/jl734ggi
Please Leave a 5-Star ReviewIf you got value out of this episode, please take a minute to rate, review, and share the Solar Maverick Podcast. Every review helps more people in the clean energy community find the show and stay ahead of what is happening in solar, storage, and the energy transition.
About Reneu EnergyReneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, commercial and industrial solar, utility-scale solar, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #49 – Show Notes
In this episode of The League, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down the latest clean energy trends. Benoy discusses why policy certainty matters for solar and storage, how clean energy tax credits impact project economics, and why commercial real estate owners are increasingly treating behind-the-meter solar as a profit center. David covers solar module cost trends, FEOC-compliant versus non-FEOC-compliant equipment, inverter and racking costs, and Brookfield’s joint venture with The Nuclear Company.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more:
https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Kellie MacPherson, Executive Vice President of Compliance and Security at Radian Generation and a board member of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Kellie is one of the leading experts in NERC compliance and cybersecurity for renewable energy assets. In this timely conversation, she explains why the May 15, 2026 NERC deadline matters for solar, storage, and wind projects, especially inverter-based resources around 20 MW and above.
Kellie breaks down what NERC is, why the registration threshold is changing, and why simply filling out a registration form is not enough. She explains that projects brought into scope need to be audit-ready, with policies, procedures, equipment settings, cybersecurity controls, and compliance programs in place.
The conversation also covers cybersecurity risks facing renewable energy assets, the importance of basic cyber hygiene, the role of inverter settings and SCADA systems, and why renewable energy projects must be treated as critical infrastructure as they become a larger part of the electric grid.
Benoy and Kellie also discuss her background, her work at Radian Generation, her role on the SEIA board, entrepreneurship, building a compliance business, and how she uses LinkedIn and podcasting to educate the industry.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Kellie MacPherson
Kellie MacPherson is Executive Vice President of Compliance and Security at Radian Generation and a board member of the Solar Energy Industries Association. She has deep experience in NERC compliance, cybersecurity, renewable energy operations, and grid reliability. At Radian Generation, Kellie leads compliance and risk services for renewable energy owners, developers, and operators.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Kellie MacPherson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliemacpherson/
Website: https://www.radiangen.com
Radian Generation podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-the-grid/id1697573026
Solar Maverick Podcast Updates
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In this special live episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan moderates a panel discussion from the MSSIA(“Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association”) Solar and Storage Conference focused on one of the most important topics in renewable energy today: how AI is accelerating solar development, asset management, and O&M. The panel explores how AI is both creating new energy challenges through data center-driven load growth and helping solve some of the industry’s biggest bottlenecks, including permitting, local opposition, distributed energy resource coordination, asset management, O&M, and post-COD performance.
Benoy is joined by Anuj Saigal from Spark AI, Anna Gusel from enSights.ai, and Joel Santisteban from EcoSuite. Together, they discuss where AI is actually delivering value today, where the hype still exists, and how renewable energy companies can use AI-enabled tools to move faster, reduce risk, and make better decisions.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Guest Information
Anuj Saigal, Spark AI
Anuj Saigal is the co-founder of Spark AI, a permitting intelligence platform for energy infrastructure and data centers. Spark AI uses AI agents to read millions of documents across jurisdictions, including zoning ordinances, meeting minutes, agendas, and local news, to help developers understand permitting friction and local opposition risk.
Anuj was on episode 274 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. The episode was called “From Weeks to Seconds: How AI is Transforming Solar Diligence with Spark AI and Standard Solar”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000760451713
Anna Gusel, enSights.ai
Anna Gusel is with enSights.ai, an AI-powered energy business management platform. In the discussion, Anna explains how enSights.ai helps asset owners and operators bring together telemetry, financial data, operational data, technician logs, contracts, warranties, and site information to improve visibility and decision-making across renewable energy portfolios.
Joel Santisteban, EcoSuite
Joel Santisteban is with EcoSuite, an asset management and edge compute platform designed for distributed energy. EcoSuite works with developers, IPPs, and grid operators to deploy software and hardware solutions, including DER gateways and edge compute nodes, that help accelerate deployment and integration into the distribution grid.
Joel was on episode 260 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. The episode was called “Ecosuite: AI-Powered Management for Distributed Energy”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000747120162
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Anuj Saigal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujsaigal/
Website: https://www.spark.ai
Anna Gusel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annagusel/
Website: https://ensights.ai
Joel Santisteban
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-santisteban/
Website: https://ecosuite.io
Solar Maverick Podcast Updates
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #49 – Show Notes
David Magid and Benoy Thanjan break down major clean energy market updates, including New York’s ASAP Act, rising MISO interconnection costs, Virginia’s storage and shared solar expansion, and Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more:
https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Marek Kubik, energy storage expert and former Fluence founder, to break down the rapid evolution of battery storage and its critical role in the energy transition.
Marek shares insights from nearly two decades in the industry, explaining how declining costs, technological advancements, and new use cases are pushing energy storage to the center of the modern grid.
From lithium-ion dominance to emerging technologies like sodium-ion, and from grid stability to long-duration storage, this conversation covers the trends shaping the future of energy.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Marek Kubik
Marek builds and scales deeptech businesses that accelerate the clean energy transition. Over the past 17+ years he has helped take grid‑scale energy storage from first‑of‑a‑kind projects to multi‑billion‑dollar platforms, and enabled giga‑scale renewable systems.
As part of the founding team at Fluence, now one of the world’s largest energy storage technology providers, he helped to establish the business and drive scale-up - through to unicorn, a $4.7bn IPO and beyond. As Managing Director, he led the Western Europe & Middle East sales organisation, cultivating strategic partnerships, building high-performing teams and transacting over $1bn in energy storage solutions.
Today, Marek serves as a flexibility leadership team member at ENOWA, the clean energy and water company of NEOM, where he leads all efforts related to energy storage - a cornerstone of NEOM's ambition to achieve the world's first at-scale 100% renewable power grid.
Earlier in my career, he helped develop Europe’s first commercial utility‑scale battery project, building directly on my doctoral research and giving me a front‑row seat to the rise of modern battery storage. That mix of technical grounding and commercial execution still shapes how Marek works with teams, investors and policymakers today.
He is also a recognised voice in the sector: a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree that's delivered ~500 speaking engagements (TEDx, UN, COP, One Young World, Oxford University), grown a 50,000+ (top 0.002%) following on LinkedIn and authored the seminal Volta Foundation Battery Report (100,000+ downloads). Marek uses my platform to demystify energy storage, highlight emerging technologies and explore how AI and data can reshape clean energy systems.
Alongside his corporate roles, Marek advises governments, infrastructure investors and technology startups on strategy, commercialisation and scale‑up execution - helping bridge the gap between promising innovation and bankable, real‑world projects.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Marek Kubik
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlkubik/
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here:
https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #48 – Show Notes
Solar is scaling at a record pace in the U.S., but grid infrastructure, policy decisions, and permitting challenges are becoming the biggest bottlenecks. From interconnection costs in New York to stalled community solar in California and rising data center demand, the gap between generation and infrastructure is widening.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more:
https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here:
https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Zainab Gilani and Diana Rasner from the Cleantech Group to break down the biggest trends shaping the energy transition in 2026.
From AI-driven energy demand and data centers to shifting investor sentiment and evolving policy dynamics, this conversation dives deep into where cleantech capital is flowing and what it takes to scale in today’s market.
The discussion also explores the growing role of corporates, the challenges startups face working with utilities, and why resilience, grid infrastructure, and distributed energy resources are becoming critical themes across the industry.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Zainab Gilani
Energy & Power Associate at Cleantech Group
Focuses on grid technologies, nuclear, storage, and emerging energy systems
Diana Rasner
Group Lead, Materials, Chemicals, Waste & Recycling at Cleantech Group
Specializes in industrial decarbonization, materials innovation, and sustainability
About Cleantech GroupCleantech Group is a leading research and advisory firm focused on global cleantech innovation. They bring together startups, investors, and corporates to drive collaboration and provide market intelligence across energy, materials, transportation, and more.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Zainab Gilani
Website: https://cleantech.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-g-204965172/
Diana Rasner
Website: https://cleantech.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-rasner-63101a16a/
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here:
https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal from Spark AI and Patrick Chandler from Standard Solar about how artificial intelligence is transforming solar project development, diligence, and acquisition.
They explore how AI powered tools are enabling developers and asset owners to move significantly faster, reduce manual work, and improve decision making. The conversation also highlights a real world case study of how Standard Solar is using Spark AI to streamline project acquisition and diligence processes.
The discussion expands into the broader impact of AI on energy demand, data centers, and the future of solar and storage development.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
About the Guests
Julia Wu is the CEO of Spark AI, an AI powered platform helping developers and asset owners accelerate project development and diligence. She previously worked at Microsoft and Apple, building large scale data systems.
Anuj Saigal is the cofounder of Spark AI with a background in startups, energy, and AI. He previously worked at the Department of Energy, SunEdison, and EVgo, and founded a Y Combinator backed AI company.
Patrick Chandler is a senior project manager at Standard Solar, a Brookfield company that owns and operates distributed generation solar assets across the United States. He leads project acquisition, diligence, and execution efforts.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Julie Wu
Website: https://www.spark.ai/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wu-julia/
Anuj Saigal
Website: https://www.spark.ai/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujsaigal/
Patrick Chandler
Website: https://standardsolar.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-chandler-ii-1b6b47206/
Solar Maverick Podcast UpdatesIn this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.
Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.
This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:
https://luma.com/jl734ggi
On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here:
https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/
On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.
https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/
Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #46 – Show Notes
Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down major shifts reshaping the energy market, from Brookfield’s $6.5 billion acquisition of Boralex to NextEra’s massive 10 gigawatt natural gas buildout driven by data center demand. They also discuss the surprising $1 billion payment for TotalEnergies to exit offshore wind and what it signals about changing U.S. energy policy. Despite the volatility, solar continues to dominate on pure economics, with Texas setting new generation records as solar and storage become the foundation of the future grid.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dorian Hunt from Leo Berwick to break down the Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) rules and what the February 2026 guidance means for solar and storage projects. They unpack how FEOC is reshaping supply chains, tax credits, and project finance, and why uncertainty is currently the biggest risk to development.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Dorrian Hunt
Dorian leads Leo Berwick’s Energy & Renewables tax practice.
Dorian has 20 years of experience in tax credit monetization, with clients including renewable energy project developers, tax equity investors, project lenders, insurers and syndicators.
Prior to joining Leo Berwick, he was a leader in the Power and Utilities and Energy Transition practices of a Big 4 firm, where he focused on providing tax consulting services with respect to tax credit-driven project finance across, with a focus on renewable energy.
Dorian is a thought leader in the tax credit space and has authored articles on topics including the potential implications for “direct pay” of renewable energy tax incentives and on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the US renewable energy industry. He has also presented on these and other similar topics for organizations such as IPED, NARUC, and the Boston Bar Association.
Dorian has experience with myriad energy incentive programs including Treasury 1603 grants, 48C advanced energy manufacturing studies, and the rapidly-developing field of 45Q carbon capture credits.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Dorian Hunt
Website: https://www.leoberwick.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorian-hunt/
Dorian Hunt on Episode 231 of the Solar Maverick Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000723865682
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #45 – Show Notes
In this episode of The League, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down how rising geopolitical tensions are driving energy security concerns and accelerating investment in solar and storage. They share insights from Puerto Rico Energy Week, where grid instability is pushing rapid adoption of microgrids, distributed solar, and battery storage. Benoy also highlights the real world impact of installing solar and storage systems for families with critical 24 hour medical needs. The conversation shifts to new momentum in nuclear, with X-energy and Talen Energy partnering to develop small modular reactors in the United States. They also discuss National Grid’s thermal network pilots in New York, which use community scale ground source heat pumps to provide efficient heating and cooling.
Host Bio: Benoy ThanjanBenoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Nobel Chang, Co-Founder & CEO of Palladium Energy, to discuss how AI is transforming solar and infrastructure development.
Nobel shares how Palladium built Scout IQ, an AI-driven development engine that has enabled a 3-person team to originate 2.7 GW of projects and dramatically compressing timelines, reducing costs, and redefining scalability in solar development.
The conversation explores the future of AI in renewables, the convergence of solar, storage, and data centers, and what it takes to become a “10x developer” in today’s market.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Nobel Chang
Nobel Chang is the Chief Commercial Officer at Palladium Energy. Nobel leads business development, market strategy, and commercial execution. Starting his solar career in 2009, Nobel has originated and developed DG and utility-scale projects in CAISO, Northwest, MISO, ISO-NE, PJM, and Southeast markets in the United States. He also has developed and financed projects in Mexico, Chile, and Japan. Prior to co-founding Palladium Energy, Nobel was the VP of Development at US Topco Energy, started a greenfield development company, then joined Pine Gate Renewables as the VP of New Markets and Capital Strategy. He earned his BS in Business and MBA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Nobel Chang
Website: https://www.pd46energy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nobelchang/
ScoutIQ Press Release:
https://www.scoutiq.dev/news/scoutiq-opens-to-power-infrastructure-developers
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Peter Pongratz, host of the Soliverse Podcast, about the current state of the European solar market and how it compares with the U.S.
Peter shares insights on the slowdown in European solar installations, the growing importance of battery storage, curtailment, negative pricing, permitting delays, and the need for better grid integration. They also discuss trends in hybrid solar-plus-storage projects, the rise of recycling as a major future opportunity, and how podcasting has become a powerful platform for learning and connecting across the renewable energy industry.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Peter Pongracz
Peter Pongratz is the host of the Soliverse Podcast and works in solar consulting, SaaS sales, and business development. His podcast focuses on the B2B side of solar and features conversations with leaders across solar, storage, policy, and the broader energy transition.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Peter Pongracz
Website: https://www.soliverse.energy/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterpongraczsaasz/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In episode 44 of The League, in this episode, Benoy Thanjan (Solar Maverick) and David Magid discuss the growing role of fuel cells powering AI data centers, including how companies like Bloom Energy are enabling on-site, reliable electricity using existing gas infrastructure.They also cover the U.S. Department of Energy’s $26 billion loan program supporting major energy infrastructure projects, including nuclear and natural gas facilities.Benoy shares key insights from Intersolar North America in San Diego, highlighting major industry themes such as energy storage growth, distributed energy resources, AI-enabled energy software, automation in solar construction, and ongoing uncertainty around Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) guidance.Host Bio: Benoy ThanjanBenoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Hervé Billet, CEO and co-founder of Sunvoy, the first white-label customer portal and fleet management app built by solar installers for solar installers.
Hervé shares his entrepreneurial journey, from helping design Belgium’s first solar car to building and selling a solar installation company in the U.S., and now leading Sunvoy. The conversation covers what solar companies need to do to create long-term enterprise value, how branding and systems drive successful exits, and why clean accounting, process, and operational discipline matter if you want to sell a business.
Benoy and Hervé also discuss how Sunvoy helps installers improve operations by bringing critical project and O&M data into one place, reducing time spent hunting for information and improving the customer experience. They also explore current solar industry trends, including the shift toward Third Party Ownership (“TPOs”) and leases, rising electricity prices as a driver of solar adoption, technology improvements in solar hardware and storage, and why installer-built software creates a real competitive advantage.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Hervé Billet
As the CEO of Sunvoy, I'm committed to empowering solar businesses with innovative technology that streamlines operations and enhances customer experience.
Sunvoy is the first white-label customer portal and fleet management app, built by solar installers for solar installers. Our platform simplifies the complexities of running a solar business, enabling companies to scale efficiently with seamless integration and effortless results.
Sunvoy offers powerful tools to manage solar fleets, automate communication, and deliver an exceptional customer journey, helping companies thrive in an increasingly competitive market.
Previously, I served as the CEO of Ipsun Solar, where we revolutionized the residential and commercial solar market by enabling customers to own their power, reduce their utility bills, and add value to their properties through clean, renewable energy. Ipsun Solar, a B-Corporation, was known for its commitment to sustainability, being part of the Amicus and Amicus O&M networks, and serving as a certified Tesla Powerwall installer.
Before venturing into the solar industry, I worked at Accenture, where I consulted with Fortune 500 companies, U.S. Federal agencies, and large non-profits. My projects included:
Calculating Greenhouse Gas emissions for the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters.
Business development for Accenture's Sustainability Services.
Leading digital implementation teams for organizations like Goodwill Industries International.
Providing strategic support to global institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, UNICEF, United Nations, and U.S. Department of Labor.
At 21, I co-founded my first company, Solar Team, an initiative to showcase the power of solar energy through solar-powered vehicles. This early venture sparked my enduring passion for renewable energy and continues to inspire my work today.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Hervé Billet
Website: https://sunvoy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hervebilliet/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
The League Episode #43 – Show Notes
In episode 43 of The League, Treasury has released initial guidance on Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules, reshaping tax credit eligibility, supply chains, and project financing across the clean energy industry. In this episode, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down what the guidance means for developers, investors, and manufacturers and provide a deep dive into the latest trends in New York’s interconnection queues.
Host Bio: Benoy ThanjanBenoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with H.G. Chissell, Founder and CEO of AEG ("Advanced Energy Group"), live from DistribuTech 2026 in San Diego. H.G. shares how AEG convenes utilities, regulators, agencies, corporates, and community leaders to turn urgent climate and grid challenges into action through a “competitive collaboration” model built around 12-month goals and 90-day sprints. They discuss why trust and affordability are emerging as defining issues of the energy transition, how human-centered outcomes can accelerate adoption, and what it takes to drive real progress across complex stakeholder groups.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
H.G. Chissell
H.G. Chissell is the Founder and CEO of Advanced Energy Group (AEG), a stakeholder engagement and action platform that convenes utilities, regulators, policymakers, corporations, and community leaders to accelerate the energy transition. Over the past decade, he has built AEG into a nationally recognized forum for collaborative problem-solving, using a unique “competitive collaboration” model that transforms urgent climate, grid, and infrastructure challenges into 12-month action plans supported by 90-day implementation sprints.
Before founding AEG, H.G. worked in leadership consulting and architecture, experiences that shaped his focus on designing human-centered frameworks that inspire accountability, trust, and measurable outcomes. His work has helped catalyze cross-sector initiatives in cities across the United States, advancing solutions in areas such as infrastructure resilience, affordability, grid optimization, and community-centered decarbonization.
H.G. is also the founder of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CarbonLEAP) fellowship program, which connects emerging professionals with industry leaders to support real-world climate action projects while developing the next generation of energy transition leaders.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
H.G. Chissell
Website: https://aeg.team/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgchissell/
AEG events: https://luma.com/aeg
The Carbon League: https://thecarbonleague.org/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
Robots Are Building Solar Farms
Robots Are Building Solar Farms: How Cosmic Robotics Is Transforming Utility-Scale Construction
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with James Emerick, Co-Founder and CEO of Cosmic Robotics, to explore how autonomous robotics are changing the way utility-scale solar is built. Cosmic Robotics is developing an autonomous vehicle with an industrial robotic arm that installs PV modules on to racking, reducing labor intensity while improving safety and predictability on job sites. James shares why module installation is one of the most labor-intensive and OSHA recordable injury-prone tasks in solar construction and how robotics can help crews work faster and safer. They also discuss the company’s approach to deploying robots in the field, using real-world data to improve performance, and expanding into adjacent tasks like QA/QC and other construction applications over time. The conversation also touches on the broader drivers accelerating automation, including labor constraints, tighter project economics, and the surge in behind-the-meter power needs from data centers and AI infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- Robotics can reduce crew size while maintaining or improving daily module install throughput
• Safety is a primary driver, not just cost, since module install has high injury exposure
• Well-scoped tasks like module placement are a practical path to field-ready autonomy
• The long-term opportunity is a broader robotics platform for solar and adjacent infrastructure
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
James Emerick
James Emerick is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cosmic Robotics, a construction equipment company building autonomous equipment for utility-scale solar. Cosmic’s first product is an autonomous vehicle with an industrial robotic arm that installs PV modules on racking to make solar construction faster, safer, and more predictable.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
James Emerick
Website: https://www.cosmicrobotics.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesemerick/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th
https://luma.com/7v50llsn
The League Episode #42 – Show Notes
In episode 42 of The League, David Magid and Benoy Thanjan break down major developments shaping power markets, grid modernization, and clean energy investment. David highlights PJM’s proposed emergency capacity auction featuring 15-year contracts, a potential game changer for project finance and new generation. He also covers Massachusetts’ vehicle-to-grid pilot, signaling early progress toward virtual power plants. Benoy shares insights from DistribuTech, where AI-driven load growth, microgrids, and grid resiliency dominated conversations. He also reports from the Cleantech Forum, where venture capital is becoming more cautious and capital efficiency is now critical for startups. The big picture: the energy transition continues, but market signals, grid constraints, and tighter capital are reshaping how projects get built and financed.Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Peter Davidson, CEO of Aligned Climate Capital, to discuss how private capital is driving the deployment of solar projects and climate technologies.
Aligned Climate Capital manages approximately $2.1 billion in assets and invests in companies and projects accelerating the clean energy transition.
Peter explains how climate-focused investors evaluate opportunities, where capital is flowing today, and what separates bankable projects.
What We Covered* How Aligned Climate Capital approaches solar and climate investing
• What makes a project or company fundable in today’s market
• The real impact of IRA incentives on capital deployment
• How investors think about risk, returns, and execution
• The difference between investing in operating assets versus early-stage climate tech
• Where the next wave of opportunity lies in clean energy
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Peter W. Davidson
Peter Davidson is Chief Executive Officer at Aligned Climate Capital, an asset manager investing in companies and real assets driving the clean energy transition. He leads Aligned’s overall strategy and investment direction, building on a career at the intersection of finance, infrastructure, and public policy.
Previously, Peter was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO), where he oversaw a $32 billion portfolio in renewable energy, energy storage, advanced automotive technologies, and other low-carbon technologies.
Prior to leading the LPO, Peter was Senior Advisor for Energy and Economic Development at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Executive Director of New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation.
Before his government service, Peter was an entrepreneur who founded and managed six companies and held leadership roles in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley & Co.
He serves on several boards, including Summit Ridge Energy, Nyle Water Heating Systems, and BrightNight. He is also the chairman of two nonprofit organizations, the J.M. Kaplan Fund and Green-Wood Cemetery. Additionally, he is a member of the CFTC’s Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee.
Peter holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School. He is based in the New York office.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Peter Davidson
Website: https://alignedclimatecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-davidson-4b652318/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th
https://luma.com/7v50llsn
Solar Beats Coal in Texas, Nuclear Returns in NY & the Grid Faces a Load Crisis
The League Episode #41 – Show Notes
Episode SummaryIn this episode of The League, we break down the most consequential headlines shaping the energy transition from massive shifts in generation mix in Texas to policy moves in New York, and critical grid reforms at FERC that signal where the market is headed next.
Key Takeaways & Analysis
1️⃣ 2025: Solar’s Short-Term Downturn, Long-Term Bull Narrative Intact2️⃣ Solar Has Surpassed Coal in Texas (ERCOT)3️⃣ New York Aims for 8 GW of New Nuclear4️⃣ FERC Directs PJM to Reform Interconnection + Large Load TariffsHost Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Joel Santisteban, Co-Founder & CEO of Ecosuite, to explore how AI, edge computing, and interoperable infrastructure are transforming the way solar and storage assets are managed.
Joel shares his journey from solar development to building one of the most advanced distributed energy resource (“DER”) platforms in the industry, and explains how Ecosuite is helping developers, IPPs, utilities, and corporates unlock better performance, reliability, and efficiency across the full asset lifecycle.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Joel Santisteban
Joel Santisteban is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ecosuite, an AI-powered asset management platform for distributed energy resources. Joel is a seasoned entrepreneur and clean energy leader with deep experience in solar, storage, and energy software. At Ecosuite, he is focused on helping asset owners, operators, and developers optimize performance, reduce operational risk, and unlock more value from their energy assets through data and automation.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Joel Santisteban
Website: https://ecosuite.io/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-santisteban/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th
https://luma.com/7v50llsn
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Abu Riaz, CEO and Founder of AMS Renewables, to discuss what it takes to scale a solar and storage EPC in today’s rapidly evolving clean energy market.
Abu shares how AMS Renewables grew out of a traditional construction background into a fast-scaling EPC platform, executing projects across commercial, community solar, and utility-scale segments. The conversation highlights why construction discipline, capital planning, and execution are critical differentiators in solar and storage development.
Key topics include:
- How AMS Renewables evolved from C&I rooftop projects to large-scale community solar
- Why solar is fundamentally a construction-driven business
- The front-loaded capital and procurement challenges EPCs face at NTP
- Scaling without outside investors and maintaining operational flexibility
- Navigating industry disruption, EPC bankruptcies, and talent shifts
- The growing opportunity in solar + storage and standalone storage projects
- Managing risk, due diligence, and vendor compliance in a changing regulatory environment
- Leadership lessons from building a resilient EPC through market cycles
This episode is a must-listen for developers, EPCs, and clean energy entrepreneurs looking to build durable, execution-focused businesses in the solar and storage industry.
About the Solar Maverick Podcast
The Solar Maverick Podcast is a leading clean energy podcast hosted by Benoy Thanjan, Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy. The show features in-depth conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of solar, storage, and the global energy transition.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Abu Riaz, Founder & CEO of AMS Renewable Energy
Abu Riaz is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AMS Renewable Energy, a solar and energy storage EPC (“Engineering, Procurement, and Construction”) firm based in New York focused on delivering large-scale distributed solar and storage solutions across the United States. Under his leadership, AMS has grown into a nationally respected solar EPC with deep expertise in project execution, from pre-construction planning through engineering, procurement, and construction management.
Abu holds a degree in Mathematics and Finance from Columbia University and continually expands his industry knowledge through ongoing education in energy and finance, grounding his business strategy in both technical rigor and financial insight.
Throughout his tenure, he has guided AMS Renewable Energy in completing numerous solar projects and scaling its capabilities, including strategic initiatives to expand the company’s portfolio and service footprint. AMS is known for its commitment to quality, integrity, and delivering high-performance renewable energy assets for developers, independent power producers, and community solar stakeholders.
Under Abu’s leadership, AMS has also pursued industry growth through strategic moves such as its acquisition of Collective Solar, enhancing AMS’s construction capacity and positioning the firm to meet rising demand for distributed solar solutions across the Northeast and beyond.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Abu Riaz
Website: https://www.amsepc.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abu-riaz-5a442663/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan is joined by returning guest and co-host Nate Jovanelly, CEO and Founder of Sunraise Capital, for a deep dive into the US Residential Solar Outlook for 2026.
With major policy changes, the elimination of Section 25D for homeowners, and a rapid shift back to third-party ownership models, the residential solar market is undergoing one of the biggest transformations in its history. Benoy and Nate break down what changed in 2025, how the Big Beautiful Bill reshaped the market, and what installers, investors, and homeowners need to understand heading into 2026.
They explore the return of leases and PPAs, the growing importance of energy storage, the impact of FEOC and domestic content requirements, rising equipment complexity, and how customer acquisition is evolving. Nate also shares candid insights from building Sunraise Capital over the past two and a half years and offers advice for clean energy entrepreneurs navigating turbulent times.
Notable Quotes
-
“The only constant in solar is change.”
-
“Leases are back, and they’re back for a reason.”
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“Complexity is becoming the moat in residential solar.”
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“Solar is still sold, not bought, and that has to change.”
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“The companies that survive this period are going to thrive.”
Why This Episode Matters
The residential solar industry is entering a new era. With homeowner tax credits gone, equipment rules tightening, and storage becoming mainstream, 2026 will separate the adaptable companies from the rest. This conversation provides real-world perspective from the front lines and cuts through the noise to explain what is actually happening in the market.
About the Solar Maverick Podcast
The Solar Maverick Podcast is a leading clean energy podcast hosted by Benoy Thanjan, Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy. The show features in-depth conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of solar, storage, and the global energy transition.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Email: nate@sunraise.com
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 228: After the Big Beautiful Bill: What’s Next for US Residential Solar?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-228-after-the-big-beautiful-bill-what-s-next-for-us-residential-solar/
SMP 205: Revolutionizing Solar Finance: How SunRaise Capital Attracts Investors to Residential Solar Projects?https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-205-revolutionizing-solar-finance-how-sunraise/id1441876259?i=1000702871242
SMP 194: 2025 Solar Outlook
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-194-2025-solar-outlook/
SMP 176: REplus takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/
SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Notes
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Jarand Rystad, Founder and CEO of Rystad Energy, one of the world’s leading energy intelligence and data advisory firms.
Jarand explains why solar has dramatically outperformed historical forecasts, how rapid cost declines have reshaped global power markets, and why many regions are now facing a new challenge: too much solar at the wrong times. As grids become saturated with midday generation, energy storage has emerged as the critical missing link.
The conversation explores why the next five years will belong to energy storage, how batteries enable higher renewable penetration, and what this shift means for pricing, grid stability, and project economics. Jarand also shares insights on powering the AI and data center boom, the evolving role of gas and nuclear, long-duration storage innovations, and why electrification is fundamentally transforming the global energy system.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand where the energy transition is headed, how markets are behaving beneath the headlines, and where the biggest opportunities will emerge over the next decade.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Jarand Rystad
Jarand Rystad founded Rystad Energy in 2004 and has, since its inception, managed the company. Jarand has extensive experience in the energy strategy advisory business and his areas of expertise include energy system analysis, energy scenarios, renewables, supply chains, emissions, asset and company valuations and transactions, macro analysis, and all aspects of the energy transition. As an established thought leader in these and other fields, Jarand is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences related to energy. He is, according to the Financial Times, “one of the most cited petroleum analysts in the industry”.
Prior to founding Rystad Energy, Jarand worked for McKinsey & Company. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, where he majored with a thesis in asteroseismology. Jarand also has an academic background in philosophy and has been the leader and founder of various organizations.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Jarand Rystad
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarand-rystad/
Email: jarand@rystadenergy.com
Website: https://www.rystadenergy.com/
Rystad Energy’s Podcast: https://www.rystadenergy.com/podcasts?s=
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Notes
On this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Jing Tian, Chief Growth & Revenue Officer at Tigo Energy, to explore how smarter electronics, AI, and energy intelligence are reshaping the solar industry.
Jing shares her journey from a PhD in chemistry to becoming a global solar executive, including leadership roles across Asia and the U.S. She breaks down how module-level power electronics (MLPE) improve safety, flexibility, and performance in residential, C&I, and utility-scale solar and why MLPE is becoming foundational as solar converges with storage, software, and grid services.
The conversation also dives into rapid shutdown requirements, AI-powered monitoring, and how predictive analytics can reduce O&M costs while improving system reliability. Jing closes with thoughtful advice for emerging leaders, women in clean energy, and anyone navigating the “solar coaster.”
Notable Takeaways
-
MLPE enables safer, smarter, and more flexible solar system design
-
Small performance gains at the module level can create massive impact at scale
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AI-driven monitoring turns raw data into actionable insights
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Innovation must solve real customer pain points, not just advance technology
-
Strong leadership requires adaptability, clear communication, and cultural awareness
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Jing TianCHIEF GROWTH AND REVENUE OFFICER
Jing is responsible for leading Tigo's strategic growth initiatives, driving revenue generation, and scaling the business worldwide. Jing has a 25+ years of proven track record of technical and business success at companies like Credence, Solfocus, Shift Energy, and Trina Solar. For the past decades, she has focused on the profitable growth of equipment manufacturers across the solar ecosystem as well as solar project financing and development. While serving as Head of Global Marketing and President of Trina Solar USA, she launched the TrinaSmart Module in collaboration with Tigo.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Jing Tian
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jing-tian/
Tigo Energy: https://www.tigoenergy.com/
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In episode 40 of The League, Benoy Thanjan (The Solar Maverick) and David Magid break down why the solar market is undergoing a fundamental repricing of risk.
Distributed generation platforms are coming to market as large players recycle capital and reset return expectations. At the same time, land is emerging as a major bottleneck. Costs are rising, competition is intensifying, and traditional land-option strategies no longer work. Layer in permitting delays and growing uncertainty, and risk is now being priced earlier and more aggressively across solar development.
The takeaway: solar fundamentals remain strong, but success in the next phase will depend on securing land early, managing permitting risk, and adapting capital strategies to a changing market.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dr. Hunter McDaniel, CEO of UbiQD, a quantum materials company redefining how light interacts with solar technology.
Hunter breaks down quantum dots and explains how this nanotechnology can dramatically improve solar performance by optimizing the light spectrum. The conversation dives deep into UbiQD’s landmark supply agreement with First Solar, including how quantum dots can significantly boost bifacial solar efficiency, especially for thin-film modules.
The episode also explores broader applications of quantum dots from building-integrated photovoltaics, solar windows, to agriculture and offers hard earned advice for clean-tech and deep-tech entrepreneurs navigating long commercialization cycles.
Key Topics Covered
- What quantum dots are and why they matter for solar
- How nanotechnology enables light optimization and higher PV efficiency
- Inside UbiQD’s strategic partnership with First Solar
- Improving bifacial performance in thin-film solar modules
- Why materials innovation gives U.S. solar a competitive edge
- Solar windows, BIPV, and the future of net-zero buildings
- Lessons from building a deep-tech energy startup over 10+ years
- Why entrepreneurs should focus on solving pain points, not just technology
Notable Takeaways
- Quantum dots allow precise tuning of light to match a solar cell’s most efficient spectrum
- Small efficiency gains in solar can translate into massive real-world impact at scale
- Bifacial solar performance represents one of the biggest remaining efficiency frontiers
- Building-integrated solar may be essential for dense, urban, high-rise environments
- Deep-tech founders must stay customer-focused and resilient through long timelines
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Dr. Hunter McDaniel
Dr. Hunter McDaniel is the CEO and Co-Founder of UbiQD, a quantum dot materials company focused on transforming energy, agriculture, and advanced materials through nanotechnology. He holds a PhD in Materials Science and previously conducted research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Under his leadership, UbiQD has partnered with industry leaders like First Solar and continues to scale next-generation quantum dot manufacturing.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Dr. Hunter McDaniel
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-mcdaniel-4563a735/
UbiQD:https://www.ubiqd.com
UbiGro (Agriculture): https://www.ubigro.com
https://wendow.us/
TED Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ4whsRZoN4
Press Release
UbiQD and First Solar Establish Long-Term Quantum Dot Supply Agreement
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubiqd-and-first-solar-establish-long-term-quantum-dot-supply-agreement-302500720.html
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
Benoy sits down with MyWorkerAI founder William Szamosszegi to talk about how an “AI sales team as a service” can automate research, outreach, and lead generation for founders and renewable energy companies. They also dive into AI’s impact on the solar industry, personal branding, and the mindset tools entrepreneurs need to win in an AI-driven world.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
William Szamosszegi
William Szamosszegi is the Founder and CEO of MyWorkerAI, an AI-driven platform that functions as an “AI sales team as a service,” helping founders and businesses automate research, personalization, and outreach to scale relationships and accelerate growth.
Before launching MyWorkerAI, William founded Sazmining, a renewable-energy-powered bitcoin mining company where he helped pioneer sustainable mining operations and later brought in a new CEO, thanks to a connection from the Solar Maverick Podcast. With nearly a decade of experience building technology startups, William is deeply focused on leveraging AI to eliminate manual bottlenecks and empower high-agency teams.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
William Szamosszegi
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamszamosszegi/
Website: https://myworker.ai/
Email: will@myworker.ai
Please provide 5 star reviews
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Link to book from Dr. Joe Dispenza
https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Dispenza-Collection-Books-Set/dp/B0BZTBGZGZ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=381VQVYGMSGNM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.80KhnQTqcogPSBZQxQ50E7n7V08syIl7xsO8wDofmvU_4CfXWxuwGPSuv4QPoHTYbFvvOokYGp6n7z63utavOn_oKZFfsayDIpPA_yyKBczVoTylNVyiyt8P90gbF_Yra5p9Pqs2T2XJC4Ck6QWO3DurLIIMOHy_Jj-lMgoIVeL9mHT-7mnqGq7RW74zk0RQt5n8xfxyEQ_lvICW0DWL8ud3zBSx0GvOOtDPbulg5Vc.hcbm7lA3_Um0xBY3onTsonVAK-ETARAcDXswMEMldjc&dib_tag=se&keywords=joe+dispenza+becoming+supernatural&qid=1765359099&sprefix=joe+dis%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-3
Mark Divine Unbeatable Seal Fit
https://www.amazon.com/Unbeatable-Mind-Resiliency-Toughness-Succeed/dp/B00UNYMSR6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CJLCBYQWYCHI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ETNhTJRtuMlld8iBTJwAN0ZlIMuBKRgAtqak76FBkGw_GwtvHft-qw9BTJ2rjvFWjeW8xUGlhM3mt1O47ZO3VGtSaYVqLpzWoP37tGowniYq9OvxlcIrsfb0xgOkxl0WWlOupQFcpLUpLU4tz1Gr8q_wLdZWROWNbXWCq70LLGb_uaAJIwg-_sVYHtTRYmCeWHLXnXxHm52uP4RKJ24u2ra2_ZEd2E-267D1vj107TI.FkExeF1IGhEnjb7LUnj8AQzX58HSZuosvN9kuiH-NFg&dib_tag=se&keywords=mark+divine&qid=1765359204&sprefix=mark+divine%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1
In episode 39 of The League, David Magid and Benoy Thanjan break down the latest developments reshaping the clean-energy market. They cover the Pine Gate Renewables bankruptcy, the push for new U.S. restrictions on Chinese solar and grid equipment, and the detention of Qcells shipments under UFLPA. David also highlights Section 232 tariff impacts and Google DeepMind’s new GenCast AI weather-forecasting model.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy sits down with Rob Sternthal, Managing Director at Expedition Infrastructure Partners, to break down how investors evaluate solar platforms and development pipelines. Rob brings more than 20 years of experience in investment banking, tax equity, structured finance, and renewable energy, and he explains the real criteria that determine platform value today.
Benoy and Rob discuss why platforms are being repriced, how rising SG&A and longer development timelines are reshaping exits, and what investors are prioritizing in the current market. They also cover the Pine Gate bankruptcy, the renewed shift toward “develop and flip,” battery economics, tax credit insurance constraints, FEOC uncertainty, and the wave of distress expected to define the industry over the next two to three years.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Rob SternthalFor the last 20+ years, Rob has been a leading investment banking executive and recognized platform builder across the renewable power, energy, ESG and real assets sectors, advising on more than $25 billion of transactions. Prior to joining XIP, Rob was a Managing Director focusing on renewable power at Piper Sandler. Before that, Rob was responsible for building platforms at Rubicon Capital Advisors as well as CohnReznick (now CRC-IB). He founded and built CohnReznick’s Capital Markets group (CRC) into a market-leader over ten years, completing nearly $20 billion in transactions and managing a team of 30 professionals.
Prior to CRC, Rob established and led multiple real estate and asset-backed securities practices for Credit Suisse in the United States as well as internationally. He began his career as an attorney for the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission as well as in private practice at Milbank. Rob received a bachelor’s degree in economics and French, with honors, from Emory University and a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from the Temple University School of Law. Rob is a Registered Representative of BA Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Rob Sternthal
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-sternthal-548b287/
Website: https://xipllc.com/
Email: Rob@xipllc.com
NPM Podcast related to XIP’s partnership with Gordian:
https://newprojectmedia.com/npm-interconnections-us-episode-172-rob-sternthal-peter-kauffman-xip-gordian/
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Join Us for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser!
I’m excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ!
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1919391
This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico.
We’ll have:
-Great food and drinks
-Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals
-Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let’s Share the Sun)
-An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy
If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan jumps to the other side of the mic with Kevin (“Kadro”) and Mike (“Higo”) from Climate Hive. They dig into the massive cost declines in solar and storage, why solar is a technology and not a fuel, and the impact of Let’s Share the Sun’s recent work in Puerto Rico. The conversation also explores how financing and innovation are accelerating clean energy adoption.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Kevin DroletFounder and CEO of ClimateHive
Kevin Drolet is a certified marketing and sales expert with over 20 year experience in company growth strategies. He has worked with thousands of companies and managed over 100M in marketing campaigns. Highlights include developing a 4 year student recruitment campaign for UC San Diego elevating the school to the number 2 position in the UC system. He has led and taught hundreds of sales reps nationally in understanding and positioning marketing solutions and sales. His superpower is connector.
He founded KDRO Consulting, his second marketing agency, in 2019 to provide fractional CMO services, marketing and business development consultation and coaching programs for renewable energy and climate tech companies. Through storytelling and strategic networking he helps companies attain business opportunity, talent and investment. His mission is to enable climate innovators to become climate impactors.
Kevin and his wife Susan live in San Diego CA with their two dogs. Kevin is passionate about climate, learning, coaching and exploring the intersection of human behavior and positive climate impact.
Mike Higgins
Founder/Partner of ClimateHive
Mike Higgins has a 30-year track record of sales success and executive leadership in large companies and startups. He's known for developing customized sales strategies and automation to boost sales engagement, improving efficiency and revenue. His expertise lies in driving revenue growth through people, processes, and infrastructure.
Mike has founded 5 companies and sold 3, demonstrating his ability to build and scale businesses. He's experienced in leadership as the former Executive Vice President and COO of MediaNews Group Interactive, overseeing 50 regional markets and leading a 100+ staff in sales, operations, business development, finance, and IT.
Recently, Mike served as CoFounder and Chief Revenue Officer at Onemata Corporation and Managing Partner at BrushFire Sales and Top Funnel, working with clients like Time Warner Cable and Home Advisor. He has also held senior roles in MapQuest, Weatherlabs (acquired by Weather Channel/Landmark), Indigo Group (acquired by Bridgeline Digital NASDAQ: BLIN), and TruMeasure (acquired by McClatchy Corp).
Mike and his wife, Val, reside in the Rocky Mountain Empire, actively supporting the Colorado Pug Rescue and the Golden Retriever Rescue.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Kevin Drolet
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-drolet-3625378/
Website: https://climatehive.co/
Email: kevin@climatehive.co
Mike Higgins
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelghiggins/
Website: https://climatehive.co/
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Join Us for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser!
I’m excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ!
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1919391
This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico.
We’ll have:
-Great food and drinks
-Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals
-Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let’s Share the Sun)
-An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy
If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.
Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan talks with Jon Semingson, President of Peak Demand, a leading recruitment firm focused on renewable energy and clean technology. Jon shares an inside look at how the intense growth of solar, storage and broader renewables is reshaping the talent market, what companies are doing right and wrong when hiring, and what candidates should focus on to stand out.
Benoy and Jon also dive into how recent policy changes and the “Big Beautiful Bill” landscape are influencing demand for specific skill sets, plus key takeaways from this year’s RE+ Las Vegas and what they signal about the future of the clean energy workforce.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode
- How Peak Demand became a go-to recruiting partner for solar, storage and clean energy companies
- The most in-demand roles in today’s renewable energy market
- How policy shifts and incentives are changing hiring needs across development, EPC, asset management and finance
- Compensation and hiring trends for 2025 and beyond
- How remote work, hybrid models and geographic flexibility are affecting recruiting strategies
- Common mistakes solar and storage companies make when trying to hire top talent
- Practical tips for candidates who want to break into or move up in the renewable energy industry
- Key themes Jon and Benoy saw at RE+ and what they reveal about where the industry is headed
- How founders and executives can build teams that scale with rapid growth and market volatility
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Jon SemingsonJon Semingson is the President of Peak Demand, a recruitment firm specializing in renewable energy, clean technology and the broader energy transition. Peak Demand partners with developers, IPPs, EPCs, manufacturers and investors to help them hire top talent across leadership, commercial, technical and operational roles.
Peak Demand focuses on long-term partnerships, understanding both company culture and candidate motivations to build teams that can scale in a fast-moving, highly competitive market like solar and storage.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Jon Semingson
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solarrecruiter/
Website: https://peakdemandinc.com/
Email: jon@inpeakdemand.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Join Us for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser!
I’m excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ!
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1919391
This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico.
We’ll have:
-Great food and drinks
-Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals
-Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let’s Share the Sun)
-An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy
If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Solar Dominates 2025 Energy Additions; Nuclear Sees Major Expansion
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends.
Episode #38 Briefing Highlights:
-U.S. government and Westinghouse in $80 billion deal for new nuclear power
-Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in a massive deal to acquire utility giant AES
-New federal report shows solar made up almost three-quarters of all new power in 2025 (19GW)
-Federal government cancels $7 billion for low-income solar; over 20 states are now suing
Solar continues its dominance in 2025, accounting for 19 GW of the 26 GW of new U.S. energy capacity added this year. Meanwhile, the nuclear renaissance accelerates as the U.S. government and Westinghouse announce an $80B deal that reshapes the future of baseload power. Benoy and David break down the biggest transactions—including GIP’s acquisition of AES—and the implications of federal policy changes, such as the Trump administration canceling $7B in solar grants aimed at low-income communities. Get the clean energy insights you need in five minutes.
Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental
commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
Host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Nick Kerwin, VP at New Energy Equity and Versiris Energy, to break down what’s next for C&I rooftop solar, community solar, and storage. We talk market dynamics, project finance, interconnection realities, and how policy changes (the “Big Beautiful Bill” and related guidance) could reshape deal structures and timelines. Nick shares field-tested tactics for originating bankable projects, speeding development, and building durable partnership.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Nick KerwinNick joined the New Energy Equity team in 2021 and has over 13 years of experience in the solar industry. He has worked on residential, C&I, community solar, storage and small utility-scale projects across the country. In his current role as Senior Vice President, C&I, Nick leads a team of Project Managers, Business Development, Project Engineers, and Marketing professionals working together to bring turn-key solar projects into our National Commercial and Industrial partners, focusing on driving efficiencies, reducing transaction costs, and building long-term partnerships in markets across the country.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Nick Kerwin
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-kerwin-183857141/
Website: https://www.newenergyequity.com/
https://versirisenergy.com/
Email: nkerwin@versirisenergy.com
Join Us for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser!
I’m excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ!
🎟️ Get tickets here
This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico.
We’ll have:
-Great food and drinks
-Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals
-Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let’s Share the Sun)
-An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy
If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
Benoy sits down with co-host and Squarespace designer Li Wang to unpack how your website functions as core digital real estate for any solar brand. They cover platform choices, SEO that attracts qualified leads, and design tactics that convert visitors into discovery calls. Li also shares behind-the-scenes lessons from building the new Solar Maverick Podcast site and refreshing Reneu Energy’s web presence.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Li WangSquarespace Website Designer
I’m a former journalist turned website designer. I work solely on the Squarespace platform and have embraced its esthetic beauty and ease of use. I work with people who have a strong vision for their business and I simply unearth what makes them shine. I tell your brand story through the same processes I used as a former newspaper reporter.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com
Li Wang
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liwang22/
Website: https://www.littleoxworkshop.com/
Email: Li@LittleOxWorkshop.com
Winter Solstice Fundraiser to Benefit Let's Share the Sun
I’m excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ!
The link to tickets are below.
https://lnkd.in/ek89Jggy
This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for Let's Share The Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico.
We’ll have:
-Great food and drinks
-Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals
-Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let’s Share the Sun)
-An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy
If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com.
This is episode 37 of The League, hosts David Magid and Benoy Thanjan (aka The Solar Maverick) break down the biggest clean energy headlines of the week.
They discuss why community solar installations fell 36% in early 2025, how storage pairing and IRA incentives could reignite growth, and the impact of Abby Hopper’s departure from SEIA after nine years of leadership. David also unpacks the Grid Power Act and how new FERC mandates could finally ease the interconnection backlog. Tune in for clean energy briefing packed with sharp insights and industry updates.
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental
commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
In this special crossover episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Ana Conde from PVcase originally featured on her Watt Matters Podcast to break down one of the most critical stages of solar project development: site selection and feasibility.
From choosing the right land and navigating interconnection hurdles to understanding permitting, moratoriums, and evolving market dynamics, Benoy shares hard-earned lessons from developing over 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S. He also discusses how technology, AI, and relationships all play a role in finding and executing the right solar sites.
This conversation is packed with practical insights for developers, EPCs, investors, and anyone who wants to understand how the best projects actually get built.
Topics Covered:
What truly defines a “good” solar site and how to spot red flags early
How developers can evaluate flat land, proximity to three-phase power, and interconnection feasibility
The growing challenges in saturated markets like New York and New Jersey
How to navigate solar moratoriums, endangered species issues, and permitting
Real-world lessons from community solar and rooftop projects, including NYCHA’s Harlem portfolio
The role of AI, GIS tools, and automation in speeding up site selection and design
Why relationships, transparency, and trust still matter more than ever
How the “Big Beautiful Bill” and regulatory uncertainty are reshaping the solar landscape
Trends shaping the future: solar + storage, repowering assets, and new market geographies
Notable Quote:
“At the end of the day, you can have all the technology in the world, but if you can’t build relationships, it’s a lot harder to develop great projects. People do business with those they know, like, and trust.”
Key Takeaway:
Solar success starts long before construction. Smart site selection, community engagement, and disciplined feasibility analysis separate projects that thrive from those that never get off the ground.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Ana CondeAna Conde is a seasoned product marketing leader with over 15 years in renewable energy. Known for her strategic mindset and passion for innovation, Ana brings clarity, curiosity, and deep industry knowledge to every conversation. As host of Watt Matters, she explores the ideas, people, and breakthroughs moving solar forward
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Ana Conde
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-conde-df/
Website: https://pvcase.com/podcast/s1e2-podcast-science-solar-selection-benoy-thanjan
This is episode 36 of The League, hosts David Magid and Benoy Thanjan (aka The Solar Maverick) break down the biggest clean energy headlines of the week.
They cover:
- TotalEnergies’ $1.25B sale to KKR and what it signals about renewable asset valuations.
- The collapse of $24B in U.S. Hydrogen Hub contracts and the broader implications for hydrogen’s future.
- The IEA’s downgraded global renewable forecast—and why solar still leads the way.
- The growing opportunity in solar repowering, where upgrading aging assets can boost returns at a fraction of the cost.
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
Chris Lettman of Imperial Star Solar, an American-made solar module manufacturer, joins Benoy on the Solar Maverick Podcast to unpack how projects truly qualify for the 10% domestic content adder, why U.S. cells and traceability drive eligibility, and what U.S. manufacturing looks like at Imperial Star’s Houston facility. They also discuss supply realities, Tier 1 vs. bankability, and practical insights for developers and EPCs when procuring panels.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Chris LettmanSales Manager
Chris serves as the Sales Manager of the US office at Imperial Star with a primary focus on Utility Scale and C&I clients. He started his solar energy career in 2009 selling turnkey systems to residential and mid-size commercial properties. Since that time, he has been involved in the development, acquisition and construction of numerous large utility scale and commercial scale solar projects throughout the United States. Chris has extensive experience and knowledge in the areas of project development, project finance and equipment sales.
Prior to starting his career in the solar industry, Chris was a marketing manager for a publicly held pharmaceutical company in the United States.
He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and served in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He holds an MBA in Business from the University of Redlands California and currently lives in Southern California.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Chris Lettman
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislettman/
Website: https://www.imperialstar.com/
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Sandhya Murali, Co-Founder & CEO of Solstice, and Sam Cote, Account Executive, to discuss the launch of Solstice’s groundbreaking Community Benefit REC program. It is an innovative structure that channels corporate sustainability investments directly into underserved communities.
The program debuted in 2024 with Microsoft as one of the first pilot customers, marking a new chapter where renewable-energy certificates fund measurable social and economic impact. Sandhya and Sam share how this approach lets corporations, developers, and municipalities align ESG goals with local benefits, promote equitable clean-energy access, and strengthen the connection between clean power and social outcomes.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Sandhya MuraliCo-Founder & CEO
Responsible for finances, product development, solar developer relationships, and financial inclusion. Sandhya began her career in Barclays’ investment banking division in New York and London, advising on and executing public equity transactions for Technology, Media and Telecom companies, and was also deeply involved in Barclays Philanthropy.
Her volunteer work included Endeavor, Women’s World Banking, and Barclays’ Social Innovation Fund. During graduate school, Sandhya worked at Buen Power Peru, a for-profit social enterprise that distributes solar lamps and water heaters to off-grid communities in Peru. She holds a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she received the Sustainability Certificate.
Sam CoteEnterprise Account Executive
Sam Cote is an Account Executive at Solstice, connecting the benefits of renewable energy to underserved communities through community solar and clean energy procurement. A former journalist who pivoted her career to focus on social and environmental impact, she is a talented project manager and communicator who drives strategic projects for community benefit. In her startup career, she’s supported revenue diversification through business plan development and implementation and subsequent new product sales, she’s previously been responsible for fundraising, managing acquisition and post-merger integration processes, contracting, grant-writing, and full-cycle recruiting – among other demands of supporting a hybrid social enterprise. Sam is proudly from the great state of Maine and a graduate of Boston University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Sandhya Murali
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandhyamurali/
Website: https://solstice.us/
Sam Cote
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samcotesolar/
Website: https://solstice.us/
Previous episodes of the Solar Maverick Podcast with Solstice
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-158-how-solstice-differiates-from-other-customer-acquisiton-and-management-company/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000516940347
This is Episode 35 of the League. You give us five minutes, we’ll give you the best clean energy news. Benoy and David recap NYC Climate Week and the week’s biggest energy storylines: a reported Trump-era policy pivot away from solar (ITC cuts, federal-land limits, tariffs) and what that could mean for installs; FEOC (Foreign Entity of Concern) supply-chain uncertainty; Blue Ridge Power layoffs. Plus, takeaways from nuclear policy sessions and stubbornly rising power prices.
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary:
Benoy sits down with Dimitrios Parikos, Senior Managing Director for Global Energy & Climate Tech Practice at Brown & Brown Risk Solutions, to unpack how insurance fits into underwriting, what coverages matter from construction through operations, how to navigate hail/wildfire risk, and why engaging a broker early protects your projects.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Dimitrios Parikos
Dimitrios Parikos is Senior Managing Director, Global Energy & Climate Tech at Brown & Brown Risk Solutions. With 25 years in insurance and 19 years focused on renewables, he leads a specialized team serving the energy industry for their insurance needs..
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dimitrios Parikos
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitriosparikos/
Website: https://www.bbrown.com/us/
Email: Dimitrios.Parikos@bbrown.com
Live from RE+ Las Vegas 2025!
On episode 34 of the League, David Magid and Benoy Thanjan covered the top clean energy trends we’re seeing:
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) innovation — Acura’s 2026 luxury EV showcases how EV batteries can provide backup power, resilience, and even revenue for homeowners while integrating into virtual power plants.
EPC + supply chain bottlenecks — With new ITC rules and project rushes, developers must coordinate early with EPCs and suppliers to avoid costly delays.
M&A momentum — Madison Energy Infrastructure just acquired NextEra Energy Resources DG platform, signaling strong demand for distributed generation.
At RE+ we’re also seeing retail electricity pricing climb sharply, especially in PJM, making solar even more competitive as the lowest-cost, fastest-to-build source of electricity.
A big thank you to Honda for letting us record this episode from their booth — it was the perfect backdrop to talk about innovation, resilience, and the future of clean energy.
Give us 5 minutes and we’ll give you the top insights in clean energy.
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In the 34th episode of the League Podcast, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down the most important trends shaping the renewable energy market today. In just five minutes, we cover the biggest opportunities and risks facing developers, investors, and innovators in solar, storage, and beyond.
Key Takeaways
- Data Centers Driving Demand – Over 9.4 GW of interconnection applications in New Jersey’s PSEG market in the last 12 months, led by data centers and advanced manufacturing.
- Community Solar Boom – New Jersey targets 3 GW by 2029, opening opportunities for rooftop developers; Illinois, Maryland, and New York projects can now pencil without the ITC if interconnection and lease terms align.
- Hybrid Power Solutions – A 944 MW behind-the-meter natural gas + battery storage plant in Pennsylvania highlights the shift toward hybrid generation and reliability models.
- Solar + Storage vs. Gas – New Jefferies analysis shows solar + storage is now cheaper than natural gas on a levelized cost basis.
- Safe Harbor Updates – New rules replace the 5% test with “beginning of construction” standards for projects above 1.5 MW AC, requiring four-year continuity and physical work tests.
- Capacity Growth Outlook – EIA forecasts 64 GW of solar and 18 GW of storage additions in 2025, making solar nearly half of all new U.S. capacity.
Why It Matters
David highlights how developers can prepare for interconnection competition, leverage new community solar programs, and navigate shifting tax credit rules. I share insights on the new safe harboring provisions and what they mean for financing and project timelines. Together, we paint a picture of a rapidly scaling clean energy sector where solar is poised to supply 50–60% of U.S. electricity within two decades.
Host Bio: David Magid
David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.
Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/
Learn more: https://reneuenergy.com
Action Items for Developers & Investors
- Move quickly to secure rooftop leases under NJ’s 3 GW community solar target.
- Explore Illinois, Maryland, and New York for non-ITC community solar opportunities.
- Consult legal experts on safe harbor compliance.
- Track solar + storage cost trends versus gas for future investment decisions.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, and leave us a 5-star rating — it helps us bring you more cutting-edge clean energy insights.
In this episode 32 of The League, hosts David Magid and Benoy Thanjan (Reneu Energy, Solar Maverick Podcast) break down the biggest solar and clean energy headlines of the week.
Topics we cover today:
- Solar for All Terminated: The Trump administration halts the $7B program, impacting nearly 1M low-income households. Legal challenges are expected.
- U.S. Solar Growth Slows: Utility-scale solar grew just 10% in mid-2025 vs. mid-2024 — a sharp drop from the 33% growth seen the prior year. Texas (+14%) and Arizona (+24%) surged, while California and Florida lagged.
- The Big Beautiful Bill: How developers are racing to complete projects before year-end to capture full tax credits.
- Texas ERCOT Storage Shake-Up: New four-hour non-spinning reserve requirements squeeze battery developers, benefiting gas peakers.
- Why Solar Still Wins: As costs fall, investors say projects can pencil without the ITC — even with tariffs.
Key takeaway: Solar is a technology, not a fuel — and the cheapest, fastest-growing source of new energy.
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Marty McKewon, Director of Renewable Energy and Chief Meteorologist at Indji Systems, during RE+ Las Vegas, the largest renewable energy conference in North America.
Marty shares his expertise on how extreme weather events like hail, hurricanes, lightning, and other climate-driven risks how impact solar energy production and what operators can do to mitigate these threats. The conversation highlights the growing importance of weather intelligence and monitoring tools in protecting renewable assets and ensuring long-term project performance.
Key Topics Covered Live from RE+ Las Vegas* — the biggest clean energy gathering with over 40,000 attendees. * The growing risk of extreme weather events and their direct impact on solar operators and project performance. * Hail is one of the most damaging and costly risks to solar assets. * How Indji Systems supports renewable operators with real-time weather monitoring and decision-making tools. * The link between climate change and renewable energy production, and how meteorological forecasting can improve operational resilience. * Strategies developers and asset managers can use to reduce weather-related downtime, optimize maintenance, and protect project returns. * Marty’s outlook on the future of renewable energy operations in a climate-volatile world.
Why This Episode MattersAs renewable energy capacity grows, so do the challenges of protecting assets from unpredictable weather events. Marty provides practical insights for solar operators, developers, and investors looking to safeguard projects and maximize uptime. This episode is especially valuable for anyone working in asset management, O&M, or project finance who wants to understand how climate risks affect long-term returns.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Marty McKewon
Marty McKewon is the Director of Renewable Energy and Chief Meteorologist at Indji Systems, where he helps renewable energy developers, operators, and investors mitigate risk from extreme weather events. With deep expertise in meteorology and climate impacts, Marty has built a career at the intersection of atmospheric science and clean energy operations.
At Indji Systems, Marty leads efforts to provide real-time weather intelligence, forecasting, and monitoring tools that protect renewable assets from hail, lightning, hurricanes, and other severe weather events. His work supports solar, wind, and storage operators in improving operational resilience, reducing downtime, and safeguarding project performance.
Marty is a recognized expert in how climate change is reshaping renewable energy production. He frequently speaks on the importance of integrating weather intelligence into project development, asset management, and investment decision-making.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Marty McKewon
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-mckewon-20597636/
Website: https://www.indjiwatch.com/
Email: marty.mckewon@indji.net
Episode Summary:
In this special episode, Solar Maverick Podcast co-host Li Wang turns the microphone on Benoy Thanjan, who shares his experience as a 9/11 survivor and how that day changed the course of his life. Benoy recounts being inside the World Trade Center when the first plane hit, the chaos of escaping, and the lasting impact of witnessing tragedy up close. He opens up about gratitude, resilience, and how the experience pushed him to pursue work that makes a difference.
Key Takeaways
Living with Gratitude: Surviving 9/11 instilled a daily appreciation for life and the present moment.
Purpose Beyond Profit: The experience inspired Benoy to leave a purely financial career path and dedicate himself to renewable energy and making an impact.
Legacy of 9/11: The tragedy continues to affect survivors’ physical and mental health, but it also fuels determination to live with purpose.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Li Wang
Better every day. That’s the way I aspire to live.
I was born in 1973 in Philadelphia. My parents immigrated from Taipei and my dad’s first job out of graduate school was in Philadelphia. I’m a die-hard Eagles fan and being raised in that city has shaped my identity. Hip-hop culture served as my first artistic influence. Run-DMC, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys shaped how I created my own environment.
During the summer of O.J. trial I interned at the Philadelphia Daily News. I became hooked on journalism. I went on to another internship at the Des Moines Register and started my career as a business reporter for the Times of Trenton. I was the arts editor for the Honolulu Weekly and then the film critic for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Website design
I could see the end of the print industry so I decided to get a professional certificate in digital marketing from New York University. I started an agency with a partner doing SEO, PPC , content creation and website design. My partner decided to focus on software development and I turned my attention to website design.
Today I help small business owners shine online with compelling websites to resonate with their target audiences.
Personal interests
I’m a fitness enthusiast (CrossFit), watch collector (14060M, PAM112, SBGA085), and father (Matthew and Noemi).
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liwang22/
Website: https://www.littleoxworkshop.com/
Episode Summary:
Tim Montague, host of Clean Power Hour and author of Wired for Sun: The Commercial Solar Playbook, joins Benoy to share how commercial solar projects can be structured for long-term success. The conversation covers how to quickly qualify opportunities, manage interconnection risk, and scope EPC contracts to protect margins. Tim also breaks down how the Big Beautiful Bill influences C&I project economics and what developers can do to scale repeatable business models in 2025 and beyond.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Tim Montague
Tim Montague is a solar developer, solar & storage expert, coach, and consultant with over 30 years of experience in technology, sustainability, and triple bottom line business. As President of the Clean Power Consulting Group and host and creator of the Clean Power Hour podcast, Tim has helped dozens of technology entrepreneurs and businesses grow and create a positive impact. His motto is "Let's grow solar & storage!"
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
TIm Montague
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleanpowerhour/
Website: https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/
Wired for Sun Book: https://www.amazon.com/Wired-Sun-Strategy-Step-Step-ebook/dp/B0FJSG8PVH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YQGJET8LZJZ1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lOW0xetQ9-e5e90Is3zg2u_EBixUOl0Uyc_jsS7vy1c-PnTltAG4CgFpskZnAU_6vGp-wONOQGFOnKmBs_DRkjRNa4A7QigAo9QP5bOBZJAL5IHLwLSBzR8Oui2tqMvvZ5_GL_mwVoEd4y2ljPsHME4z--Ik7kg2t8e3g997ncfuxdKtANXQBqpiBMgV2mDWIJ2vv1i32hMZLThNvc5PNTnvnOld_YK1nF0Eivd-k4U.9NObYCnV1_Y08b4ImlNskcKPcBhJ9_IZIhrQ18t1yS0&dib_tag=se&keywords=wired+for+sun&qid=1757334378&sprefix=wired+fo+r%2Caps%2C1389&sr=8-1
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Daniel Dus, CEO of Clean Tech Industry Resources (CIR) and founder of Solar Fight Night. Daniel shares his unique perspective on how his company is reshaping solar development through “Development as a Service” and “Construction as a Service” models, making it easier for developers, financiers, and EPCs to scale projects efficiently.
Benoy and Daniel dive into industry trends, lessons learned from years of experience, and how CIR is positioning itself as a critical partner in today’s fast-changing renewable energy landscape. The conversation also highlights one of the largest renewable-energy fundraising events coming up at RE+ in Las Vegas, Solar Fight Night, and why community and collaboration are more important than ever.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Daniel Dus
18 years in renewable energy C-suite and Board roles, overseeing the completion of over $1 billion worth of renewable energy projects spanning 23 states nationwide.
MBA, Stanford Certified Project Manager, Villanova Certified Six Sigma Master Lean Blackbelt, Certificates in Energy Hedging, NERC, Grid Security and SCADA.
Previously led the US division of a $32 billion top-three global, fully integrated renewable energy platform, which encompassed PV manufacturing to asset ownership, and was a vital part of a $100 billion multinational corporation.
Achieved notable project honors, including a Congressional Certificate of Recognition from the US House of Representatives, Recognition for an Innovative Public-Private Partnership from The White House, and the title of Best Solar Collaboration by Solar Power Generation USA.
Served a diverse array of clients, including JP Morgan Chase, Hertz, Westfield Malls, Bridgestone, UCLA, Intuit, Hilton, Panasonic, Macerich, CBS Studios, and numerous cities, such as Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Diego, Santa Monica, Breckenridge, Aurora, Orange, and Southbridge.
Seasoned executive with extensive experience in the renewable energy sector.
Recognized as the Founder of Shared Estates and Co-Founder of Solar Fight Night, the largest renewable energy non-profit fundraiser worldwide.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Daniel Dus
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrdus/
Website: https://cleantechindustryresources.com/
Solar Fight Night: https://www.solarfightnight.org/
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by Leo Berwick.
Leo Berwick is a tax, valuation, cost segregation, modeling and financial due diligence advisory firm focused on infrastructure, energy, renewables, and private equity. They are a carefully curated team of top talent within each of these core disciplines. Their sector focus and coordinated teams allow them to move fast, stay efficient, and get deals done.
Whether it’s tax structuring, due diligence, financial modeling, valuations, or post-deal support, Leo Berwick covers the full deal lifecycle.
With decades of experience and an acute awareness of commercial considerations that can make or break a deal, Leo Berwick is helping investors unlock value in some of the most important sectors of the future.
To learn more, visit leoberwick.com.
Episode Summary:
In this episode, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dorian Hunt, Partner and Head of Renewables at Leo Berwick, to unpack the new safe harbor rules, the impacts of the Big Beautiful Bill, and what’s coming next in tax and policy guidance for renewable energy. Dorian also dives into repowering projects, economic obsolescence, co-location strategies, bonus depreciation, and solar industry trends. Dorian offers practical advice for developers and investors navigating today’s fast-changing environment.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Dorain Hunt
Dorian leads Leo Berwick’s Energy & Renewables tax practice. Dorian has 20 years of experience in tax credit monetization, with clients including renewable energy project developers, tax equity investors, project lenders, insurers and syndicators.
Prior to joining Leo Berwick, he was a leader in the Power and Utilities and Energy Transition practices of a Big 4 firm, where he focused on providing tax consulting services with respect to tax credit-driven project finance across, with a focus on renewable energy.
Dorian is a thought leader in the tax credit space and has authored articles on topics including the potential implications for “direct pay” of renewable energy tax incentives and on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the US renewable energy industry. He has also presented on these and other similar topics for organizations such as IPED, NARUC, and the Boston Bar Association.
Dorian has experience with myriad energy incentive programs including Treasury 1603 grants, 48C advanced energy manufacturing studies, and the rapidly-developing field of 45Q carbon capture credits.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dorian Hunt
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorian-hunt/
Website: https://www.leoberwick.com/
Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/energy-transition-insider-7197296760090750976/
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Benoy sits down with Kent Halliburton, CEO of Sazmining, to explore the surprising parallels between Solar and Bitcoin mining. Kent explains how Sazmining makes Bitcoin mining simple for everyday investors, why mining thrives on renewable energy, and what both industries can learn from each other. They also dive into the future of money, hyperinflation, and lessons from building companies in two disruptive industries.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Kent Halliburton
Kent is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sazmining and a veteran in the renewable energy sector. Kent led sales and business development for a publicly traded solar energy company, managing a team of over 100 people with a 9-figure sales target.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Kent Halliburton
Liinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalliburton/
Website: https://www.sazmining.com/
Twitter: khaliburton
Financial Raise for Sazmining-https://invest.timestampfinancial.com/offering/sazmining/details
Books Mentioned:
- Check Your Financial Privilege by Alex Gladstein
- Broken Money by Lyn Alden
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan interviews Maryssa Baron, Founder & CEO of BuildQ, an AI-powered platform transforming clean energy project development and finance.
Maryssa shares her journey from pioneering early PPAs to becoming an attorney and COO at a global IPP, before launching BuildQ. She explains how AI is reducing risk, cutting OPEX, and streamlining due diligence and financing.
They also discuss the impact of the Big Beautiful Bill, safe harbor challenges, and why unsubsidized solar remains competitive. Maryssa offers practical advice for entrepreneurs and insight into how AI is reshaping renewable energy.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions..
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Maryssa Barron
Maryssa Baron is the Founder & CEO of BuildQ, an AI-powered platform streamlining clean energy project development, financing, and M&A. With a background spanning PPA advisory, project finance, law, and executive leadership at a global IPP, Maryssa brings a unique perspective on solving the industry’s most complex challenges. She is also an attorney and passionate entrepreneur dedicated to accelerating the clean energy transition through technology and innovation.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Maryssa Barron
Liinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryssa-barron/
Website: https://www.buildq.ai/
Email: maryssa@buildq.ai
Episode Summary:
Benoy Thanjan sits down with his co-host Nate Jovanelly, Founder & CEO of SunRaise Capital, to break down how the Big Beautiful Bill is reshaping residential solar. They discuss Section 25D’s removal, the surge in solar + storage, and innovative financing models like prepaid leases.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, and a strategic advisor to multiple clean energy startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits ("REC") transactions.
Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.
As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar projects. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Email: nate@sunraise.com
Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy.
AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship.
Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last.
If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list.
Learn more at [ams-renewable.com] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 205: Revolutionizing Solar Finance: How SunRaise Capital Attracts Investors to Residential Solar Projects?https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-205-revolutionizing-solar-finance-how-sunraise/id1441876259?i=1000702871242
SMP 194: 2025 Solar Outlook
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-194-2025-solar-outlook/
SMP 176: REplus takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/
SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
Episode #31 Briefing Highlights:
-NYSERDA launches the Index Storage Credit program
-M&A Roundup: Blackrock/AES talk, Savion/Ares JV, and FERC approves Constellation/Calpine deal
-Solar was the largest source of electricity across the EU in June
-New Quantum Dot tech expected to greatly improve solar panel efficiency
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Overview
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan interviews Gabe Phillips, CEO of Catalyst Power Holdings, a company revolutionizing how commercial and industrial (C&I) customers access clean energy. The conversation dives into the future of C&I solar, energy storage, demand response, and how Catalyst Power is empowering mid-sized businesses with creative, cost-saving clean energy solutions.
Topics Covered:* Gabe's background and evolution in the energy sector * The unique C&I clean energy niche Catalyst Power serves * The role of DERs (distributed energy resources) and why aggregation matters * Combining solar, storage, and demand response into a single value proposition * The importance of customer acquisition and tech-enabled platforms * Opportunities and challenges in Northeast markets like NYISO and PJM * What’s next for C&I energy solutions as federal and state incentives evolve
Key Quotes:
“We’re focused on the forgotten middle — C&I customers that are too big for rooftop-only and too small for full-blown utility-scale.”
“There’s a convergence of tech and finance in clean energy that’s finally unlocking the C&I market.”
“We’re not just selling power — we’re building long-term energy partnerships.”
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Gabe Phillips:Gabe is the CEO of Catalyst Power Holdings, a fast-growing company providing customized power solutions to C&I customers. With a background in environmental commodities and renewable project finance, Gabe brings deep experience in building businesses that sit at the intersection of sustainability, economics, and customer value. Prior to founding Catalyst, Gabe held leadership roles at energy trading and consulting firms.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Gabe Phillps
Website: https://catalystpower.com
LinkedIn: Catalyst Power
Gabe’s LinkedIn: Gabe Phillips
Episode Overview
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, I speak with Lee Keshishian, the Founder & CEO of Civic Renewables. We dive into his 18+ year journey in residential solar—from founding Clean Currents to scaling Tesla/SolarCity’s East Coast operations and now building a national network of trusted local solar installers. Lee shares insights on what it takes to grow resilient clean energy businesses and how Civic is raising the bar for solar quality and local impact.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Leon “Lee” Keshishian
Experienced solar executive and entrepreneur with 18+ years leading growth in clean energy. Founder of Civic Renewables, building a national network of trusted local solar providers with centralized support for operations, procurement, training, and long-term service.
Previously led East Coast operations at SolarCity/Tesla, scaling to 40+ locations and 4,000+ employees. As COO of Palmetto Solar, helped drive 400% growth and partnerships with 50+ local companies. Former CEO of Autosled and co-founder of Clean Currents Solar.
Passionate about empowering local businesses, delivering long-term value to homeowners, and accelerating the energy transition through quality, service, and trust.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Lee Keshishian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonjkeshishian/
Website: https://civicrenewables.com
Episode Overview
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Robb Jetty, CEO of REC Solar. Rob shares insights from his 23-year journey in renewable energy, REC’s behind-the-meter and utility-scale development strategy, and the company’s active role in greenfield projects, energy storage, and asset repowering.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Robb Jetty
Rob Jetty is the Chief Executive Officer of REC Solar, a leading independent power producer (IPP) and clean energy developer focused on delivering innovative behind-the-meter and small utility-scale solar and storage solutions across the U.S.
With over 23 years of experience in the renewable energy industry, Rob has built a career spanning the full lifecycle of clean energy development—from founding a regional EPC firm in 2002 to holding senior leadership roles at some of the industry's most influential organizations, including Recurrent Energy, General Electric, and EDF Renewables.
As CEO of REC Solar, Rob is steering the company’s strategic growth following its 2023 acquisition by ArcLight Capital Partners. Under his leadership, REC is focused on expanding its operating fleet through greenfield development, M&A, and repowering of aging solar assets. The company operates more than 150 solar projects totaling approximately 300 MW across 16 states.
Rob’s deep understanding of project development, corporate procurement, and grid-scale renewables enables REC to serve diverse sectors including food & beverage, cold storage, special districts (MUSH market), and fleet electrification. Notably, the company led the development of a solar-powered EV bus charging hub for the Anaheim Transportation Network, and a microgrid at Kona Village Resort in Hawaii, supporting resilience and clean energy access.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Robb Jetty
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjetty/
Website: https://recsolar.com/
REC Solar Case Studies: https://recsolar.com/resources/case-studies/
Episode Overview
Benoy Thanjan welcomes back Dan French, Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit on the Solar Maverick Podcast and they dive deep into the emerging world of agrivoltaics—solar projects that co-exist with agriculture—and the role it will play in the energy and agricultural renaissance.
Dan shares details about the upcoming Solar Farm Summit (Aug 4–7 at McCormick Place, Chicago), the largest agrivoltaics event in North America. They explore U.S. state-level leadership, global innovation, project economics, and transformative benefits such as water conservation, improved crop yields, and rural revitalization.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Dan French – Executive Producer, Solar Farm Summit
Dan French is a nationally recognized leader in renewable energy land use and the Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit, the largest agrivoltaics development conference in North America. With a career spanning law, brownfield redevelopment, and clean energy consulting, Dan has become a catalyst for innovation at the intersection of solar energy, agriculture, and sustainable land transformation.
A former environmental and energy attorney, Dan has transitioned into a visionary market maker—organizing events that drive collaboration among farmers, solar developers, policymakers, and conservationists. His work has helped pioneer the concept of “multifunctional PV”—solar projects that generate clean energy while supporting agricultural yields, biodiversity, and rural economic development.
Dan also leads the Virginia Solar Summit and has played a key role in revitalizing polluted and underutilized land through the Brightfields and brownfields-to-solar movements. A passionate advocate for community-based innovation, Dan’s events are known for mixing technical expertise with grassroots accessibility, always striving to "put farming first."
Through the Solar Farm Summit, Dan is helping define the future of land use—where solar power coexists with food production, ecological restoration, and energy resilience on a global scale.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dan French
Email: dan@solarfarmsummit.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-french-4354047/
Website: https://solarfarmsummit.com/
Dan’s previous interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-46-why-brownfields-are-ideal-sites-for-solar/
https://podtail.com/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/smp-140-agrivoltaics-one-of-the-next-frontiers-in-/
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends.
Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
Episode #30 Briefing Highlights:
-The OBBB is signed: A summary of the high-level impacts
-New executive order intends to tighten 'commencement of construction' rules; details in 45 days
-SPP updates process for faster connection of large 10MW+ loads
If you have any questions or comments, our email is info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
Episode #29 Briefing Highlights:
-Heat wave impacts, up to $1000/MWhr, and NYC came very close to its all time peak
-June 19th Brattle report: by 2035, 60-90GW additional peak capacity will be needed
-NY Governor Hochul issues NYPA with mandate for 1GW of nuclear to be built
-Latest details on the OBBB and the 'poison pill' for BESS: the foreign entity of concern (FEOC) conditions
If you have any comments or questions, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing on 6/11/25! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
- Benoy was at the American Council of Renewable Energy's (ACORE) Finance Forum last week
- Biggest topic was the OBBB causing uncertainty within the industry
- China is continuing to be ultra-aggressive with their solar and energy storage buildout
- While there, Benoy interviewed the COEs of ACORE and EDPR for the
Solar Maverick Podcast
- Life after the ITC (Investment Tax Credit)? Preparing for the worst
- How all sectors of the solar industry will need to become more efficient
- Sunnova and Mosaic bankruptcies
- Consolidation occurring within natural gas, cost and time to build new is not economical.
- PPA (power purchase agreements) pricings trending higher provides opportunities
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Overview
In this episode, SEIA CEO Abby Hopper discusses the current state of solar policy amid Congress's reconciliation efforts, emphasizing critical priorities like preserving the “commenced construction” timeline, extending and smoothing the ITC phase‑down. Though recognizing short-term uncertainty and potential industry turbulence, Abby remains optimistic about long-term demand, technological innovation, and the growing role of solar+storage in a reliable, affordable energy future.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Abby Hopper
Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade organization for America's solar and storage industry. Ms. Hopper is a visionary leader who has transformed SEIA into an advocacy powerhouse and the leading voice for the U.S. solar and storage industry, a $64 billion force in our nation’s economy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Abby Hopper
Website: Follow SEIA at seia.org and solarpowersamerica.org
savemainstreetsolar.org
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-hopper-a3415527/
Call to Action for Mavericks
Make your voice heard—CALL or WRITE your member(s) and senators urging support for:
Commenced construction carve-outs
FEOC practical solutions
Extended ITC phase-out schedules
Share real-life impacts—highlight project/job delays, supply chain headaches, business planning peril.
Participate in grassroots campaigns — sign up for Save Main Street Solar, engage in local/regional advocacy.
In this episode, Benoy Thanjan speaks with João Barreto, CEO of EDPR NA Distributed Generation, at the ACORE Finance Forum. They explore the rapid evolution of distributed generation (DG) in the U.S., community solar market trends, and how EDPR is deploying capital to meet growing clean energy demand.
Topics Covered:
The origin and growth of EDPR NA DG and its 12 GW+ installed capacity in North America
Why distributed generation is a key complement to utility-scale solar and wind
EDPR’s strategic focus on Northeast and California DG markets
Insights on the impact of the House tax bill on renewable investment timelines
The policy-driven nature of community solar, and why California’s program rollback was a missed opportunity
EDPR’s balanced strategy between greenfield development and co-development partnerships
The challenge of navigating interconnection and permitting inconsistency across the U.S.
How EDPR differentiates in the DG space through experience, local presence, and global customer relationships
Perspectives on integrating storage with DG, and current limitations in markets like New York
Key Quote:
“Distributed generation is policy-driven—and understanding how to position in the right markets at the right time is what creates long-term value.” – João Barreto
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
João Salvação Barreto
Chief Executive Officer, EDPR NA Distributed Generation
João Salvação Barreto is the CEO of EDPR North America Distributed Generation, the distributed solar and storage business unit of EDP Renewables NA. Promoted to this role in June 2024, Barreto leads a fast-growing platform that manages over 280 MW AC of solar and storage assets across 25 U.S. states—with substantial expansions in key markets like New York, Maine, and Illinois.
He joined EDP in 2014 as part of its Global M&A and Corporate Development group. Over the next decade, he held leadership roles including Chief Commercial Officer, during which he oversaw major acquisitions such as Sunseap (now EDPR APAC) and C2 (now EDPR NA DG). He also chaired EDP’s Investment Committee from 2020 to 2023, guiding the company’s strategic investment priorities
João’s professional experience spans 23 years in real estate, 13 years in medical investments, and work in the defense industry, where he built relationships with international governments and organizations
He holds a degree from the Nova School of Business and Economics and is fluent in leveraging his multidisciplinary background to advance distributed solar finance, partnerships, and grid resilience
Under his leadership, EDPR NA DG is focused on expanding its community solar, C&I, and behind-the-meter portfolios while emphasizing partnerships, innovation, and operational excellence. João is a frequent participant and speaker at industry finance events, including the Financial Times/Nikkei Investing in America Summit and Infocast Solar Power Finance & Investment forums, where he highlights the importance of distributed generation in the energy transition
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
João Salvação Barreto
Website: https://www.edp.com/en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joão-salvação-barreto-90929a3b/
WRISE 20th Anniversary GalaDate & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Gotham Hall, New York City
Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector
Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones
The link to register is below.
https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX
Episode Overview
In this episode, recorded live at the ACORE Finance Forum in NYC, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Ray Long, President & CEO of ACORE. They discuss the evolving clean energy finance landscape, grid permitting challenges, policy battles around the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the exponential demand for power driven by AI and electrification.
Ray also shares the history and mission of ACORE—from its origins connecting Wall Street to developers in 2001, to its current role as a leading voice in renewable energy policy and finance.
Key Themes & Takeaways
Explosive Growth in Power Demand
- U.S. energy demand remained flat for decades—but is now rising due to:
- AI and cloud computing
- Electrification of buildings and manufacturing
- EV charging infrastructure
- Urgent need for scalable solutions—wind, solar, storage, and natural gas are critical in the next 5–10 years
IRA Threatened by Tax Bill* “Big Beautiful Bill” proposes eliminating key tax incentives from the IRA * Would undermine progress and financing certainty across clean energy markets * Industry needs a thoughtful, phased approach, not abrupt disruption
Permitting & Interconnection BottlenecksInterconnection Crisis* Major ISOs like PJM are overwhelmed—some developers face 7+ year delays * Load centers like Virginia see 100+ data center projects awaiting connection * ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative pushes for regulatory fixes and grid modernization
Bipartisan Momentum & Strategy* ACORE promotes an “all of the above” strategy—recognizing solar, wind, storage, natural gas, and emerging tech * Urges policymakers to emulate China’s aggressive infrastructure and energy approach * Emphasizes renewables as a national competitiveness issue—not just environmental
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Ray Long
Ray Long leads the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) as President and Chief Executive Officer.
ACORE is the oldest nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to expanding the use of renewable energy technologies for American homes and businesses. This mission is as important and relevant today as it was back in 2001. As CEO, Long is privileged to lead a team of dedicated professionals and an equally passionate group of members and contributors who enable ACORE’s strategic initiatives.
ACORE’s members operate in all 50 states, and in 2022, they financed, developed, built and owned over 90% of new, utility-scale renewable energy projects. Under Long’s leadership, ACORE continues to expand the framework that has enabled the industry’s growth through bipartisan outreach, accurate and compelling analysis, and effective collaboration.
Long is a respected energy executive, having spent over 25 years representing and growing conventional and renewable energy companies in the United States. Most recently, Long was Senior Vice President of External Affairs and a member of the management team at Clearway Energy. Throughout his career, Long helped to build successful government, regulatory and communications teams, utilizing a campaign management approach to policy and project development challenges.
Long earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy and Administration from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Ray Long
Website: https://acore.org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-long-a89a816/
WRISE 20th Anniversary GalaDate & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Gotham Hall, New York City
Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector
Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones
The link to register is below.
https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the evolving solar landscape—covering key state-level policy battles, rising resistance to distributed solar, the latest federal tax package in Congress, and the long term trends in the solar industry. Fox Swim, Senior Solar Industry Researcher at Aurora Solar, shares expertise on policy, utility rates, and resiliency-minded markets.
Key Themes & Highlights
- Aurora Solar & Fox’s Expertise
Aurora provides industry-leading solar design and sales software globally.
- State-Level Anti-Solar Trends
Utilities favor centralized generation, clashing with distributed energy advocates.
California’s AB 942 aims to end grandfathered NEM/NEM 2 contracts when homes are sold, pushing owners into less favorable NEM 3 tariffs—effectively breaking existing contracts.
- Resiliency & Distributed Generation
Extreme weather, aging grid infrastructure, and power instability are driving demand for solar + storage.
Distributed generation is seen as a smarter, faster, and more resilient solution than central utility models.
Virtual battery programs in states like Connecticut are emerging as positive examples.
- Federal Tax Bill & IRA Disruptions
The recent House tax bill introduces critical threats:
Elimination of IRA incentives (including ITC, storage, and battery credits).
“Fiat” sourcing restrictions targeting Chinese-manufactured solar components, potentially nullifying battery and panel subsidies.
Fox warns of an unplanned “solar winter” where many small players may fold, though core demand won’t vanish.
Emphasis is shifting toward resilience and independence—not just ROI.
- 2025 Aurora Solar Snapshot Insights
(Backed by Aurora’s data on ~12.5 million projects, surveys of 1,000+ homeowners, 1,000 professionals, and 500+ businesses)
Resilience over ROI: 76% of homeowners view solar as a good investment (up from 43% in 2023)
Financing shifts: Third‑party ownership (leases/PPAs) are growing; battery demand surges with 78% installers seeing increased interest
Bipartisan appeal: Solar cuts across party lines—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all value solar and IRA
Trust challenges: Installer mistrust doubled—44% of homeowners find trustworthy companies hard to identify
Motivations revealed:
Top drivers: bill savings, energy independence, environmental impact (>50% cite environment as a top-3 reason)
Tactical Takeaways for Mavericks
Strengthen Trust – Improve transparency and contract clarity; be proactive about ethical sales practices.
Refocus Messaging – Highlight solar + storage for resilience and independence—especially in disaster-prone regions.
Engage Politically – Contact local/state reps, especially around bills like North Carolina’s ITC reinstatement.
Diversify Revenue – Build resilience offerings or pivots like community solar and virtual battery programs.
Advocacy & Data – Join efforts with industry groups (SEIA, ACORE), and use Aurora’s regional data in policymaker discussions.
Quotes from the Interview
“76% of homeowners now say solar is a smart investment—it used to be 43%!”
“Installer trust has tanked: 44% of homeowners find it hard to pick a dependable provider.”
“Solar isn’t just about ROI anymore—it’s energy independence and resilience.”
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Fox Swim
Fox Swim is a data-driven activist with a passion for solving complex social and environmental challenges. With expertise in alternative energy, and urban sustainability, she leverages technical research and leadership skills to drive impactful change. Currently a Senior Industry Researcher at Aurora Solar, Fox focuses on advancing renewable energy solutions while advocating for social justice and sustainability.
Related Links
https://solarbuildermag.com/news/california-committee-passes-bill-that-would-break-net-metering-contracts/
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/solar-panel-types
https://www.eenews.net/articles/california-bill-would-slash-solar-benefits/
Aurora Solar’s 2025 Snapshot Report
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Fox Swim
Website: https://aurorasolar.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fox-swim-6919061a/
WRISE 20th Anniversary GalaDate & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Gotham Hall, New York City
Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector
Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones
The link to register is below.
https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #27 Briefing Highlights:
- Four executive orders signed to boost nuclear power
- Empire Wind's stop work order has been lifted
- One Big Beautiful Bill impacts on IRA and renewable energy
- Potential major changes to the bill after deliberations in the Senate, an important time now to petition your senators and representatives before it is too late.
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #26 Briefing Highlights:
- Benoy was at a great new conference, the Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Conference.
-The main topics were IRA, tariffs, how credit transferability may work in the future, impacts of the 2024 PJM capacity auction, SREC values in NJ being lowered, potential removal of grandfather provisions in California net metering program.
- $12 billion sale of generation assets from LS Power to NRG was completed bringing NRG's total capacity to 25GW
- Quanta was awarded a $1.5 billion contract to provide EPC services for Invenergy's Grainbelt Expressway transmission project.
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Unlocking Energy Storage Value: PJM Market Reforms with Brattle Group’s Serena Patel
Episode Overview:
In this special live episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, recorded at the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association (“MSSIA”) Solar & Storage Insight Conference in New Brunswick, NJ, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Serena Patel, Energy Research Associate at The Brattle Group, to unpack critical energy storage market reforms in the PJM interconnection.
The conversation focuses on a groundbreaking report from Brattle, commissioned by the American Clean Power Association, that lays out a roadmap for unlocking the full value of energy storage across U.S. energy markets.
Key Topics Covered:
- Why PJM’s current market design undervalues flexible storage resources
- The two most urgent market reforms:
▪ Opportunity cost bidding for energy storage
▪ Creation of new ancillary service and ramping reserve products
- How suppressed price signals hinder storage operators’ revenue
- Lessons from other RTOs like CAISO and NYISO that PJM can implement now
- The case for all-source procurement in local reliability planning
- The critical role of stakeholder engagement and policy advocacy to push reforms forward
Featured Report:
Energy Storage Market Design Reforms: A Roadmap to Unlock the Potential of Energy Storage
By: Brattle Group for the American Clean Power Association
Released: April 2025
https://www.brattle.com/insights-events/publications/brattle-experts-prepared-an-energy-storage-market-reform-roadmap-for-several-us-electricity-markets/
Notable Quotes:
“Our current systems were built for legacy fossil fuel generators. If we don’t reform the markets now, we risk undervaluing the flexibility that storage offers.” – Serena Patel
“Opportunity cost bidding would help storage developers maximize revenue by bidding strategically, rather than being constrained by outdated market rules.” – Serena Patel
Takeaway for Developers & Policymakers:
To accelerate storage deployment, developers must actively engage in PJM stakeholder processes and advocate for reforms that enable revenue stacking and flexibility compensation. The Brattle report offers actionable insights to guide that involvement.
Thanks to MSSIA:
Special thanks to the MiSSIA for hosting the Solar Maverick Podcast at their first annual conference and for their continued solar and storage advocacy in NJ, PA, and DE.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Serena Patel
Serena Patel is an Energy Research Associate at The Brattle Group, where she focuses on electricity market design and energy storage economics. She was a lead author on the ACP-sponsored market reform report and is deeply involved in clean energy policy development.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Serena Patel
Website: https://www.brattle.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serena-naresh-patel/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Rosemawr Management, Polar Racking, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with JD Dillon, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at Tigo Energy. This conversation dives into how Tigo is transforming residential solar with a smarter, service-driven approach. JD shares insights from his unique career journey — from West Point and semiconductors to helping lead the turnaround at Enphase, and now steering Tigo’s growth as a public company.
The discussion explores the growing importance of software and service in solar, the booming market for repowering legacy systems, and why bipartisan support makes solar a winning issue across the political spectrum. JD also highlights lessons from semiconductor manufacturing, the value of veteran leadership in clean energy, and how Tigo’s open ecosystem and installer-first mindset are setting the company apart.
Key Topics Covered:
- Tigo’s evolution from MLPE to full energy solutions
- Why service and software will define the next era of solar
- Repowering as a high-growth opportunity for residential solar
- How open ecosystems and rapid install feedback drive innovation
- The intersection of military leadership and renewable energy
- U.S. vs. global rooftop solar adoption rates — and how to catch up
- What the solar industry can learn from semiconductors
- Why solar transcends political divisions and continues to scale
- Trends in storage, energy independence, and grid resilience
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
James (JD) Dillon
CHIEF MARKETING & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICER at Tigo Energy
JD leads branding, demand generation, and communications functions in addition to the technical service and support teams at Tigo Energy. His experience spans the U.S. Armed Forces, semiconductors, solid-state drives, as well as solar hardware and software solutions. His functional leadership has impacted pricing, new product introduction, customer experience, and communications at all levels. Prior to joining Tigo in 2020, JD spent over 3 years as the VP of Marketing and Pricing at Enphase Energy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
JD Dillon
Website: https://www.tigoenergy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-dillon/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Scott Elias, Vice President of Policy & Market Development at CleanCapital, shares expert insights on CleanCapital’s investment strategy, his background in clean energy policy, and the fast-moving developments in Washington, D.C. surrounding the fight to protect the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Scott breaks down the potential implications of proposed changes to the Inflation Reduction Act, highlights which states are leading the charge in clean energy growth, and explores the growing investor interest in solar + storage portfolios.
Read Scott’s latest take on the proposed tax bill that could significantly impact clean energy investment in the U.S.:
Defending American Energy Dominance – CleanCapital
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Scott Elias
Scott Elias is the Vice President of Government Affairs at CleanCapital, where he leads the company’s federal and state policy strategy to accelerate clean energy deployment across the United States. With over a decade of experience in renewable energy policy, Scott plays a pivotal role in advocating for legislation that supports clean energy investment and innovation.
Before joining CleanCapital, Scott held senior policy and advocacy roles at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and other leading organizations, where he worked closely with lawmakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders to shape impactful energy policy.
At CleanCapital, Scott helps ensure that the company stays ahead of policy trends and capitalizes on emerging opportunities—particularly around the Inflation Reduction Act, tax equity structures, and energy storage integration. His deep understanding of the intersection between finance, policy, and technology positions him as a key voice in advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Scott Elias
Website: https://cleancapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-elias/
Email: selias@cleancapital.com
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
CleanCapital Podcast
https://cleancapital.com/thought-leadership/?_categories=podcast
Defend Solar Energy
https://solarpowersamerica.org/campaign/defend-american-energy/
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #25 Briefing Highlights:
- Montana Community Solar passed with Bill 188 and the market is excited by the irradiance
- New Jersey increased their community solar program by 250MW
- Benoy was at SolarPlaza Asset Management Summit in San Diego. The scaling down of tax credits in the IRA was the main topic
- Finding skilled labor and high turnover is increasingly a challenge for O&M
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #24 Briefing Highlights:
- CCSA came out with a study about how an average community solar project brings $14 million into its community
- Benoy was in Puerto Rico installing solar and storage with Let's Share The Sun Foundation
- MISO market looks dire according to the latest NERC report, in large part due to interconnection delays and bottlenecked transmission from north to south.
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this inspiring episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Bernie Jordan and Lucas Barreto from the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation to discuss their recent solar installations in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. Recorded on-site after a powerful week of hands-on work, this conversation highlights the transformative impact of bringing solar and storage to families with critical 24-hour medical needs.
Benoy, Bernie, and Lucas reflect on the mission-driven approach of Let’s Share the Sun, the collaborative spirit of the solar delegation, and the real-world outcomes of providing clean, resilient energy in vulnerable communities. From logistical challenges to emotional moments with families, this episode sheds light on how solar energy can directly improve lives—and how listeners can get involved.
Don’t miss this heartfelt and motivating discussion on how renewable energy is changing lives one rooftop at a time.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Bernie Jordan
Executive Director, Let’s Share the Sun Foundation
Bernie Jordan is the Executive Director of Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing solar energy to communities living in energy poverty around the world. With a background in solar development and a passion for social impact, Bernie has helped drive solar installations in underserved areas across Puerto Rico, Haiti, Nepal, and beyond.
Under Bernie’s leadership, Let’s Share the Sun has created powerful partnerships with solar companies, local governments, and mission-driven volunteers to deliver reliable, renewable energy to families with critical needs—especially those requiring 24/7 electricity for medical care. His work sits at the intersection of clean energy, humanitarian relief, and environmental justice.
Bernie brings deep insight into how solar can be a tool for both sustainability and equity, and he continues to inspire others to use their expertise for global good.
Lucas Barreto – Director of Operations, Let’s Share the Sun Foundation
Lucas Barreto serves as the Director of Operations at Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, where he leads on-the-ground efforts to bring solar energy to off-grid and underserved communities around the world. With a strong background in engineering, project management, and international development, Lucas plays a vital role in designing and executing solar installations that provide life-changing energy access to families in need.
His work spans diverse geographies—from coordinating solar + storage systems in Puerto Rico for families with medical dependencies to deploying clean energy in rural villages in Central America and the Caribbean. Lucas is known for his hands-on leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to building local capacity and community partnerships.
Driven by a belief that energy is a human right, Lucas is helping transform the way renewable energy is used for social impact.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Bernie Jordan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-jordan/
Website: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
Lucas Barreto
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-barreto-652b06189/
Website: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
If you are interested in donating to Let’s Share the Sun, the link is below.
https://www.letssharethesun.org/contribute
Previous Episodes that Let’s Share the Sun Foundation was on the Solar Maverick Podcast
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-129-learn-about-a-great-non-profit-called-let-s-share-the-sun-foundation/
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-132-update-on-the-great-progress-of-let-s-share-the-sun-foundation/
Let’s Share the Sun Vidoes
https://www.youtube.com/@LetsShareTheSun
Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy.
AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship.
Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last.
If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list.
Learn more at [ams-renewable.com] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference
Benoy Thanjan will be hosting a live Solar Maverick Podcast Interview at Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference on May 6, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. The link is below.
https://whova.com/web/AVRBHPdoRkL-XvNBu2m3OvHy6VIA89QrX7muVARCKeo=/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Rosemawr, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
Episode Summary:
In this replay episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan kicks off the debut episode of Sunvoy’s new podcast series, What Solar Installers Need to Know?
With over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, Benoy joins Joe Marhamati, co-founder of Sunvoy, for a candid and insightful conversation covering the real-world challenges and opportunities shaping solar today.
Topics Covered:
- The ongoing headaches of interconnection and how to navigate them
- How community solar is opening up new possibilities
- Why project financing is evolving—and what you need to know now
- The overlooked potential of renewable energy credits (RECs)
- How tariffs are disrupting the solar supply chain
- What’s next: battery tech, blockchain, and vehicle-to-grid innovation
Whether you're deep in solar development or just passionate about clean energy and grid transformation, this episode is packed with practical insights and future-focused takes.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Joe Marhamati
What gets me out of bed every day is helping solar installers learn from my lived experience in building and selling an eight-figure solar business, not just the successes but also the mistakes.
In my current role as co-founder and CFO of Sunvoy, I help solar installers build their brands by building a white-labeled customer portal and fleet management platform to bring together all of their fleet data into a single location. I'm also passionate about helping solar installers with their tech stack, growth strategy, management and leadership direction, and exit plans.
My results:
→ Spent nearly 10 years at the U.S. Department of Energy // Obama White House helping to catalyze the modern cleantech industry
→ Built and scaled Ipsun Solar 0-$12M in revenue
→ Grew a team of over 60 in service of the mission of installing residential and commercial rooftop solar
→ Started Sunvoy to help solar installers worldwide scale their businesses
→ In April 2024 exited solar construction business to help other solar business owners with Sunvoy
→ During the last 16 months I've helped more than 50 solar businesses throughout North and South America and Europe to build their brand equity and grow referrals with Sunvoy
When I coach solar business owners, I teach them how to build efficient, profitable revenue growth, how to go to market the new way, a relentless focus on the customer, team, speed, execution, brand & culture.
And build an ecosystem around their company.
If you want to connect with me, reach out via the Sunvoy website: https://sunvoy.com/blog or send me an email: joe@sunvoy.com.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Joe Marhamati
Sunvoy Website: https://sunvoy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marhamati/
Email: joe@sunvoy.com
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-2050-whats-next-for-renewables/id1807739671?i=1000703572338
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference
Benoy Thanjan will be hosting a live Solar Maverick Podcast Interview at Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference on May 6, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. The link is below.
https://whova.com/web/AVRBHPdoRkL-XvNBu2m3OvHy6VIA89QrX7muVARCKeo=/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan speaks with Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Principal Analyst and Senior Research Manager at Wood Mackenzie and host of The Interchange: Recharged podcast. Sylvia specializes in utility-scale solar and shares valuable insights on the evolving landscape of the solar industry.
Topics Covered Include:
- The impact of tariffs on solar equipment and the broader market
- Key trends driving the utility-scale solar sector
- Policy and regulatory developments to watch
- Sylvia’s long-term outlook for solar deployment and adoption
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sylvia Leyva Martinez
Sylvia is a Principal Analyst (Senior Research Manager) at Wood Mackenzie, a leading global provider of data, analysis, and consulting services to the energy, chemicals, metals, and mining sectors. With over 9 years of experience in renewable energy finance and strategy, Sylvia lead the research and analysis of the North American utility-scale solar market, delivering insights and recommendations to clients across the industry value chain. As part of my role at WoodMac, Sylvia is currently the host of The Interchange Recharged podcast, where every two weeks I do a deep dive into the main policies, actors, and issues shaping the energy transition.
My core competencies include solar capacity forecasting, market trend adoption, supply chain dynamics, procurement strategy development, contract structure evolution, renewable asset valuation, risk mitigation strategies, debt-equity structures, and alternative financing. Syliva also has a strong background in power market modeling, transaction support, and due diligence of solar, wind, and storage assets in North America and Latin America.
Sylvia holds a Master's degree in Renewable Energy from EPF - Ecole d'Ingénieur-e-s in France and a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from ITESM Monterrey in Mexico. Sylvia is fluent in Spanish, English, and French. Sylvia is a seasoned public speaker with experience presenting at international conferences, and to C-suite and senior stakeholders. Sylvia is a people-first, value-driven manager and a leader deeply invested in my team. Sylvia is passionate about supporting women (within the renewables space and beyond), advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy, and empowering stakeholders to make informed and sustainable decisions.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Sylvia Leyva Martinez
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solarsylvia/
Website: https://www.woodmac.com/
Host of the Interchange Recharged podcast:
https://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/the-interchange-recharged/
Solar & Energy Storage Summit 2025 organized by Wood Mackenzie
23 to 24 April 2025
Denver, CO
https://www.woodmac.com/events/solar-energy-storage-summit/
Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy.
AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship.
Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last.
If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list.
Learn more at [ams-renewable.com] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference
Benoy Thanjan will be hosting a live Solar Maverick Podcast Interview at Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference on May 6, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. The link is below.
https://whova.com/web/AVRBHPdoRkL-XvNBu2m3OvHy6VIA89QrX7muVARCKeo=/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan speaks with Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Principal Analyst and Senior Research Manager at Wood Mackenzie and host of The Interchange: Recharged podcast. Sylvia specializes in utility-scale solar and shares valuable insights on the evolving landscape of the solar industry.
Topics Covered Include:
- The impact of tariffs on solar equipment and the broader market
- Key trends driving the utility-scale solar sector
- Policy and regulatory developments to watch
- Sylvia’s long-term outlook for solar deployment and adoption
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sylvia Leyva Martinez
Sylvia is a Principal Analyst (Senior Research Manager) at Wood Mackenzie, a leading global provider of data, analysis, and consulting services to the energy, chemicals, metals, and mining sectors. With over 9 years of experience in renewable energy finance and strategy, Sylvia lead the research and analysis of the North American utility-scale solar market, delivering insights and recommendations to clients across the industry value chain. As part of my role at WoodMac, Sylvia is currently the host of The Interchange Recharged podcast, where every two weeks I do a deep dive into the main policies, actors, and issues shaping the energy transition.
My core competencies include solar capacity forecasting, market trend adoption, supply chain dynamics, procurement strategy development, contract structure evolution, renewable asset valuation, risk mitigation strategies, debt-equity structures, and alternative financing. Syliva also has a strong background in power market modeling, transaction support, and due diligence of solar, wind, and storage assets in North America and Latin America.
Sylvia holds a Master's degree in Renewable Energy from EPF - Ecole d'Ingénieur-e-s in France and a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from ITESM Monterrey in Mexico. Sylvia is fluent in Spanish, English, and French. Sylvia is a seasoned public speaker with experience presenting at international conferences, and to C-suite and senior stakeholders. Sylvia is a people-first, value-driven manager and a leader deeply invested in my team. Sylvia is passionate about supporting women (within the renewables space and beyond), advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy, and empowering stakeholders to make informed and sustainable decisions.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Sylvia Leyva Martinez
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solarsylvia/
Website: https://www.woodmac.com/
Host of the Interchange Recharged podcast:
https://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/the-interchange-recharged/
Solar & Energy Storage Summit 2025 organized by Wood Mac
23 to 24 April 2025
Denver, CO
https://www.woodmac.com/events/solar-energy-storage-summit/
Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy.
AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship.
Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last.
If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list.
Learn more at [ams-renewable.com] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference
Benoy Thanjan will be hosting a live Solar Maverick Podcast Interview at Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference on May 6, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. The link is below.
https://whova.com/web/AVRBHPdoRkL-XvNBu2m3OvHy6VIA89QrX7muVARCKeo=/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan is joined by co-host and clean energy advocate Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital. Together, they dive into the evolving dynamics of the residential solar market and why now is a pivotal time for homeowners and investors alike.
The discussion explores how increasing electricity rates are fueling a greater need for residential solar adoption, the current lag in solar penetration across the U.S., and how solar tax credits can be a game-changing financial strategy for investors.
💡 Key Topics Covered:
The macroeconomic impact of rising electricity rates on solar demand
Why solar penetration remains lower than expected in key residential markets
How Sunraise Capital is helping homeowners reduce their bills and carbon footprint
The role of federal tax incentives and how investors can use solar tax credits to reduce tax liability
Insights into Sunraise Capital’s mission: democratizing access to clean, affordable energy
Barriers to adoption and what it will take to unlock residential solar growth
💬 Notable Quotes:
🗣️ “We’re seeing a tipping point—where solar isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a financial necessity for homeowners.” – Nate Jovanelly
🗣️ “Tax equity is a huge opportunity not just for institutions, but for high-net-worth individuals who want to support the clean energy transition.” – Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Email: nate@sunraise.com
Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy.
AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship.
Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last.
If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list.
Learn more at [ams-renewable.com] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference
Benoy Thanjan will be hosting a live Solar Maverick Podcast Interview at Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Insight Conference on May 6, 2025 in New Brunswick, NJ. The link is below.
https://whova.com/web/AVRBHPdoRkL-XvNBu2m3OvHy6VIA89QrX7muVARCKeo=/
Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the 2025 Summer Solstice Fundraiser!
Celebrate the warm weather with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy ,and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 5th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
-Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
-Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with delicious food throughout the evening.
-Tickets: $50
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1653652
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 194: 2025 Solar Outlook
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-194-2025-solar-outlook/
SMP 176: REplus takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/
SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #23 Briefing Highlights:
- ERCOT's proposed dispatchable credit program penalizes solar and storage
- ENGIE sold a stake in a 900MW portfolio to Ares
- Benoy's Intersolar impressions:
-- 9000 attendees this year -- Attendees from every state and 59 countries -- Many BESS companies and new BESS technologies
-- New administration has people a little nervous
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
🚀 Renewable Energy Briefing – Episode #22 🌎
Join me and my co-host, David Magid for our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing, where we break down the latest industry trends, policy updates, and market shifts. Stay ahead with expert analysis and key insights that can shape your investment and business decisions.
🔎 This week’s top highlights:
✅ California’s new community solar bill – What it means for the industry
✅ Electric vehicle (EV) sales surge – A massive increase since 2019
✅ Duke Energy's groundbreaking report – How dynamically curtailed data centers could unlock 100GW of capacity
✅ New York energy shift – Aurora’s latest report changes the reference point from natural gas to 2-hour BESS in NYISO
If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Richard Weihe, Managing Director of Rosemawr Sustainable Infrastructure Management.
Rich shares valuable insights on unlocking capital in the renewable energy sector, key trends shaping the solar industry, and why solar should be considered a national security asset.
Rosemawr Management is a credit-focused investment firm specializing in municipal finance, sustainable infrastructure, and charter schools. Founded in 2008, the firm currently manages over $1 billion in assets. Its sustainable infrastructure portfolio spans solar, energy storage, wind, and energy efficiency projects across the United States.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Rich Weihe
Richard Weihe is the Managing Director of Rosemawr Sustainable Infrastructure Management, a division of Rosemawr Management LLC. Rosemawr Management, established in 2008, is an alternative investment management firm specializing in the U.S. municipal, not-for-profit, and sustainable infrastructure sectors. He has over 20 years of experience in energy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Rich Weihe
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-weihe-020b6a7/
Email: rweihe@rosemawr.com
Website: https://www.rosemawr.com/
Recent Press Releases from Rosemawr
AC Power and Rosemawr Announce Development Capital Financing Partnership
Book Discussed During the Podcast
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/781010074/ac-power-and-rosemawr-announce-development-capital-financing-partnership
RIC Energy and Rosemawr Announce Financing Partnership to Deploy Solar and Energy Storage Projects in New York
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241106262035/en/RIC-Energy-and-Rosemawr-Announce-Financing-Partnership-to-Deploy-Solar-and-Energy-Storage-Projects-in-New-York
Book Recommendations from Rich
Volt Rush
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0861546199/?bestFormat=true&k=volt%20rush&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_9&crid=WI6IBFJPRBWF&sprefix=Volt%20Rush
The War Below
https://www.amazon.com/War-Below-Lithium-Copper-Global/dp/B0C7XY6H2B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KQBCIFDWK1RL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hPL3uDd44m2KVunWhZsJ_TdsnRo_2W237lW4wbqItJ7Z9UcqS3MPwFmkKS1gTv9CdJMZ1Yl93idHDsyv4adQASAJTUrUnY8doo7knbk6CL1w_bAECIuVq1evpCR1snx4Fn00JYqHyXHFBiT8sg8-KDbPCg2_xcSU9dUXOb8hggycDSrQscHtbp9bvmMagzxTGboauJvM73nI-Ny3KXovj7vj9-sdthNuYvsXlKUJMIE.x-j6J9q95haB864FW-CO11xlAtLhmArWHkF3kbNf77Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+war+below&qid=1742482496&sprefix=The+war+below%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy sits down with Vihann Kong, Senior Executive Director of Enterprise Acquisition at Ampion. Ampion is driving the clean energy revolution by expanding access to community energy programs across the country.
Vihann shares insights on Ampion’s partnerships with major brands like Wendy’s and Colgate-Palmolive, the emerging community solar markets in the U.S., and the renewable energy technologies poised to make an impact beyond solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Vihann Kong
With a robust background in sustainable energy and customer relationship management, my role as Senior Executive Director of Enterprise Acquisition at Ampion, PBC, is centered around pioneering clean energy solutions for enterprise customers. Our team's commitment to lowering energy costs and advancing ESG initiatives has positioned us as a vanguard in the renewable energy sector.
Previously, as Director of Sales at Metrus Energy, I spearheaded the development of a comprehensive sales strategy, contributing to significant channel growth. My expertise in sustainable energy efficiency is not just about implementing solutions—it's about leading a movement towards a greener future, with every successful partnership reflecting our shared values of innovation and sustainability.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Vihann Kong
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vihann/
Website: https://ampion.net
Book Discussed During the Podcast
Reinventing Fire
https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Fire-Business-Solutions-Energy/dp/1603585389/ref=sr_1_1?crid=393DN2LYKRNEH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7ZlZ3ajzmHCiGkyO3koc8AUrGWG5arXAUTY8cSWB1KNRE0PcDQQ6Zw7OZGwQPfTQpAtrVbbyysqLEgM4HZbxM32mFZIsScIhkiyqS9BSnVgYF3Ho6YE1UICqgpxoK4xv8P_w3X_QCKx-Jy32WFT6d9d48KhhjOiWKYy-HJPAFajyvAxwCF22_Jyl6tTwsux8hmMvsFv_vQKJf-l3MwBkDRIXn_KIEEnkVGenWu-mAzU.xhksKUmbWyMkggL2CY0WREZnVwNkgFHJTq_PWV5Vo4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=reinventing+fire&qid=1741965815&sprefix=reinventing+fire%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1
In this special 200th episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan and co-host Li Wang, Marketing Director of Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast, reflect on their journey to this milestone. They discuss key insights on the future of the solar industry, the transformative role of AI in renewable energy, and valuable entrepreneurship advice.
A huge thank you to our listeners for your incredible support in making the Solar Maverick Podcast one of the most popular in the industry!
Thank you to everyone who attended our LA FireAid Fundraiser at Intersolar! Your support made this event a success, and we are incredibly grateful for your generosity.
A special shoutout to our amazing sponsors—AMS Renewable Energy, RST Cleantech, Clean Footprint, Reneu Energy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast—for making this fundraiser possible.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Li Wang
Squarespace Website Designer, Marketing Director of Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast
I’m a former journalist turned website designer. I work solely on the Squarespace platform and have embraced its esthetic beauty and ease of use. I work with people who have a strong vision for their business and I simply unearth what makes them shine. I tell your brand story through the same processes I used as a former newspaper reporter. I currently have a waitlist for website design projects, but you can reserve your place here.
Squarespace Circle Member
Squarespace Authorized Trainer
Background and philosophy
Better every day. That’s the way I aspire to live.
I was born in 1973 in Philadelphia. My parents immigrated from Taipei and my dad’s first job out of graduate school was in Philadelphia. I’m a die-hard Eagles fan and being raised in that city has shaped my identity. Hip-hop culture served as my first artistic influence. Run-DMC, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys shaped how I created my own environment.
During the summer of O.J. trial I interned at the Philadelphia Daily News. I became hooked on journalism. I went on to another internship at the Des Moines Register and started my career as a business reporter for the Times of Trenton. I was the arts editor for the Honolulu Weekly and then the film critic for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Website design
I could see the end of the print industry so I decided to get a professional certificate in digital marketing from New York University. I started an agency with a partner doing SEO, PPC , content creation and website design. My partner decided to focus on software development and I turned my attention to website design.
Today I help small business owners shine online with compelling websites to resonate with their target audiences.
Personal interests
I’m a fitness enthusiast (CrossFit), watch collector (14060M, PAM112, SBGA085), and father (Matthew and Noemi).
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
Email: li@littleoxworkshop.com
Website: https://www.littleoxworkshop.com
Book Recommendations
George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Joneshttps://www.amazon.com/George-Lucas-Brian-Jay-Jones-ebook/dp/B01DSTTRBW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RBXXD7XKH43Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-IoPSlTJA5SNa2QBh6cfyG75T1muc08nEtyk-Xm4ULq6hohaS7ohX9zo6eAXsh9duyxUDygHDy43QZwusNtOBpIDp019XuhNKrAiGhJ6dUN4uS6vXPtfxvhfYMvkm_amPYdRWsYF9Pl16rqzdE6vJ65eKWhxQlEYSldTgD_e6c1kVrOFUKiALgl1FppeMDYPVlAKggKEBLUPbF5ZDfip8Tl0PO5SnMj1TN7Vn8wd9Jg.3kIAOYFE-qXr6_u1jEkilLJsWqPkXPqb-_ytmG0gSEM&dib_tag=se&keywords=george+lucas+book&qid=1741022082&sprefix=george+lucas%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1
How to Start Worry and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N3SO9I/?bestFormat=true&k=how%20to%20start%20worrying%20and%20start%20living&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_16&crid=2YEBAKJ2VEJW2&sprefix=how%20ot%20start%20wor
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break-ebook/dp/B07D23CFGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EFELZ83PXDEE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.y8ep0gjO0LaPjilbBqM79Xc2YZxFFvDOy7Lc27uggak-q5YmV5RsUlyRu-CTr0npJ0gRUx0ASicl9MOtJyk6fGTJ0Xxd_XDVFXJvb0BcmZ6vwNqmBzA93KU45puZNkdVopAqqtIUFTo2KYCA7-FJzr0371JvAVDlwQ7CSTShNRN-ggiCHNBVjWziBnegWzCkyP-xlax-3lklbAtiFh-3vYOZr3tuO8IgL4BHttFHJEE.ZO5fa3V0ar5nZ8XBYE6kqezA8wGK2ShncgzV9u9TqEY&dib_tag=se&keywords=atomic+habits&qid=1741022424&sprefix=atomic%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-1
The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime by MJ DeMarco
https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Fastlane-Crack-Wealth-Lifetime-ebook/dp/B004BDOUAI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=K46KWSB09QMW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.z4MidZRm4ZWE0T1HY7abuwdeo5CqTw10yZQVXYGCxm9DNaZTpMC_23RRaoL8h8-wnOy1BK3Rov0urj7ai8FISV54JO5KAlx_iBOMAydfX0zeWL6hKJ_oLbsHJeVGcFjo4joyU6H5OKeK8ncIQ0RuZJ7j-2v4TCrfEL6JYdeweYwUDkMM9L0DSV3B7BDed7DnYCVgfMJgzBXhqTvYNwjOuimnJsQA-aMtW7OYgz8Zvts.tSyBkDMxEzpxkotL3Me02V25R6WP4caU8e66-MLlea0&dib_tag=se&keywords=millionaire+fastlane+by+mj+demarco&qid=1741022902&sprefix=milionair+f%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1
Thought Leaders in Renewable Energy on Linkedin
Abby Hopper
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-hopper-a3415527/
Jigar Shah
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jigarshahdc/
John Moran
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-moran-03a3b3a/
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #21 Briefing Highlights:
- Invenergy has secured $1.1 billion in construction debt financing
- Altus being acquired by TPG
- Renewable generation accounted for the overwhelming majority of new infrastructure in 2024
- US based solar module production continues to increase steadily and quickly
If you have any questions or comments, you can email or call us at benoy@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #20 Briefing Highlights:
- Some immediate impacts of Trump's executive orders on the renewable energy sector
- UN-backed net-zero banking alliance losing
- TVA impressive reliability/resilience track record
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy sits down with Adam Saghei, CEO and Founder of We Recycle Solar, at their state-of-the-art recycling facility—the only certified solar waste disposal provider. Adam shares insights into the growing opportunities in solar recycling, the cutting-edge technology behind their process, and key industry trends shaping the future of solar sustainability.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Adam Saghai
Adam Saghei is the Chief Executive Officer of We Recycle Solar, a company based in Yuma, Arizona, dedicated to addressing the growing need for sustainable disposal solutions for decommissioned solar panels. Under his leadership, the company has developed processes to recover valuable materials such as silver, copper, aluminum, glass, and silicone from obsolete or damaged photovoltaic panels, achieving up to a 99% recovery rate. Saghei emphasizes the importance of planning for the retirement of solar assets to ensure a sustainable lifecycle for renewable energy technologies.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Adam Saghai
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asaghei/
Website: https://werecyclesolar.com/
Join Us at FireAid LA Fundraiser During InterSolar!
The recent fires in Los Angeles have impacted so many lives, and now is our chance to give back. Join us on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, at 5:00 PM at The Lofts at 777 Sixth Ave for an evening of networking, community, and making a real difference.
💡 Why Attend?
✅ Support those affected by the LA fires
✅ Connect with fellow solar & clean energy professionals
✅ Enjoy a great evening while giving back
This event is proudly organized by Reneu Energy & the Solar Maverick Podcast, and proceeds will go to FireAid LA to help those in need.
📩 Interested in sponsoring? Email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Let’s come together as an industry to make an impact. See you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fireaid-la-fundraiser-during-intersolar-tickets-1227144735939?aff=oddtdtcreator
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy sits down with Vishal Lala, CEO and Founder of Polar Racking, a North American leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of solar PV mounting systems. Polar Racking offers a diverse portfolio of ground-mount, tracker, and carport solutions for commercial and utility-scale markets, along with innovative agrivoltaic systems.
Vishal shares expert insights on optimizing solar project performance through high-quality racking solutions, discusses emerging trends shaping the future of the solar industry, and offers valuable entrepreneurial advice.
Congratulations to Polar Racking and Vishal Lala on celebrating 15 years in business in December 2024!
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Vishal Lala
Vishal Lala is the Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Polar Racking, a company he established in 2009. Under his leadership, Polar Racking has evolved from a flat rooftop racking manufacturer into a North American leader in solar mounting solutions, expanding its offerings to include ground-mount, tracker, and carport products for commercial and utility-scale markets.
Throughout his tenure, Lala has emphasized delivering high-quality, low-maintenance solar racking solutions that provide maximum value to customers. His strategic vision has been instrumental in Polar Racking's growth and its commitment to achieving a 10 GW annual production capacity for global solar projects.
Lala's leadership is characterized by a focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, positioning Polar Racking as a key player in the global solar industry.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Vishal Lala
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-lala-cfa-781b526/
Email: vishal.lala@polarracking.com
Website: https://www.polarracking.com/
Thank you to Concentro for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Concentro’s mission is to create and promote accessible financing mechanisms for distributed generation projects. As we work towards a cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy system, they strive to empower developers with the financial tools they need to succeed. Below are the link to the podcast and the contact information of Iñigo and Tao who were on Episode 186.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000679191495
Iñigo Rengifo Melia
Email: inigo@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inigo-rengifo-melia/
Website: https://www.concentro.io/
Tao Mantaras
Email: tao@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taomantaras/
Website: https://www.concentro.io
Join Us at FireAid LA Fundraiser During InterSolar!
The recent fires in Los Angeles have impacted so many lives, and now is our chance to give back. Join us on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, at 5:00 PM at The Lofts at 777 Sixth Ave for an evening of networking, community, and making a real difference.
💡 Why Attend?
✅ Support those affected by the LA fires
✅ Connect with fellow solar & clean energy professionals
✅ Enjoy a great evening while giving back
This event is proudly organized by Reneu Energy & the Solar Maverick Podcast, and proceeds will go to FireAid LA to help those in need.
📩 Interested in sponsoring? Email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Let’s come together as an industry to make an impact. See you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fireaid-la-fundraiser-during-intersolar-tickets-1227144735939?aff=oddtdtcreator
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy sits down with Chris Grablutz, Principal and Co-founder of Tri-Force Energy—a leading Commercial & Utility Solar Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance company serving NJ, NY, and PA. Chris shares expert insights on optimizing solar project performance through effective O&M strategies, repowering aging assets, and emerging trends shaping the future of the solar industry.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Chris Grablutz
Chris Grablutz has worked in the solar industry since 2010 with a wide network of great solar professionals and deep roots in northeast solar markets. His work in commercial, industrial, and utility scale solar has been focused on the technical aspects such as design engineering, construction management, QA/QC, Testing, and Operations & Maintenance. With a degree in Applied Physics and engineering background, Chris is a very detailed, logical, and process driven leader. Chris was also a NCAA Division I wrestler and grew up working for a family-owned construction company, which has contributed to his work hard attitude.
In 2010, he entered the solar industry as a Project Engineer at Pfister Energy, a New Jersey based EPC firm. Chris supported commercial PV designs. Project and construction management came naturally to Chris from his upbringing in a family-owned construction firm. Chris managed the solar installations on multiple school district portfolios, UPS distribution facility, Teterboro Airport hangers, low and moderate income (LMI) apartment complexes, and building-integrated PV (BIPV) and building-integrated solar thermal systems at Camp Lejeune Marine Base in North Carolina.
As the Director of Field Services at PV Pros and Pure Power Engineering, he led the creation of a commercial PV installation division. Chris grew the team to over 30 in-house employees with Job Site Safety, Technical Training, Quality Control, Staffing, and Project Management under his purview. In 2016, he led a start-up effort to transition from regional commercial construction into a national technical services firm, providing Operations and Maintenance (O&M), Owner's Engineer, and Independent Engineering.
As the Director of Business Development, Chris's team led the sales of over 1GW of Owner's Engineer, Independent Engineer, and commissioning agent. His team's O&M sales included over 200MW of long-term O&M agreements. The O&M division completed multiple large service projects including PV system removal & re-installations.
He continued his career in technical sales as the Director of Business Development at Clean Energy Associates, a global leader in solar manufacturing quality assurance, supply chain management, engineering services, and supplier/market intelligence programs.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Chris Grablutz
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgrablutz/
Email: info@triforceenergy.com
Website: https://triforceenergy.com/
Chris Grablutz’s previous episodes on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 07-SMP 07: Getting down to Earth with Solar: Construction, quality control and O&M insights from Chris Grablutz
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-07-getting-down-to-earth-with-solar-construction-quality-control-and-om-insights-from-chris-grablutz/
SMP 42-LIve How Solar Technology is Changing the world?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-42-live-event-how-solar-technology-is-changing-the-world/
The book that Chris spoke about during the podcast is Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business.
Two companies that Chris discusses in the podcast.
Ecosuite
https://ecosuite.io
Solargrade
https://solargrade.io
Chris will be attending RE+ in Boston on Feb 12 to 13, 2025. If you want to meet with him at the conference, email him at info@triforceenergy.com.
Thank you to Concentro for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Concentro’s mission is to create and promote accessible financing mechanisms for distributed generation projects. As we work towards a cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy system, they strive to empower developers with the financial tools they need to succeed. Below are the link to the podcast and the contact information of Iñigo and Tao who were on Episode 186.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000679191495
Iñigo Rengifo Melia
Email: inigo@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inigo-rengifo-melia/
Website: https://www.concentro.io/
Tao Mantaras
Email: tao@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taomantaras/
Website: https://www.concentro.io
Join Us at FireAid LA Fundraiser During InterSolar!
The recent fires in Los Angeles have impacted so many lives, and now is our chance to give back. Join us on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, at 5:00 PM at The Lofts at 777 Sixth Ave for an evening of networking, community, and making a real difference.
💡 Why Attend?
✅ Support those affected by the LA fires
✅ Connect with fellow solar & clean energy professionals
✅ Enjoy a great evening while giving back
This event is proudly organized by Reneu Energy & the Solar Maverick Podcast, and proceeds will go to FireAid LA to help those in need.
📩 Interested in sponsoring? Email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Let’s come together as an industry to make an impact. See you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fireaid-la-fundraiser-during-intersolar-tickets-1227144735939?aff=oddtdtcreator
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy and his co-host Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital, speak about the 2025 Solar Outlook.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.
Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
200the Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast Party
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/200the-episode-of-the-solar-maverick-podcast-party-tickets-1227144735939?aff=oddtdtcreator
Jocko's Good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 176: REplus takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/
SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #19 Briefing Highlights:
- Recent NERC reliability report
Read the full report: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Relia...
- New energy-efficient Chinese LLM equivalent ChatGPT 3 and parallels to early 2000s data center efficiency increases
- 2024 key energy takeaways for production, generation, advancements
- Looking back at President Jimmy Carter's contributions to renewable energy development and adoption during the oil crisis
Welcome to our Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #18 Briefing Highlights:
- Time to interconnect has increased almost threefold since 2007, will interconnection queue reform help?
- How large corporate procurement helps drive renewable development.
Read the SEIA Solar Means Business 2024 Report: https://seia.org/research-resources/s...
- Clearpath transmission, generation, and storage project has been halted.
- 30.9 GW BESS in the NYISO Cluster Study Queue.
See the map: https://www.ysgsolar.com/the-map/ Read more: https://www.ysgsolar.com/thought-lead...
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy interviews Peter Schmitt, Director of Project Development at US Solar. Peter shares insights on agrivoltaics, highlights the key states where US Solar is focusing its solar development efforts, and discusses emerging trends in the agrivoltaics industry.
US Solar is a developer, owner, operator, and financier of solar generation and storage projects with a focus on emerging markets, agrivoltaics, and community solar programs with over 200 Megawatts of completed projects and over 2 Gigawatts in construction and development
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Peter Schmitt
Peter is a Director of Project Development focusing on US Solar's grid scale developments across the country, ranging from 50-300+ MW each. He also spearheads the company's vegetation innovations, including the advancement of pollinator seed mixes, experimental crops, beehives, and the introduction of sheep to sites. Prior to joining US Solar, Peter worked as an internal consultant at Xcel Energy in transmission, worked for a public utility in Austria, and founded a commercial compost company.
Peter grew up in Minnesota and received two undergraduate and two graduate degrees, all from the University of Minnesota.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Peter Schmitt
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-schmitt-24187645/
US Solar Website: https://www.us-solar.com/
Agrivoltaics Conferences in 2025
NORTH AMERICA'S AGRIVOLTAICS EXPO
August 4-7, 2025
Chicago, IL
https://solarfarmsummit.com
AgriVoltaics World Conference
July 1-3, 2025
Freibrug, Germany
https://www.agrivoltaics-conference.org/
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Weirich, the Head of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations - North America at EDP Renewables North America. Tom is also the author of the insightful book "We Took the Risk: The Stories Behind the Early Risk Takers in the U.S. Renewable Energy Industry and the Leadership Traits that Made Them a Success." During our discussion, Tom delves into the essence of his book, sheds light on current trends in the industry, and offers valuable insights for those aspiring to build a career in renewable energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Tom Weirich
Tom Weirich is a key facilitator that has connected pivotal players in the global renewable energy industry for over eighteen years, working with teams that have closed 300+ renewable energy transactions across a variety of technologies. Throughout his renewables journey, it’s been the stories of how colleagues got their start in renewables that continues to inspire and empower him in his daily work.
As an award-winning marketing leader in the energy sector, he’s a frequent industry panel moderator, speaker and OpEd contributor, focusing on innovation, entrepreneurship and market opportunities surrounding the US’ clean energy transition. Weirich’s passion for renewables extends beyond the confines of his day job, with countless hours spent promoting philanthropic efforts focused on technology innovation, career mentoring, workforce development and STEM education.
Professional Experience
Weirich previously worked with two key clean energy investment banking advisory firms based in New York as Director of Marketing at Rubicon Capital Advisors and Director of Marketing & Business Development at CohnReznick Capital. Prior to that, Tom was Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations and interim Chief Operating Officer at the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) in Washington, D.C., where he managed and oversaw corporate relations and public affairs for 12 years working with key global developers, financiers and power generators.
Weirich served under the Obama Administration twice in honorary roles, advising both the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative on renewable energy trade and manufacturing policies. He has been acknowledged for his contributions to the solar industry by Renewable Energy World as part of its inaugural “Top 40 under 40 in Solar”, and has been listed five years in a row on kWh Analytics’ #Solar100 List, which recognizes key solar energy thought leaders in the United States. Weirich is a previous Emerging Leaders in Energy & Environment Program Fellow with the Atlantic Council, as well as the previous Chairperson for North America for the Word Council on Renewable Energy (WCRE).
He serves as an Advisor to The Cleanie Awards, which recognizes innovators and those making an impact in clean energy, and is a Fellow with Humanity in Action (HIA), an international non-profit that educates and connects young leaders on issues related to human and minority rights.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Tom Weirich
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomweirich/
Book’s Website: https://wetooktherisk.com
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #17 Briefing Highlights:
- Election impacts on the renewable energy industry (or potential lack thereof)
- FERC throws a wrench into AWS and Talen Energy's nuclear plans
- Transformer lead times and prices still increasing
If you have any questions or comments, you can reach out to us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #16 Briefing Highlights:
- Corporate and VC Funding for the Renewable Energy Sector
- New Mexico Expanded Community Solar Program
- Section 48D ITC Guidance Provided
- PJM Interconnection Reform
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at info@reneuenergy.com.
The League - Episode #15Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends.
Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy Insights!
Episode #15 Briefing Highlights:
-
NY Stand-Alone BESS Market has only 5 operational projects totaling 100MW but there are Gigawatts worth in the queue
-
DG market has been booming - Benoy's impressions from NYC climate week - Some fossil fuel and nuclear plants slated for retirement are likely to remain operational to meet growing energy demands. If you have any comments, you can reach us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy chats with Iñigo Rengifo Melia and Tao Mantaras from Concentro, a platform specializing in distributed generation clean energy tax credits. Iñigo and Tao explore the opportunities presented by the new transferability rules introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act. They also share insights on how the new presidential administration could influence clean energy tax credits and offer valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Iñigo Rengifo Melia
Inigo is the Co-founder & CEO of Concentro. Before Concentro, he spent three years as a consultant at McKinsey, focusing on new business building and clean energy projects. Prior to that, he was the first employee at Neboola, a startup studio, where he was part of the founding team of two startups: Loopas and Bonofit. Inigo holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electromechanical Engineering.
Tao Mantaras
Tao is the Co-founder & COO of Concentro. Before Concentro, he co-founded BibliU, a venture-backed EdTech company that enables universities to access digital learning materials. Earlier in his career, he was a consultant in the energy sector and also gained experience in investment banking. Tao holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a dual Bachelor's degree in Science and Commerce.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Iñigo Rengifo Melia
Email: inigo@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inigo-rengifo-melia/
Website: https://www.concentro.io/
Tao Mantaras
Email: tao@concentro.io
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taomantaras/
Website: https://www.concentro.io/
Concentro NPM Press Release
Concentro ready to enable USD 300m in tax credit transfers; focus on DG markethttps://newprojectmedia.com/news/concentro-ready-to-enable-usd-300m-in-tax-credit-transfers-focus-on-dg-market
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, Concentro, and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the holidays with us at the Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, Concentro,, and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
- Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
- Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
- Tickets: Early Bird Pricing of $65 per person. The pricing would be $75 starting on 11/27. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Partnership with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia: We're excited to partner with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia, who will be offering sports memorabilia and experiences for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please contact us at info@reneuenergy.com.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1448299
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy interviews David Taylor, Andrew Aldama, and Adam Weissman from Anker Solix. With solar and energy storage technology, Anker SOLIX gives you complete control of your power. Whether you are enjoying the great outdoors, living life on the road, or setting up a home energy system, you can enjoy anytime electricity to live in power.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
David Taylor
Solutions Expert at Anker Innovations
Andrew Aldama
HES Solutions Director
Anker Innovations LTD
Adam Weissman
Senior Public Relations Manager
Anker Innovations LTD
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
David Taylor
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-taylor-2354b020a/
Andrew Aldama
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-aldama/
Adam Weissman
Linkedn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamweissman/
Anker Solix’s website
https://www.anker.com/anker-solix
We would like to thank Positive Deviancy for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Jade Garrett, founder of Positive Deviancy, is a Power Connector for the DOE’s American-Made Program. Since 2018, Positive Deviancy has helped over 400 teams access $14 million in innovation funding from the American-Made Challenges.
Email: jade@positivedeviancy.com
Website: www.PositiveDeviancy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadegarrett/
Contact Jade directly via email to get help to apply for these Energy Prizes:
Community Power Accelerator Round 3 Prize - Due December 17th, 2024
The Community Power Accelerator R3 Prize is designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and codevelopers to grow multiple successful community-benefiting distributed solar projects. 25 teams are each awarded up to $400k.
TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize - Due December 4th, 2024
The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize encourages Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to develop student-led demonstration projects that increase their knowledge on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. 30 TCUs can be awarded up to $250k for energy projects.
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the holidays with us at the Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
- Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
- Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
- Tickets: Early Bird Pricing of $65 per person. The pricing would be $75 starting on 11/27. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Partnership with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia: We're excited to partner with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia, who will be offering sports memorabilia and experiences for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please contact us at info@reneuenergy.com.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1448299
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy interviews Jared Haines, CEO and COO of Catalyze. Catalyze is accelerating the large-scale transition to clean, renewable energy by making it easy and profitable to integrate smart energy resources into new and existing infrastructure. Jared speaks about how Catalyze differentiates from other Independent Power Producers(“IPPs”), how the company is able to scale asset ownership, and what states they are focused on.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Jared Haines
Jared Haines brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience to Catalyze in his role as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer. Prior to his current role, Jared was Catalyze’s Vice President of Project and Business Development, leading his team in co-developing and acquiring Solar and Storage opportunities across the US with a focus in the NY Metro area. Jared boasts an impressive expertise in the solar sector, co-founding Mercury Solar Systems in 2006 and overseeing several business units as the company’s President before a merger in 2014 with RGS Energy. At RGS, he managed the commercial division as the Chief Revenue Officer. Jared also has experience developing the solar distributed generation team as the Head of Origination for Nextera energy, and providing Community Solar development and consulting services for solar projects as a Principal for Sol Alliance. Jared earned his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jared Haines
Website: https://catalyze.com/
LInkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-haines-4282b66/
We would like to thank Positive Deviancy for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Jade Garrett, founder of Positive Deviancy, is a Power Connector for the DOE’s American-Made Program. Since 2018, Positive Deviancy has helped over 400 teams access $14 million in innovation funding from the American-Made Challenges.
Email: jade@positivedeviancy.com
Website: www.PositiveDeviancy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadegarrett/
Contact Jade directly via email to get help to apply for these Energy Prizes:
Community Power Accelerator Round 3 Prize - Due December 17th, 2024
The Community Power Accelerator R3 Prize is designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and codevelopers to grow multiple successful community-benefiting distributed solar projects. 25 teams are each awarded up to $400k.
TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize - Due December 4th, 2024
The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize encourages Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to develop student-led demonstration projects that increase their knowledge on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. 30 TCUs can be awarded up to $250k for energy projects.
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the holidays with us at the Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
- Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
- Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
- Tickets: Early Bird Pricing of $65 per person. The pricing would be $75 starting on 11/27. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Partnership with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia: We're excited to partner with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia, who will be offering sports memorabilia and experiences for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please contact us at info@reneuenergy.com.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1448299
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy interviews John Williams, CEO of Virdi. Virdi designs and builds fail-safe battery energy storage systems with on-demand, affordable power for many different uses. John speaks about their innovative fail-safe battery technology, the opportunity for energy storage, and his entrepreneurial advice. Virdi is revolutionizing the way energy is used and stored with commercial-scale lithium-ion-based energy storage systems certified for installation in occupied spaces.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
John Williams
Jon M. Williams is the CEO of Viridi, a point-of-use energy technology company that is revolutionizing the way energy is stored and used, leading the way to a zero-carbon energy future. Prior to founding Viridi, Jon owned and managed OSC Holdings, Inc. a group of companies in the US and Canada that focused on Environmental Remediation and Redevelopment of former industrial sites.
Jon’s commitment to using the power of business to address the interconnected systems of economic inequality, environmental degradation, and climate change was inspired by his hometown, Niagara Falls, New York. The many abandoned factories there served as reminders of Western New York’s rich history as a thriving manufacturing center for the world and of the devastation to lives and land caused by their abandonment. Most of all, these empty factory towns motivated Jon to help bring them back to life in a way that serves everyone who lives there.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
John Williams
Website: https://viridiparente.com/
Email: jmwilliams@virdiparente.com
We would like to thank Positive Deviancy for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Jade Garrett, founder of Positive Deviancy, is a Power Connector for the DOE’s American-Made Program. Since 2018, Positive Deviancy has helped over 400 teams access $14 million in innovation funding from the American-Made Challenges.
Email: jade@positivedeviancy.com
Website: www.PositiveDeviancy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadegarrett/
Contact Jade directly via email to get help to apply for these Energy Prizes:
Community Power Accelerator Round 3 Prize - Due December 17th, 2024
The Community Power Accelerator R3 Prize is designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and codevelopers to grow multiple successful community-benefiting distributed solar projects. 25 teams are each awarded up to $400k.
TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize - Due December 4th, 2024
The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize encourages Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to develop student-led demonstration projects that increase their knowledge on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. 30 TCUs can be awarded up to $250k for energy projects.
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the holidays with us at the Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
- Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
- Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
- Tickets: Early Bird Pricing of $65 per person. The pricing would be $75 starting on 11/27. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Partnership with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia: We're excited to partner with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia, who will be offering sports memorabilia and experiences for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please contact us at info@reneuenergy.com.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1448299
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy and his co-host Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital, speak about how the renewable energy industry would be impacted by the US Presidential Election.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
We would like to thank Positive Deviancy for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Jade Garrett, founder of Positive Deviancy, is a Power Connector for the DOE’s American-Made Program. Since 2018, Positive Deviancy has helped over 400 teams access $14 million in innovation funding from the American-Made Challenges.
Email: jade@positivedeviancy.com
Website: www.PositiveDeviancy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadegarrett/
Contact Jade directly via email to get help to apply for these Energy Prizes:
Community Power Accelerator Round 3 Prize - Due December 17th, 2024
The Community Power Accelerator R3 Prize is designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and codevelopers to grow multiple successful community-benefiting distributed solar projects. 25 teams are each awarded up to $400k.
TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize - Due December 4th, 2024
The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize encourages Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to develop student-led demonstration projects that increase their knowledge on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. 30 TCUs can be awarded up to $250k for energy projects.
Join Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the holidays with us at the Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy, Positive Deviancy, and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Wednesday, December 4th, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. We'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy.
Event Highlights:
- Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
- Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
- Tickets: Early Bird Pricing of $65 per person. The pricing would be $75 starting on 11/27. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Partnership with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia: We're excited to partner with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia, who will be offering sports memorabilia and experiences for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please contact us at info@reneuenergy.com.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1448299
Nate was referring to SolarWakeup which is daily email newsletter about the major events in the solar industry. The link is below.
https://www.solarwakeup.com/subscribe-2/
Welcome to our biweekly Renewable Energy Briefing called the League! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!
Episode #14 Briefing Highlights:
- Impressions from the biggest ever RE+ including:
- The rise of stand-alone storage
- Grid connectivity challenges with aged infrastructure
- Growth vs Demand
- New England ISO delaying their implementation of FERC 2023
- Market feedback on the NYISO's new transitional cluster study application process
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights! Episode #13 Briefing Highlights:
- Loan guarantee issued by the DOE to QCells for their 3.3GW module facility to be constructed in Georgia
- LS Power closed on an oversubscribed 2.7 billion fund
- Sunpower has filed for bankruptcy due to depressed residential solar demand
- Grid Scale BESS given a spotlight article in The Economist.
- IEA forecasts that BESS will need to increase from 200GW to 1TW by the end of this decade
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Give Benoy Thanjan & David Magid 5 minutes, and we’ll give you the latest clean energy trends
⚡ The League -Weekly Energy Insights Episode #12 is LIVE! 💡 🏆
🌎Dive into this week’s segment on the worlds latest energy updates with my co-anchor Benoy Thanjan :
💰PJM Capacity Market Pricing has dramatically increased by 834% to 1,400%🔋
️⚡Grain Belt Express Wind Energy Project Phase 1 is being developed by Invenergy is moving forward due to an electricity delivery agreement with Missouri🔋
☀Community Solar Growth Projection is 14 GW DC Capacity by 2029. The US has currently 7,3GW of Community Solar.🔌
🔌Residential Customers are preferring Third Party Financing instead of owning solar due to this high interest rate environment 🌎
Don’t miss out – Watch the full clip here and stay ahead in the energy game! 😁
If you any have questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Matt Casey who is the Owner of RST North America CleanTech Solutions. RST CleanTech was established in 2013 and quickly became a global leader in automated solar panel cleaning. Since their inception, RST have installed 4,000+ projects worldwide ranging in size from residential arrays to large-scale utility projects. Matt speaks about their innovative technology, how panels could have 30% more production, and how he got into the renewables industry.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Matt Casey
Matthew brings over 15 years of renewable energy experience to the RST Team. Matthew started in the wind industry where he was instrumental in developing over 100MW of wind projects and constructing over 1.5GW of wind projects in both New York, Texas, California, Chile, and Mexico and served on the board of the California Wind Energy Association. More recently, Matthew managed both sales and operations teams for over 70 commercial/industrial solar projects in California. Matthew has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Bradley University and a Masters of Sociology from the University of Chicago.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Matt Casey
Email: matthew@rst-cleantech.com
Website: https://www.rst-cleantech.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewcasey/
⚡ The League ⚡-Weekly Energy Insights Episode #11 is LIVE! 🔌 💡
Dive into this week’s 300-second segment on the worlds latest energy updates with David Magid and Benoy Thanjan 😁:
🚀 NYSEG's game-changing report on their flexible dynamic interconnection project – what it means for the future of grid flexibility.
💡Solar Energy Production is set to skyrocket by 25% in 2024, with the utility solar sector leading the charge. Discover the factors driving this massive growth.
💸 Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville –Could Bitcoin mining be the key to stabilizing intermittent renewable energy sources? We explore how this technology might revolutionize energy storage and support a more reliable renewable energy grid.
️ 🏛 Federal Bill S.4753 – If passed, this bill could expand our electrical grid and streamline permitting processes. What does this mean for energy infrastructure?
If you have any questions or comments, please call or email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy and his co-host Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital, speak about their takeaways from REplus. REplus is the largest renewable conference and there were over 40K plus attendees. The conference was in Anaheim, California from September 9 to 12, 2024.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Power Up with the Latest in Renewable Energy! 🌱
Exciting news! The League Newsbriefing is back with the newest episodes, delivering the latest insights on renewable energy. Hosted by David Magid and Benoy Thanjan, each episode is packed with key trends and updates in the clean energy sector. In just 5 minutes, you can stay ahead of the game.
🌟 Episode #10 Highlights:
- Department of Energy in the US greenlights solar development on nuclear sites
- Study by Clean Energy Associates predicts solar panel price increase due to tariffs
- Significant price drop for lithium-ion batteries
- Doral Renewables is set to launch a massive 1.3GW agriovoltaic solar project in Indiana
Don't miss out on these valuable insights! Tune in now for your 5-minute guide to Clean Energy Trends! ⚡
Episode Summary
The Benefits of Third Party Owned (TPO: Lease & PPA) Solar Systems
Join us for a lively conversation around TPO models -- the benefits, opportunities, risks and everything in between from SolarConnect.
Hosted By: Benoy Thanjan - Founder & CEO, Reneu Energy, and Host of The Solar Maverick Podcast
Panelists:
David Kenny - Co-Founder & COO, Omnidian
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennydavid/
Pat Bennet - Co-Founder, Enerflo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/impatbennett/
SolarConnect is a dynamic two-day virtual event bringing together thought leaders from across the solar industry to share and discuss the latest trends, insights, and innovations -- including solar finance, solar lead gen, compliance, design, storage/batteries and more organized by Enerflo.
Here is the link to Solar Connect.
https://lp.enerflo.com/solarconnect
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Power Up with the Latest in Renewable Energy! 🌿
Exciting news! The League News Briefing is back with fresh episodes hosted by David Magid and Benoy Thanjan, delivering key insights and trends in the world of renewable energy. Tune in for your quick 5-minute update on clean energy trends from #9:
🔹 Episode #9 Highlights:
- 2.5GW BESS solicitation in Michigan
- EOS Energy's $300 million investment in energy storage
- The Economist's feature on solar's exponential rise
- Challenges for small and mid-size developers
Stay updated on the latest clean energy trends with League News briefing! ⚡️
The link is below.
https://lnkd.in/efMnzNqR
If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
⚡ The League ⚡-Weekly Energy Insights Episode #8 is LIVE! 🔌 💡
Dive into this week’s segment on the worlds latest energy updates with Benoy Thanjan and David Magid :
-
California Public Utilities Commission's rejection of the California Community Solar Program
-
Impressions from the ACORE Finance Forum
-
Highs and lows of recent PPA pricing
💡 Don’t miss out – Watch the full clip here and stay ahead in the energy game!
If you have questions or comments, please email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan, the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast, was interviewed by Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco on his podcast called "What Are You Made Of?."
Benoy speaks about current solar industry trends and his entrepreneurship and podcast experience.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco is the Co-Founder of the innovative tech platform blooprinted, the powerhouse behind the "What Are You Made Of?" podcast, and the best-selling author of ROCKET FUEL Convert Setbacks. Become Unstoppable.
He is a performance coach, author, dynamic public speaker, tech visionary and thought leader.
He has been featured by Yahoo! Finance as one of the Top Business Leaders to Follow in 2020 and is on a mission to build unstoppable people. He is consumed with the passion to help people break free from the confines of complacency and propel to untapped levels of success.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
"What Are You Made Of?" Podcast
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mike-ciorrocco/episodes/Beyond-Boundaries-Benoy-Thanjan-on-Success--Family--and-the-Jersey-Shore-e2bv210
We would like to thank Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
As the nation’s leading commercial solar company, Summit Ridge Energy merges financial innovation and industry-leading execution to deliver clean, locally generated energy. This has made Summit Ridge one of the fastest-growing energy companies in America.
Since launching in 2017, the company has deployed over $2B into clean energy assets and controls a development pipeline of more than 3GW that will provide solar power to homes and businesses nationwide. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
https://srenergy.com/
Power Up with the Latest in Renewable Energy!
We're thrilled to bring you the latest episodes of the League Newsbriefing, your go-to source for renewable energy updates! Hosted by David Magid and Benoy Thanjan, each episode packs a punch with key insights and trends. You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends. Check out the highlights from episodes #5 to #9:
Episode #7 Highlights:
- FERC Order 1920
- Appalachian Power's 800MW RFP
- Increasing clean energy-related tariffs
Don't miss out on these episodes! Tune in now. Your 5-Minute Guide to Clean Energy Trends!
CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SolarEnergy #BatteryStorage #EnergyNews
If you have questions or comments, please email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
--
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Jim Howard, President at Dudley Ventures, and Derek Gabriel who is the COO & Head of Originations at SunRocket Capital. They speak about how their structured finance solution ensures access to construction funding and long-term financing for developers who want to preserve their equity in their projects.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Jim Howard
James D Howard, Jr. is the President of Dudley Ventures, LLC is an investment and advisory services firm specializing in congressionally sanctioned tax credits and other tax advantaged investments. DV has a 20+ year track record of success with the vision, staff and values to succeed. Dudley Ventures is a subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp (NASDAQ:VLY), one of the top 30 publically traded banks with $50B in assets,
A native of The Bronx, New York, Mr. Howard earned his degree from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1980 and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984.
Dudley Ventures was founded by Mr. Howard in 1996. Dudley Ventures has been an innovator in tax credit investment and Mr. Howard has authored numerous articles on tax credit investing and is a regular speaker at conferences. Dudley Ventures has invested and manages over $2 billion in tax credit investments.
Mr. Howard is a Board Member of the New Markets Tax Credit Coalition.
Derek Gabriel
With over 15 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, Derek is a passionate and driven leader who strives to make a positive impact on the environment and society through innovative and sustainable solutions. As the Chief Operating Officer at SunRocket Capital, Derek oversee the daily administrative and operational functions, as well as the origination, development, and financing of solar projects across various markets and segments. Derek leverage my extensive network of over 15 years in the solar industry, and my deep knowledge of solar policy, tax equity, and debt financing to create value for our clients, investors, and partners.
In his previous role as the Executive Vice President and Head of Originations at Sol-REIT, Derek was responsible for business development in providing debt and arranging tax equity for solar and renewable energy projects, ranging from C&I, community solar, portfolio transactions, to utility-scale. Derek engaged a team of solar lending analyst, underwriters, and established strong relationships with key stakeholders, such as EPCs, developers, off-takers, and lenders. Derek also contributed to the strategic direction and growth of the company, and supported the development of new products and services. Some of the skills that Derek applied and developed in this role include organizational development, business development, negotiation, risk management, and financial analysis.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jim Howard
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdhoward/
Dudley Venture Website: https://www.dudleyventures.com
Derek Gabriel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-g-a754a748/
Website: https://www.sunrocketcapital.com
Press Release dated June 24, 2024
SunRocket Capital and Dudley Ventures Arrange to Provide $100+ Million to Monetize Tax Credits in Commercial, Industrial and Community Solar Developments
https://www.sunrocketcapital.com/news/sunrocket-capital-and-dudley-ventures-to-monetize-tax-credits
Power Up with the Latest in Renewable Energy!
We're thrilled to bring you the latest episodes of the League Newsbriefing, your go-to source for renewable energy updates! Hosted by David Magid and Benoy Thanjan, each episode packs a punch with key insights and trends. You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends. Check out the highlights from episodes #5 to #9:
Episode #6 Highlights:
- High interest rates impacting the energy transition
- EIA study on the future of solar energy in the USA
- DOE's identification of 10 critical transmission corridors for the energy transition
- Maryland SREC updates
Don't miss out on these episodes! Tune in now. Your 5-Minute Guide to Clean Energy Trends!
CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SolarEnergy #BatteryStorage #EnergyNews
If you have questions or comments, please email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
Power Up with the Latest in Renewable Energy!
We're thrilled to bring you the latest episodes of the League Newsbriefing, your go-to source for renewable energy updates!
Hosted by David Magid and Benoy Thanjan, each episode packs a punch with key insights and trends. You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends. Check out the highlights from episodes #5:
Episode #5 Highlights:
- FERC Order 2023: Major changes to the NYISO interconnection process and the wholesale market
- Tax credit transfer market forecasts
- President Biden's transmission upgrade plan
- Massachusetts' expanded net metering
Don't miss out on these episodes! Tune in now. Your 5-Minute Guide to Clean Energy Trends!
CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SolarEnergy #BatteryStorage #EnergyNews
If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us info@reneuenergy.com
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital, and Jason Steinberg who is the CEO of Scanifly.
Scanifly, a software platform for PV design and field operations, has partnered with SunRaise Technology, a leading solar fintech company, to accelerate Service-level agreement(“SLAs”) for residential solar leasing.
They speaks about residential solar trends like improving customer experience, automating the sales and construction process, and how to improve solar production.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.
Jason Steinberg
Jason is the CEO of Scanifly and oversees the operational and financial aspects of Scanifly. Scanifly is the only drone-based solar software committed to improving the efficiency, accuracy and safety of solar projects globally. Previously, Jason helped finance over $3 billion of renewable energy projects and companies as a banker for CohnReznick Capital. Prior to that, Jason worked for Bloomberg New Energy Finance as a lead North American data researcher. Jason’s first job in the industry was installing solar arrays on rooftops in New Jersey. Jason is a CFA Charterholder and a NABCEP PV. Associate.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Jason Steinberg
Email: jason.steinberg@scanifly.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-steinberg-48356017/
Press Release dated July 18, 2024
Scanifly Integrates with SunRaise Technology for Streamlined Financing Approval
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scanifly-integrates-with-sunraise-technology-for-streamlined-financing-approval-302200077.html?tc=eml_cleartime
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
We would like to thank Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
As the nation’s leading commercial solar company, Summit Ridge Energy merges financial innovation and industry-leading execution to deliver clean, locally generated energy. This has made Summit Ridge one of the fastest-growing energy companies in America.
Since launching in 2017, the company has deployed over $2B into clean energy assets and controls a development pipeline of more than 3GW that will provide solar power to homes and businesses nationwide. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
🌞 Weekly Energy Briefings - Episode #4 is NOW LIVE!
🌍 'The League' 5-Minute Weekly Briefing with Benoy Thanjan and David Magid !
🚀 Dive into the world of clean energy with us. Give us just 5 minutes, and we'll bring you the latest trends in the industry!
🔗 April 2024 Briefing Highlights:
-Potential Tariffs: Exploring the impact of potential tariffs on solar panels from Southeast Asia.
-Industry Insight: Residential solar contractors share their perspectives on the current solar market.
-Future Focus: Unpacking NYS DPS Order 'The Grid of the Future' with insights from the NY PSC. Virtual Power Plants
-Data Centers: How data centers are integrating renewable energy solutions. Reneu Energy
🔋 Stay Informed and Empowered: Our series is your go-to weekly power hub for the latest in project finance, renewable energy, and power generation.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Garrett Peterson who is the Co-Founder of Sigma Renewables. Sigma offers land and building owners multiple ways to monetize their property value without giving up ownership and keeps owner priorities at the forefront when developing projects. Garrett speaks about solar and storage development, why to get early in different markets, and what he learned from being an entrepreneur.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Garrett Peterson
Garrett is the co-founder of Sigma Renewables. Sigma Renewables is an independently owned solar and storage development firm focused on markets with emerging or existing community solar and energy storage programs. Sigma offers land and building owners multiple ways to monetize their property value without giving up ownership and keeps owner priorities at the forefront when developing projects. Previously, Garrett worked as Senior Vice President of Project Development at Pivot Energy. He has over 16 years of energy experience at Pivot Energy, Sunshare, Namaste Solar, SunEdison, and REC Solar.
A dynamic leader with sixteen years of energy industry experience, with the past fourteen focused on the solar and energy storage sector. Possesses a unique skill set gained by working from the ground up within a broad range of established solar companies and startups, combined with post graduate level education, and focus on executive leadership, project development, financial, and technical aspects of the energy industry.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Garrett Peterson
Website: https://sigmarenewables.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-peterson-29062879/
The League is a new podcast with my co-host David Magid! You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends.
Weekly Energy Briefings Episode #3 is live .
Episode 3 - March 2024 Briefing Highlights:
-Basel III Implications on the tax equity market
-Insights on the community solar expansion introduced in Virginia
-updates on community solar in California
-news about the new “advanced grid enhancing technology act” introduced by Senators Peter Walsh and Angus King
Exclusive insights from industry experts navigating the constantly changing renewable energy industry.
Keeping YOU in the know and empowered, this series is your weekly power hub for the latest in project finance, renewable energy, and power generation. If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@reneuenergy.com.
The League is a new podcast with my co-host David Magid! You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends.
Weekly Energy Briefings Episode #1 is live .
Episode 2 – Jan 2024 Briefing Highlights:
-NY has 2GWh of Community Solar.
-Largest Storage CA Project
-Midwest Community Solar Opportunity
-A Lot of M&A Activity
Exclusive insights from industry experts navigating the constantly changing renewable energy industry.
Keeping YOU in the know and empowered, this series is your weekly power hub for the latest in project finance, renewable energy, and power generation.
IF you have any questions or comments, reach out to us info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Herve Billet and the Joe Marhamati who are the founders of Sunvoy. Sunvoy is the first and only solar customer portal and fleet management system built for solar installers by a solar installer. Herve and Joe discuss how their software helps solar installers, what they learned from working at the Department of Energy, and they speak about their entrepreneurship experiences.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Herve Billet
He is a father, serial entrepreneur, investor, engineer, Master Electrician on a mission to fight climate change.
Ipsun Solar installs residential and commercial solar PV systems. They are a licensed General Contractor in 3 U.S. States: Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland.
Ipsun Tech has a software called Sunvoy to automate communication and tasks for solar companies and provide a solar installation company with a white label customer portal. Sunvoy also offers a tool to manage a solar fleet. Check it out at www.sunvoy.com
Before co-founding Ipsun Power I was with Accenture consulting with Fortune 500 companies, U.S. Federal agencies and large non-profits:
- Greenhouse Gas emission calculations for the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters.
- Business development work for Accenture's Sustainability Services
- Lead a Digital implementation team for Goodwill International Industries
- Provided strategy and sales support to large accounts including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, UNICEF, United Nations, U.S. Department of Labor
He co-founded my first company when I was 21, a solar car organization www.solarteam.be meant to highlight the capabilities of solar power.
Joe Marhamati
What gets him out of bed every day is helping solar installers learn from my lived experience in building an 8-figure solar business, not just the successes but also the mistakes. In my current role as co-founder and CFO of Sunvoy, he help solar installers build their brands by building a white-labeled customer portal and fleet management platform to bring together all of their fleet data into a single location. He is also passionate about helping solar installers with their tech stack, growth strategy, management and leadership direction, and exit plans.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Herve Billet
Website: https://sunvoy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hervebilliet/
Joe Marhamati
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marhamati/
Join Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the peak of summer with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 20, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. As we revel in the longest day of the year, we'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy. Thanks to your support, we raised $2,250 for this great cause from our previous events.
Event Details
Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
Tickets: $64 per person. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please respond to this email.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1256198
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with John Langhus who is the Chief Commercial Officer of Photon Vault. Photon Vault is a developer of revolutionary thermal energy storage technology for the utility-scale market. John speaks about their early stage energy storage technology, how they will produce green power cheaper than most renewable energy technologies, and federal incentives for their unique technology.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
John Langhus
Chief Commercial Officer of Photon Vault
John is an experienced solar developer, entrepreneur, attorney, and business leader.
Building a deep background in corporate and transactional law, he practiced initially with the preeminent New York law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell, working from Melbourne, Australia on an array of industry-leading cross border securities and M&A transactions. Later he spent ten years with NYSE–listed Forest Oil Corporation, culminating in the role of Managing Director of Forest’s International Business Unit, based in Cape Town, South Africa. He completed over $4Bn of acquisitions and divestitures at Forest.
Since 2013, he has focused on a mix of legal and business roles in the solar energy industry, working as a developer, owner, and consultant on more than 250MW of solar energy projects (over $500M of deployed capital), primarily as General Counsel and VP of Business Development with New Energy Equity of Annapolis, MD a national leader in the development of Commercial and Industrial-scale solar energy projects.
John lives in Norwich, Vermont with his wife and two sons where has served as an elected member of his local town government and is an active leader in his church.
He graduated with a B.A. in political science from Colorado College and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
His favorite bands are The Indigo Girls, Evanescence, and whatever bands his sons are in at the moment. On the weekend, you might find him listening to live music or making pizza in his backyard brick oven.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
John Langhus
Website: http://www.photonvault.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlanghus/
Email: jlanghus@photonvault.com
Photon Vault Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/photon-vault/
Join Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast for the Summer Solstice Fundraiser
Celebrate the peak of summer with us at the Summer Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast. This special evening will take place on Thursday, June 20, from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. As we revel in the longest day of the year, we'll also be raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which aids impoverished communities in harnessing solar energy. Thanks to your support, we raised $2,250 for this great cause from our previous events.
Event Details
Venue: Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse co-owned by Benoy, CEO of Reneu Energy.
Time: 6 PM to 10 PM, with an open bar from 6 PM to 8 PM and delicious food throughout the evening.
Tickets: $64 per person. You can RSVP using the link provided below.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If you're interested in sponsoring this event and helping make a difference, please respond to this email.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1256198
The League is a new podcast with my co-host David Magid! You give us 5 minutes, we give you the latest clean energy trends.
Weekly Energy Briefings Episode #1 is live .
Episode 1 – Jan 2024 Briefing Highlights:
-Interest Rates increase as impacted solar development
-Transferibility Update of Tax Credits
-Domestic Adder-IRA
-Update on Brookfield Transactions
Exclusive insights from industry experts navigating the constantly changing renewable energy industry.
Keeping YOU in the know and empowered, this series is your weekly power hub for the latest in project finance, renewable energy, and power generation.
IF you have any questions or comments, reach out to us info@reneuenergy.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Sandhya Murali who is the Co-Founder & COO of Solstice. Solstice connects households and businesses to local clean energy sources that provide guaranteed annual savings. Sandhya speaks about churn and retention for their community solar customers, partnering with solar developers on RFPs for their customer acquisition strategy, and how the Inflation Reduction Act has impacted their business.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sandhya Murali
Co-Founder & COO of Solstice
She is responsible for finances, product development, solar developer relationships, and financial inclusion. Sandhya began her career in Barclays’ investment banking division in New York and London, advising on and executing public equity transactions for Technology, Media and Telecom companies, and was also deeply involved in Barclays Philanthropy.
Her volunteer work included Endeavor, Women’s World Banking, and Barclays’ Social Innovation Fund. During graduate school, Sandhya worked at Buen Power Peru, a for-profit social enterprise that distributes solar lamps and water heaters to off-grid communities in Peru. She holds a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she received the Sustainability Certificate.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Sandhya Murali
Website: https://solstice.us/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandhyamurali/
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy spoke about the proposed community solar legislation in California with Derek Chernow with CCSA, Stephanie Doyle from SEIA, and Steve Campbell from Vote Solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Derek Chernow
WESTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR of CCSA(“Coalition for Community Solar Access”)
Derek is a highly accomplished clean energy leader. He previously served as Executive Director of the California Alternative Energy & Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA), where he led all operations for the California agency charged with financing clean energy projects to spur economic development. Before CAEATFA, he spent many years working in the California State Legislature, including in the CA Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy & Transportation and as a Chief of Staff for multiple members. He also held leadership positions advocating for clean energy and environmental protection including Acting Director at the California Department of Conservation. In his spare time, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Tree Foundation.
Stephanie Doyle
She is the California State Affairs Director for SEIA(“Solar Energy Industries Association”). SEIA is the national trade association for the U.S. solar industry. Stephanie was the regulatory Director for California for Vote Solar, Climate Policy Associate for The Nature Conservancy, and the Director of National Partnerships and Outreach for Ciizens’ Climate Lobby, She also has experience as the On Deck Climate Tech Fellow and Fellow at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute.
Steve Campbell
Steve is the Regulatory Director for the West for Vote Solar. Vote Solar is a non-profit policy advocacy organization with the mission of making solar more accessible and affordable across the United States. He worked as Western States Policy Director at Grid Alternatives and Associate Program Manager, Energy Efficiency and Climate Action at Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Derek Chernow
Website: https://communitysolaraccess.org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-chernow-9a358444/
CCSA Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/4d08858f-5aef-4a10-8340-6111b45325fd/summary
Stephanie Doyle
Website: https://www.seia.org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieedoyle/
SEIA Events: https://www.seia.org/events
Steve Campbell
Website: https://votesolar.org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allthink/
Google: California Community Solar CPUC Public Comment
Proceeding No. A.22.05.022
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Annika Colston who is the President and Founder of AC Power. AC Power is an award winning NYC certified (“Women Business Enterprise”) WBE focused on converting low value land into revenue-generating solar energy sites. Annika speaks about many interesting topics like the complexities of developing on disturbed land, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, and her suggestions to start a clean energy company.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Annika Colston
Annika Colston founded AC Power to bring a unique vision to solar PV project development and management on landfill and brownfield sites. Annika has been developing alternative energy projects for nearly two decades and has experience across all aspects of project development. She has worked with all stakeholders needed to make alternative energy projects successful. These stakeholders include governments, local municipalities, Fortune 500 companies, landowners, utilities, and more. The breadth of her experience makes her capable of solving conflicts and bringing teams together to ensure success.
Annika has a unique ability to bring projects to operation on time and within budget. Ms. Colston has been a senior manager of four start-up companies that sourced private and public capital to drive investment in environmentally and socially beneficial projects. Annika has a long track record of successfully taking projects through the entire development process including origination, contract negotiations, due diligence, financing and investor approvals, permitting, structuring off-take agreements, equipment procurement, construction contracting, and operations.
Prior to AC Power, Annika was Vice President at PV Navigator where she originated and developed over 50 MW of solar projects on landfills and brownfields. From 2011 to 2014, Ms. Colston was President of C2i Methane where she developed and sold a portfolio of landfill gas to energy projects. Ms. Colston's work experience includes entities that were market leaders such as E+Co, which invested seed capital in sustainable development projects in Africa using innovative investment structures; EcoSecurities, a first of its kind company marketing Kyoto Protocol projects globally; and Blue Source, the largest carbon credit portfolio in the US.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Annika Colston
Website: https://www.acpowerllc.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annika-colston-9681624/
Episode Summary.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Laura Pagliarulo who is the President and Founder of SolaREIT. SolaREIT™ invests in land related to solar and battery developments through land acquisitions, lease monetization, and project re-powering. Laura speaks about many interesting topics like how their cost of capital is lower compared to development capital, why it is better for developers to lead with land purchase option than lease option with the land owner, and solar trends.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Laura Pagliarulo
Laura is the founder and President of SolREIT. She has worked at CleanChoice Energy, SunEdison, and WGL. She is a results driven energy and environmental professional with over 15 years of experience in electricity and gas markets, renewable energy, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency initiatives. Laura has a proven track record with designing, implementing and managing programs.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Laura Pagliarulo
Website: https://www.solareit.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgrana/
Email: laura@solareit.com
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Paul Grana who is Solar Software Leader and GM of HelioScope at Aurora Solar. Aurora’s cloud-based software transforms solar design, sales, and delivery. With just an address and electric bill, Aurora empowers you to generate a full, accurate, and customizable design for every customer. Paul speaks about many interesting topics like how AI has impacted Aurora, listening to the customer has led to the company being cutting edge, and solar trends.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Paul Grana
Paul Grana is the Co-Founder and General Manager of HelioScope at Aurora Solar. HelioScope provides commercial solar installers with an intuitive cloud-based design platform that reduces design costs by 90%. It helps streamline solar design and sales, cuts soft costs, and accelerates project development. Before joining the team, Paul was the co-founder/CRO of Folsom Labs (which made HelioScope software and was acquired by Aurora Solar in 2021). Before that he was on the hardware side of the industry, leading Product Marketing at Tigo Energy. Lastly, he holds an SB in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Paul Grana
Website: https://aurorasolar.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgrana/
Episode Summary.
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Josh Goldberg who is Co-Founder and CEO of Sunstone Credit. Sunstone Credit provides flexible financing solutions for businesses of all sizes, offering solar loans with borrower-friendly terms and an efficient application process. Josh speaks about many interesting topics like how higher interest rates has impacted lending, how Sunstone is more innovative on C&I solar financing compared to banks, and which states are the best for C&I solar financing. .
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Josh Goldberg
Josh has spent the past 15+ years founding and operating businesses in the solar installation, development and financing space including Astrum Solar and Sunlight Financial. He also co-founded Legends of Learning. Having been a solar installer and business owner himself, Josh is passionate about supporting both Sunstone’s solar developer partners, and the commercial customers they serve, through Sunstone’s mission. Josh started his career as an M&A lawyer.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Josh Goldberg
Email: Josh.Goldberg@sunstonecredit.com
Website: https://www.sunstonecredit.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamgoldberg/
We would like to thank our sponsor Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Mike Hall who is CEO of Anza Renewables. Anza helps solar module and energy storage equipment buyers optimize and accelerate their buying process. Mike speaks about many interesting topics like Effective $/Watt and total value, when most solar developers will be able to take advantage of the domestic content adder, and what storage technology is most popular.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Mike Hall
Mike Hall currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and board member at Anza. Mike began his career in renewable energy in 2002 when he co-founded Borrego with his brother, Aaron, and his ultimate frisbee teammate Chris Anderson. Mike’s 21-year career at Borrego included serving as the company’s CEO from 2009 to 2023. Borrego built several successful downstream solar and storage business lines during that time. One of the businesses was a leading middle-market solar, storage, and distributed wind developer. Energy Capital Partners bought that business in 2022, now New Leaf Energy. In 2020, Mike and his brother Aaron developed the initial Anza business strategy after observing Borrego’s IPP customers’ challenges in managing a rapidly changing module supply environment. Today, Mike’s focus is working with the Anza team to help the entire solar and storage industry achieve superior project outcomes. He is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing leadership, and maintaining a lean philosophy of continuous improvement—in all things related to renewable energy. Before joining Borrego, Mike worked as a Process Engineer for Applied Materials in Santa Clara. Mike holds an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Santa Barbara.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mike Hall
Website: https://www.anzarenewables.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
We would like to thank our sponsor Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Paul Warley who is the CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies which is manufacturer of innovative, high performance, flexible thin-film solar panels for both existing and emerging agrivoltaic, space, and aerospace applications. Paul talks about how thin-film solar will play a vital role with the renewable energy transition specially in space and agrivoltaics and the rapid rise of solar power in space.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive
experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Paul Warley
Prior to Ascent, Warley was president of Warley & Company LLC, a strategic advisory firm from 2015 to 2022 – providing executive management services, capital advisory, and M&A to middle-market companies in the service, construction, technology, oil & gas, clean energy, food, retail and green-building sectors.
While at Warley & Company from 2018 to 2019, he was engaged as chief executive officer and CFO of 360Imaging, a provider of products and services for implant surgery and digital dentistry.
From 2011 to 2015, Warley served clients in the alternative energy industry as a managing director and chief compliance officer with Deloitte Corporate Finance.
From 1997 to 2011, Warley was managing director and region manager for GE Capital.
From 1984 to 1997, Warley served as senior vice president with Bank of America and Bankers Trust.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Paul Warley
Website: https://ascentsolar.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-warley-015203a/
Our Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital. Nate talks about his new company SunRaise Capital which provides affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners. Nate talks about how transferability of the tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act(“IRA”) will lead to a lot more solar deployment and allow solar installers to own their projects.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating
the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due
diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy
composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved
in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive
experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Jovanelly LLC is a problem solver in the solar industry. Nathan, the CEO, has a proven track record of simplifying complex issues and helping solar companies:
Develop business strategies and tactics to gain a competitive advantage;
Connect to affiliates, partnerships, and vendors to scale faster;
Gain access to project and growth capital;
Increase market share through operational efficiency; and
Coach and mentor sales leadership.
We are not just another consulting firm. Jovanelly LLC works side by side with your team to identify the gaps that are holding you back from reaching your business goals. We develop an implementable plan structured to optimize your current resources, and stick with you all the way through completion. We become part of your team and are invested in your success. Jovanelly LLC focuses on helping your company reach its full potential; making your solar business limitless.
Nate is the CEO and Founder of Sunraise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
Email: nate@jovanellyllc.com
Website: https://jovanelly.io/
SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/
Limitless Podcast: https://jovanelly.io/limitless-podcast
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Jigar Shah who is the Director for the Loan Programs Office(“LPO”) at the U.S. Department of Energy(“DOE”). Jigar speaks about Virtual Power Purchase Agreements(“VPPAs”), DOE’s $3 Billion Partial Loan Guarantee to Sunnova’s Project Hestia, and how the solar industry has to innovate.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Jigar Shah
Jigar Shah is the Director for the Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he leads and directs the organization's considerable loan authority within manufacturing, innovative project finance, and tribal energy. With more than 25 years of experience in clean energy, he is an expert in project finance, clean technology, and entrepreneurship, as well as a visionary leader and innovator in the field of sustainable infrastructure.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jigar Shah
Loan Programs Office Website: https://www.energy.gov/lpo/loan-programs-office
Loan Program Office Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/doe-loan-programs-office/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jigarshahdc/
Article in WSJ about Jigar: https://www.wsj.com/articles/green-energy-climate-loans-49fda73b
DOE content about VPPAs
DOE Announces $3 Billion Partial Loan Guarantee to Sunnova’s Project Hestia
https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/doe-announces-3-billion-partial-loan-guarantee-sunnovas-project-hestia
THE PATHWAY TO: VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS COMMERCIAL LIFTOFF
https://liftoff.energy.gov/vpp/
Reneu Energy and Solar Maverick Podcast Holiday Fundraiser
Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast are having their Holiday Fundraiser and Networking Event on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 from 6pm to 10pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ.
Hudson Hall is a Czech Biergarten and Smokehouse. Benoy who is the CEO of Reneu Energy and host of Solar Maverick Podcast is one of the owners.
It is $64 to attend. The Admission Fee goes to two charities that we are fundraising at the event which are Let's Share the Sun Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club and covering our expenses for the event. Appetizers will be served.
We will be partnering with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia. They will be selling memorabilia proceeds will go to charities.
At our last two events, we raised $1,450 for the Boys & Girls Club and $1,450 for Let's Share the Sun Foundation. We are raising money for both charities at this event.
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please email Reneu Energy at info@reneuenergy.com.
The eventbrite link is below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reneu-energy-solar-maverick-podcast-holiday-fundraiser-networking-event-tickets-739318971947?aff=oddtdtcreator
We would like to thank our sponsors for the holiday fundraiser which is Summit Ridge Energy and SolaREIT.
Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company. Through its strategic partnerships and project financing expertise, the company develops, acquires, owns, and operates energy projects within the rapidly growing commercial solar and battery storage sectors.
In the past six years, Summit Ridge Energy has deployed over $1.6B USD into cleanenergy assets. With a development pipeline of more than 2 GW, Summit Ridge Energy will have more than 400 MW of PV online by the end of 2023, providing solar power to 50,000 homes and businesses. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
SolaREIT, based in Vienna, Virginia, focuses on making investments in acquiring, developing, and managing climate-friendly real estate assets that support solar and battery storage projects, furthering the transformation to a low-carbon economy. SolaREIT offers practical and streamlined financing options that deliver maximum flexibility to developers, project owners and landowners based on their individual needs and financial goals. SolaREIT’s products include land purchases, solar and storage land loans, and lease purchases among other innovative solutions for clients. For more information, please visit www.solareit.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Garren Bisschoff who is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Summit Ridge Energy(“SRE”). Garren speaks about Summit Ridge Energy 100 MW Community Solar Portfolio in Virginia, the magnificent growth of Summit Ridge Energy, and his solar journey.
Here is the press release discussed on the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Summit Ridge Energy Becomes Market Leader in Virginia with 100 MW Community Solar Portfolio
Projects will lower electricity rates for low-income households located throughout the Commonwealth
https://srenergy.com/news/summit-ridge-energy-becomes-market-leader-in-virginia-with-100-mw-community-solar-portfolio/
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/11/28/2787222/0/en/Summit-Ridge-Energy-Becomes-Market-Leader-in-Virginia-with-100-MW-Community-Solar-Portfolio.html
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Garren Bisschoff
Garren is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Summit Ridge Energy. He has worked in various roles in the solar industry for over 13 years at SRE, SunEdison, IGS Solar, PV Pros, and Mgwezi Consultants.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Garren Bisschoff
Website: https://srenergy.co
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garren-bisschoff-a2528559/
Other Episodes with Summit Ridge Energy(“SRE”) on the Solar Maverick Podcast
How Summit Ridge Energy became one of the largest owners of the community solar projects in the US?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-87-how-summit-ridge-energy-became-one-of-the-largest-owners-of-community-solar-projects-in-the-us/
A Developer’s Perspective on the US Solar Market
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-26-a-developers-perspective-on-the-us-solar-market/
Reneu Energy and Solar Maverick Podcast Holiday Fundraiser
Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast are having their Holiday Fundraiser and Networking Event on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 from 6pm to 10pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ.
Hudson Hall is a Czech Biergarten and Smokehouse. Benoy who is the CEO of Reneu Energy and host of Solar Maverick Podcast is one of the owners.
It is $64 to attend. The Admission Fee goes to two charities that we are fundraising at the event which are Let's Share the Sun Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club and covering our expenses for the event. Appetizers will be served.
We will be partnering with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia. They will be selling memorabilia proceeds will go to charities.
At our last two events, we raised $1,450 for the Boys & Girls Club and $1,450 for Let's Share the Sun Foundation. We are raising money for both charities at this event.
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please email Reneu Energy at info@reneuenergy.com.
The eventbrite link is below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reneu-energy-solar-maverick-podcast-holiday-fundraiser-networking-event-tickets-739318971947?aff=oddtdtcreator
We would like to thank our sponsors for the holiday fundraiser which is Summit Ridge Energy and SolaREIT.
Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company. Through its strategic partnerships and project financing expertise, the company develops, acquires, owns, and operates energy projects within the rapidly growing commercial solar and battery storage sectors.
In the past six years, Summit Ridge Energy has deployed over $1.6B USD into cleanenergy assets. With a development pipeline of more than 2 GW, Summit Ridge Energy will have more than 400 MW of PV online by the end of 2023, providing solar power to 50,000 homes and businesses. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
SolaREIT, based in Vienna, Virginia, focuses on making investments in acquiring, developing, and managing climate-friendly real estate assets that support solar and battery storage projects, furthering the transformation to a low-carbon economy. SolaREIT offers practical and streamlined financing options that deliver maximum flexibility to developers, project owners and landowners based on their individual needs and financial goals. SolaREIT’s products include land purchases, solar and storage land loans, and lease purchases among other innovative solutions for clients. For more information, please visit www.solareit.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
We would like to thank our sponsor Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, owner representation and technical consulting in all areas of solar photovoltaics and energy storage for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets. At Schwerd Consulting we like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets us apart is our 100% focus on solar, while having an extensive background in building and utility engineering, and understanding the business of our clients. We are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for us is not just a slogan, it’s what we practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
In its 9 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 1 GW of PV across over 800 sites and 17 US states plus the Caribbean. Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar. If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email to admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the owner of Jovanelly LLC and the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital. Nate and Benoy speak about Takeaways from RE+ in Las Vegas in September. RE+ is the biggest renewable energy trade show in the world with over 43,000 people who attended this past year.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating
the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due
diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy
composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved
in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive
experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Jovanelly LLC is a problem solver in the solar industry. Nathan, the CEO, has a proven track record of simplifying complex issues and helping solar companies:
Develop business strategies and tactics to gain a competitive advantage;
Connect to affiliates, partnerships, and vendors to scale faster;
Gain access to project and growth capital;
Increase market share through operational efficiency; and
Coach and mentor sales leadership.
We are not just another consulting firm. Jovanelly LLC works side by side with your team to identify the gaps that are holding you back from reaching your business goals. We develop an implementable plan structured to optimize your current resources, and stick with you all the way through completion. We become part of your team and are invested in your success. Jovanelly LLC focuses on helping your company reach its full potential; making your solar business limitless.
Nate is the CEO and Founder of Sunraise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
Email: nate@jovanellyllc.com
Website: https://jovanelly.io/
Limitless Podcast: https://jovanelly.io/limitless-podcast
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo
Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Reneu Energy and Solar Maverick Podcast Holiday Fundraiser
Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast are having their Holiday Fundraiser and Networking Event on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 from 6pm to 10pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ.
Hudson Hall is a Czech Biergarten and Smokehouse. Benoy who is the CEO of Reneu Energy and host of Solar Maverick Podcast is one of the owners.
It is $64 to attend. The Admission Fee goes to two charities that we are fundraising at the event which are Let's Share the Sun Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club and covering our expenses for the event. Appetizers will be served.
We will be partnering with Grand Stand Sports & Memorabilia. They will be selling memorabilia proceeds will go to charities.
At our last two events, we raised $1,450 for the Boys & Girls Club and $1,450 for Let's Share the Sun Foundation. We are raising money for both charities at this event.
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please email Reneu Energy at info@reneuenergy.com.
The eventbrite link is below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reneu-energy-solar-maverick-podcast-holiday-fundraiser-networking-event-tickets-739318971947?aff=oddtdtcreator
We would like to thank our sponsors for the holiday fundraiser which is Summit Ridge Energy and SolaREIT.
Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company. Through its strategic partnerships and project financing expertise, the company develops, acquires, owns, and operates energy projects within the rapidly growing commercial solar and battery storage sectors.
In the past six years, Summit Ridge Energy has deployed over $1.6B USD into cleanenergy assets. With a development pipeline of more than 2 GW, Summit Ridge Energy will have more than 400 MW of PV online by the end of 2023, providing solar power to 50,000 homes and businesses. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
SolaREIT, based in Vienna, Virginia, focuses on making investments in acquiring, developing, and managing climate-friendly real estate assets that support solar and battery storage projects, furthering the transformation to a low-carbon economy. SolaREIT offers practical and streamlined financing options that deliver maximum flexibility to developers, project owners and landowners based on their individual needs and financial goals. SolaREIT’s products include land purchases, solar and storage land loans, and lease purchases among other innovative solutions for clients. For more information, please visit www.solareit.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
We would like to thank our sponsor NYSEIA for this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Founded in 1994, New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) is the only statewide membership and trade association dedicated solely to advancing solar energy use in New York State.
NYSEIA proudly represents hundreds of businesses across New York that employ thousands of workers throughout the solar value chain. Led by its active board of directors, NYSEIA strives to achieve significant, long-term, and sustainable growth of solar energy for New York State.
Founded in 1994, New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) is the only statewide membership and trade association dedicated solely to advancing solar energy use in New York State.
NYSEIA proudly represents hundreds of businesses across New York that employ thousands of workers throughout the solar value chain. Led by its active board of directors, NYSEIA strives to achieve significant, long-term, and sustainable growth of solar energy for New York State.
If you are interested in learning more about NYSEIA, their website is https://www.nyseia.org/.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Albie Fong who is the Sr. Director of Business Development at Erthos. Erthos offers a full suite of products and services aimed at helping developers dramatically reduce the levelized cost of energy (“LCOE”) on utility-scale solar power plants.
Albie discusses how Erthos innovates utility solar construction, how the company has gotten investors comfortable with their new innovative technology, and Albie speaks about the book that he wrote about Solar Project Development.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Albie Fong
Albie Fong is the Sr. Director of Business Development at Erthos. He has over 16 years in the solar industry. He has worked at Idemitsu Renewables, Solar Frontier, Cogenra Solar, Talesun Solar, and Albiasa.
Solar Project Development Book discussed on the podcast written by Albie Fong.
Project Development in the Solar Industry by Albie Fong (Editor), Jesse Tippett (Editor)
Below is the Amazon Link.
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Development-Solar-Industry-Albie/dp/0367576619/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36MI64HYLEMYV&keywords=solar+project+development&qid=1687177550&sprefix=solar+project+development%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Albie Fong
Website: www.erthos.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albiefong/
Email: Albie.Fong@erthos.com
Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast Holiday Fundraiser and Networking Event on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 from 6pm to 10pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ.
It is $64 to attend. Part of the Admission Fee goes to two charities that we are fundraising at the event and covering our expenses for the event. Appetizers will be served and make sure to come hungry.
At our last two events, we raised $1,450 for the Boys & Girls Club and $1,450 for Let's Share the Sun Foundation. We are raising money for both charities at this event.
The eventbrite link is listed below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reneu-energy-solar-maverick-podcast-holiday-fundraiser-networking-event-tickets-739318971947?aff=oddtdtcreator
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please email Reneu Energy at info@reneuenergy.com.
PROMO Code MAVERICK to attend the New York Solar Summit for 15% discount
The New York Solar Summit is coming up on November 9th in Albany, NY which is a great event about the NY Solar and Storage Market organized by New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA). Reneu Energy is a member of NYSEIA and our CEO Benoy Thanjan has spoken at past New York Solar Summits.
New York leads the clean energy revolution with ambitious distributed solar and storage goals as part of its historic climate legislation that was passed in 2019. The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act helps to bring these goals within reach, and clean energy leaders are gathering on November 9th to discuss the necessary solutions to challenges along the way.
When you register for the New York Solar Summit, you will be joining over 600 clean energy leaders for ample networking and learning opportunities, expert panel discussions, and a trade show filled with leading clean energy companies! Plus, we have exciting keynote addresses from Doreen Harris, CEO and President of NYSERDA, and Jigar Shah, Director of Loans Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Don’t miss the New York Solar Summit, hosted by New York Solar Energy Industries Association and presented by NYSERDA, on November 9th at the Albany Capital Center! Visit www.nyseia.org for more information and register today. Register using the promo code MAVERICK for a 15% discount on tickets and hope to see you there!
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Sarah Moon who is the Co-Founder & Principal at Fieldworks Power. Fieldworks Power is a forward-thinking distributed energy development company focused on developing community solar projects in the United States. Sarah discusses the different community solar markets in the United States, the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act(“IRA”) for renewables, and her entrepreneurship journey.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sarah Moon
Sarah is the Co-Founder & Principal at Fieldworks Power which is a greenfield distributed energy development company focused on shaping new markets across the US. She was the Senior Director of Community Solar Origination at Distributed Solar Development. She was the Director Of Business Development at Solstice which is a Community Solar Customer Acquisition Company.
Below is an article that Sarah wrote about the extended value and growing importance of community solar.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/02/24/the-extended-value-and-growing-importance-of-community-solar/
Below is the article on Imposter Syndrome she was mentioning during the interview.
https://news.mit.edu/2022/imposter-syndrome-upside-0415
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Sarah Moon
Website: https://fieldworkspower.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmoon93/
Email: sarah@fieldworkspower.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and his co-host, Andy Daniels, Head of Tech Support for the Americas at LuxpowerTek, delve into the fascinating journey of their Shenzhen-based solar and storage inverter manufacturing company as they establish a local team and services to 'back up the backup' in the competitive US market. Join them as they explore the unique aspects of the US market, including its stringent regulations, solar production bankability, and policy incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which set it apart from other markets worldwide.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
LuxpowerTek
In today's world, an increasing number of people recognize distributed energy storage systems as the ultimate solution for achieving energy independence. These cutting-edge systems empower users with energy freedom and help alleviate imbalanced energy transmission for power grids.
At LuxpowerTek, they stand at the forefront of this transformative industry. Backed by an experienced R&D team boasting over two decades of expertise, their unwavering commitment is to provide high-quality energy storage solutions tailored explicitly for residential users.
They take pride in excelling in key areas, including intelligence, affordability, ease of installation, safety, and adaptability to diverse scenarios. These attributes position them as one of the most attractive choices available in the global solar and energy storage market today.
In 2023, LuxpowerTek has gone the extra mile by establishing a local service and technology team in Chino Chill, California. This strategic move ensures that they offer “always accessible locally” service to clients and users. It reflects their commitment to maintaining a strong local presence, achieved through the establishment of dedicated teams and valuable partnerships with local experts, distributors, and installers.
HQ Website: https://luxpowertek.com
US Website: http://www.luxpowertek.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LUXPOWERTEK
Andy Daniels
Andy is the Head of Tech Support and training in the USA/North America and South Africa for Luxpower. His responsibility is to manage and set up a network of Tech Support for Luxpower in these regions using various communication channels.
He is also the MD of Aspergo Energy Pty Ltd in South Africa, where we import and distribute Luxpower in southern Africa.
Andy studied Mechanical Engineering and Design and started out as a designer. In 2001, Andy completed a Bachelor of Technology in Business Management and started Aspergo in 2008.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
Benoy and his co-host David Magid, who is the founder and managing member of YSG Solar which is solar plus storage developer, discuss current major news and insights on the US Solar and Storage Market. They are calling it the League which will be a weekly update of the major news in the Renewable Energy Industry.
In the first episode of the League, David and Benoy discuss the great opportunity with the Inflation Reduction Action(“IRA”), US community solar update, and the difference between developing solar on rooftops compared to land.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
David Magid
David Magid is the founder and managing member at YSG Solar which is a solar plus storage developer primarily based in New York City. In 2018, Forbes recognized David’s leadership and listed him on the “30 under 30” list in the energy sector. YSG has executed power purchase agreements with clients such as the New York Military Academy, the New York Botanical Garden, The City of New York and many other local municipalities ,counties and towns.
David’s interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-09-how-david-started-his-solar-company-with-david/id1441876259?i=1000426815949
Episode 114
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-114-solar-developer-provides-insights-on-what-us-states-are-good-markets-to-develop-solar/
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
David Magid
Website: https://www.ysgsolar.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
Benoy interviews Robin Dutta who is the Campaign Director at Local Solar for All. Local Solar for All’s mission is to create safer, more affordable and equitable ways to supply power to our communities. Robin speaks about the benefits of Local Solar, the best states for Community Solar, and how the solar industry can improve our lobby and advocacy efforts.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Robin Dutta
Robin Dutta is Campaign Director for Local Solar for All. He has worked in Market Development & Policy to SunPower Corporation and Nextiity and Board of Directors for the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association.
Robin’s Objectives:
To create and maintain renewable energy markets across the country that promote healthy competition across industries and opportunities for residents, businesses, and industry to adopt environmentally sustainable practices that lower direct costs for them and indirect costs for society at-large;
To facilitate the evolution of the free market where environmentally sustainable outcomes are aligned with efficient and profitable business practices.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Robin Dutta
Website: https://www.localsolarforall.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LocalSolar4All
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LocalSolar4All
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/local-solar-for-all/
DC Energy Happy Hour
https://www.linkedin.com/events/7099887817152937984/about/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-dutta-84208915/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy interviews Jesse Waters who is the Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy - Commercial & Utility Scale Solar Inspections, Testing, & Repair Company. He talks about the importance of operations & maintenance(O&M) for solar projects, how technology is improving the life of solar assets, and the importance of relationships for success in business.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Jesse Waters
Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy
- 14-year PV Industry Veteran
- IBEW Local 375 - Journeyman Inside Wireman
- Northampton Community College – Adjunct Professor, PV Systems
- Vanguard Energy Partners - O&M Manager
- True South Renewables – Sr. Service Technician
- Next Phase Solar / Enphase Energy - Supervisor, East Coast
- PV Pros - Director of Operations
- Omnidian - Director, Commercial Operations
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Jesse Waters
Email: jesse.waters@njsolarservices.com
Website: https://triforceenergy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-waters/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy interviews Dan French, the Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit and Virginia Solar Summit . Dan discusses Agrivoltaics, Virginia Solar Summit on August 31st, and the first annual Solar Farm Summit.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Dan French
Dan French is the Executive Producer of the Virginia Solar Summit and Solar Farm Summit. Dan is a trained attorney and transaction expert with domestic and international experience. His U.S. practice has focused on real estate transactions, environmental risk transfer and redevelopment. Long a student of the deal, his watchword is ‘due diligence’, which helps explain why Dan has been trusted to lead transaction support initiatives for some of the largest companies in the world. His transactional experience encompasses thousands of properties of all conditions across two dozen states, with more than a billion dollars of property and environmental liability successfully transacted.
He has received an LL.M. in Business Law from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, a J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law, and a B.A. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dan is leading a redevelopment renaissance within the larger real estate revolution—a technological, civic, social and market-based movement lifting the form and function of humanity’s built-environment to new heights, taking the health and wealth of our communities with it. He believes proactive due diligence is the difference in successful real estate transactions and in life.
SMP 46: Why Brownfields are Ideal Sites for Solar? With Dan French
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-46-why-brownfields-are-ideal-sites-for-solar/
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Dan French
Email: dan@virginiasolarsummit.com
Website: https://solarfarmsummit.com
https://dbforesites.com
https://virginiasolarsummit.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-french-4354047/
SUMMER SHINDIG on August 31 in Richmond, Virginia
https://virginiasolarsummit.com
SMP 106: Dual Use the Future of Agriculture Land
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-106-the-future-of-solar-on-agriculture-land-with-dual-use/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy is joined by his co-host Nate Jovanelly and they interview Kailtin Savage from Hodson Energy and Stephanie Johnson who is the Executive Director of Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association(“CHESSA”). There are many interesting topics that were discussed regarding the challenges of the PJM Interconnection Queue, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act(“IRA”), and finding talent for the renewable energy transition.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Jovanelly LLC is a problem solver in the solar industry. Nathan, the CEO, has a proven track record of simplifying complex issues and helping solar companies:
Develop business strategies and tactics to gain a competitive advantage;
Connect to affiliates, partnerships, and vendors to scale faster;
Gain access to project and growth capital;
Increase market share through operational efficiency; and
Coach and mentor sales leadership.
We are not just another consulting firm. Jovanelly LLC works side by side with your team to identify the gaps that are holding you back from reaching your business goals. We develop an implementable plan structured to optimize your current resources, and stick with you all the way through completion. We become part of your team and are invested in your success. Jovanelly LLC focuses on helping your company reach its full potential; making your solar business limitless.
Nathan Jovanelly is also the head of business development at Enerflo. Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Kaitlin Savage
Kaitlin Savage is Senior Vice President of Project Development at Hodson Energy, a leading utility-scale solar and solar plus storage platform with 3 GW of renewable energy assets under development in PJM, MISO, and other US markets. Hodson is a proud partner of Great Bay Renewables.
She has a background in GIS and environmental studies/urban planning with 800+ MW project development experience across PJM. Kaitlin also has expertise in site selection, solar land use, stakeholder engagement, permitting, environmental science, local/state energy policy.
Stephanie Johnson
Stephanie Johnson is the Executive Director at Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association(“CHESSA”) CHESSA represents the interests of manufacturers, installers, distributors and component suppliers serving Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware and Virginia. She is an advocate for Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Nathan Jovanelly
Email: nate@jovanellyllc.com
Website: https://jovanelly.io/
Limitless Podcast: https://jovanelly.io/limitless-podcast
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Kaitlin Savage
Email: kesavage@hodsoninc.com
Website: https://hodsonenergy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlinsavage/
Stephanie Johnson
Email: sjohnson@chessa.org
Website: www.chessa.org
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-johnson-484b6017/
Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar
https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/
SMP 106: Dual Use the Future of Agriculture Land
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-106-the-future-of-solar-on-agriculture-land-with-dual-use/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Martin Pochtaruk who is a President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules. Martin speaks primarily about how Heliene has differentiated itself from foreign solar manufacturers, the opportunity for domestic solar panel manufacturing from the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he discusses new solar panel technologies.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Martin Pochtaruk
President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Martin Pochtaruk
Email: mpochtaruk@heliene.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-pochtaruk-5512581/
Website: https://heliene.com
Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar
https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Adam Schurle who is a Tax Partner with Foley & Lardner. Adam speaks primarily about the transferability guidance provided by the IRS on the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he also talks about the IRS guidance on Tax Credit Sales and Direct Cash Payments.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Adam Schurle
Adam Schurle is a Partner and business law attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. Adam is based in the Milwaukee office where he is a member of the Tax Practice Group.
Adam counsels on a wide variety of federal and state tax matters, including issues relating to entity formation, corporate mergers and acquisitions, transactions involving partnerships, S corporations, limited liability companies and other pass-through entities, and tax aspects of compensation arrangements.
A significant portion of Adam’s practice is focused on tax advice for developers and financial institutions in wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass and other renewable energy finance transactions. He helps these clients qualify for federal, state and local tax incentives and implement transaction structures that maximize the value of those incentives. Adam also frequently advises clients with respect to tax incentives related to energy transition projects and investments, including Section 45Q carbon capture and sequestration credits.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Adam Schurle
Phone: 414.297.5158
Email: aschurle@foley.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamschurle
Website: https://www.foley.com/en
IRS Releases Guidance on Tax Credit Sales and Direct Cash Payments written by Adamhttps://www.foley.com/en/insights/publications/2023/06/irs-guidance-tax-credit-sales-direct-cash-payments.
Powered By Foley Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/powered-by-foley/id1629499243
Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar
https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Sierra Jackovics who is Government and Energy Policy Specialist for Mana Pacific. Mana Pacific is a social impact company and benefit corporation that develops, finances, and de-risks scalable island resiliency projects in Hawaii and the 22 Pacific Island Territories and Countries. Sierra speaks about developing projects in the Pacific islands, how community engagement is so important when developing a solar project, and the Community Solar Prize that Mana Pacific won.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sierra Jackovics
Sierra Jackovics is Government Affairs and Energy Policy Specialist and also the UN Energy Policy, and Project Manager for Mana Pacific. Sierra is Accelerating renewable energy development through project management, environmental policy, and community engagement. She is committed to working towards a global reality that prioritizes sustainability, long-term resilience, and equitable access to energy. Sierra speaks about how to develop solar projects in the Pacific Islands, how community buy in is so important when developing projects, and
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Sierra Jackovics
Email: sierra.jackovics@manapacific.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierra-jackovics/
Mana Pacific’s website: https://www.manapacific.com/
Solar Project Development Book discussed on the podcast.
Project Development in the Solar Industry by Albie Fong (Editor), Jesse Tippett (Editor)
Below is the Amazon Link.
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Development-Solar-Industry-Albie/dp/0367576619/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36MI64HYLEMYV&keywords=solar+project+development&qid=1687177550&sprefix=solar+project+development%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685
Solar Maverick Podcast and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
It is almost the Summer Solstice which is the longest day of sunlight of the year!! Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast will be celebrating the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 21rd from 6pm to 10pm in Jersey City. It will be held at Hudson Hall which is a beer hall and Benoy is one of the owners of Hudson Hall. The details are below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-networking-event-tickets-629223292807
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy is interviewed by Logan Chipkin about Solar and Bitcoin and how Solar Energy can be used for Bitcoin Mining.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Logan Chipkin
Logan Chipkin is a writer in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Physics World, Bitcoin Magazine, History Magazine, Quillette, and Gizmodo. He is passionate about the future of energy, Bitcoin, and physics.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Logan Chipkin
Website: www.loganchipkin.com
Twitter: @ChipkinLogan
Previous Episodes that Sazmining has been on the Solar Maverick Podcast
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-86-how-renewable-energy-is-partnering-with-crypto-mining/
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-125-solar-expert-discusses-bitcoin-and-the-great-opportunity-for-solar/
Benoy on the Sazmining Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C8-RGl3oZo
Solar Maverick Podcast and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
It is almost Summer Solstice which is the longest day of sunlight of the year!! Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast will be celebrating the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 21rd from 6pm to 10pm in Jersey City. It will be held at Hudson Hall which is a beer hall and Benoy is one of the owners of Hudson Hall. The details are below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-networking-event-tickets-629223292807
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the head of business development from Enerflo and the owner of Jovanelly LLC. Enerflo is a platform for Solar Sales and Operations and has processed $2 Billion in solar transactions to date. Nate speaks about his 2023 solar predictions and how technology is going to accelerate solar deployment.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating
the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due
diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy
composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved
in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive
experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is the head of business development at Enerflo. Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nate Jovanelly
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Solar Maverick and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Networking Event
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-networking-event-tickets-629223292807
Press release regarding Nate joining Enerflo.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nathan-jovanelly-joins-enerflo-as-head-of-business-development-301463017.html
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Gregory Wetstone who is the President and CEO of American Council on Renewable Energy (“ACORE”). Greg gives an update on the Inflation Reduction Act(“IRA”) and talks about current policy issues in renewables. He also talks about how ACORE is leading as a trade organization in the equitable transition of renewables with the Accelerate Program and partnership with the National Urban League.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Gregory Wetstone
Gregory Wetstone is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), a national nonprofit organization that unites finance, policy and technology to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. Since assuming this role in January of 2016, he has led the way to dramatic improvements in ACORE’s organizational health, prominence and effectiveness in pursuit of its mission. Greg oversees ACORE’s strategic planning and core activities, including government affairs, communications, research and analysis, executive programs, market expansion priorities, signature events and fundraising.
Prior to joining ACORE, Greg served as Vice President for Terra-Gen Power LLC, a renewable energy company with utility-scale wind, solar and geothermal energy facilities. Prior to his six-year term with Terra-Gen, he served as Senior Director for Government and Public Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association and Director of Programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he founded the legislative program. Earlier in his career, Greg was Senior Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and played an important role in crafting a number of important laws, including the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Prior to joining the Committee staff, Greg was Director of the Air and Water Pollution Program at the Environmental Law Institute. Greg is a forceful advocate for the policies and financial structures essential to renewable energy growth, and has been widely published and quoted on energy and environmental issues over the span of his career. He has a Juris Doctor degree from the Duke University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida State University.Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
To Learn More about ACORE:
https://acore.org/
ACORE Finance Forum
June 7-8, 2023 in New York
https://acorefinanceforum.org/
ACORE Accelerate Program
https://acore.org/accelerate/
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Bill Jordan and John Moran about Let’s Share the Sun Foundation. Since 2010, Let’s Share the Sun Foundation has been installing solar across Haiti, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. The Foundation has partnered with local solar installers, equipment manufacturers, and US solar companies to bring solar to communities in need around the world.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for Tesla. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Bernadette(“Bernie”) Jordan
Bernie is the executive director of Let’s Share the Sun. She is a versatile professional with over 5 years of experience in innovating the current business approach and addressing social challenges, in a variety of industries including non-profit. Bernie has exceptional leadership skills and has had many experiences abroad that have shaped her vision. She is driven to learn the position inside and out to maximize contributions and support business and customer objectives.
Bill Jordan
Bill is the Founder and CEO of Jordan Energy. He brings over 13 years of solar development experience with a focus in agricultural installations. Prior to starting Jordan Energy, Bill served as a Special Assistant to the New York State Commissioner of Agriculture & Markets from 2002-2007. Prior to Ag & Markets, Bill received a Master's degree from Cornell University in Applied Economics with a thesis on Manure Management in the dairy industry.
Previous experiences include over six years working to improve Chilean agricultural profitability, efforts which were recognized by the President of Chile, and five years in marketing and sales for GAF Materials Corporation, the largest roofing company in the United States. Bill is a graduate of Cornell University, Maryknoll School of Theology, and University of Notre Dame. Concurrent with the founding of Jordan Energy, Bill and his wife Nancy Brennan-Jordan co-founded the Let's Share the Sun Foundation to bring solar energy to communities in need around the world.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Bernie Jordan
Email: Bernie@letssharethesun.org
Phone Number: +1 (518) 326-1104
Bernie@letssharethesun.org
Bill Jordan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-jordan-235295a/
Email: bill@letssharethesun.org
How to donate to Let’s Share the Sun Foundation.
https://www.letssharethesun.org/contribute
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation and Wood MacKenzie Documentary about Proyecto Cucubano
https://woodmac.wistia.com/medias/33ia64ab9u
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation and fighting for renewable energy
https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2022/fighting-for-renewable-energy/
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the head of business development from Enerflo and the owner of Jovanelly LLC. Enerflo is a platform for Solar Sales and Operations and has processed $2 Billion in solar transactions to date. Nate speaks about many interesting topics like how technology and software is innovating the solar industry, how data is helping with lowering energy usage and using renewables more efficiently, and other solar trends and predictions.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is the head of business development at Enerflo. Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nate Jovanelly
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Press release regarding Nate joining Enerflo.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nathan-jovanelly-joins-enerflo-as-head-of-business-development-301463017.html
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, it is introduction of pilot episode of a new podcast from Spencer from Enerflo and Benoy where they speak about topics of interest.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Spencer
Spencer is the co-founder of Enerflo and the company is helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Spencer Oberan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-oberan-3734902b/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Reneu Energy and Solar Maverick Podcast Holiday Event with Young Professionals in Energy of NYC and Women of Renewable Energy in NJ on Thursday, December 1st at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ. Below is the eventbrite with more details. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-holiday-networking-event-hosted-by-reneu-energy-ype-nyc-and-wrise-nj-tickets-450844186097
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Bill Jordan and John Moran about Let’s Share the Sun Foundation. Since 2010, Let’s Share the Sun Foundation has been installing solar across Haiti, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. The Foundation has partnered with local solar installers, equipment manufacturers, and US solar companies to bring solar to communities in need around the world.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Bill Jordan
Bill is the Founder and CEO of Jordan Energy. He brings over 13 years of solar development experience with a focus in agricultural installations. Prior to starting Jordan Energy, Bill served as a Special Assistant to the New York State Commissioner of Agriculture & Markets from 2002-2007. Prior to Ag & Markets, Bill received a Master's degree from Cornell University in Applied Economics with a thesis on Manure Management in the dairy industry.
Previous experiences include over six years working to improve Chilean agricultural profitability, efforts which were recognized by the President of Chile, and five years in marketing and sales for GAF Materials Corporation, the largest roofing company in the United States. Bill is a graduate of Cornell University, Maryknoll School of Theology, and University of Notre Dame. Concurrent with the founding of Jordan Energy, Bill and his wife Nancy Brennan-Jordan co-founded the Let's Share the Sun Foundation to bring solar energy to communities in need around the world.
John Moran
John Moran is the Chief Development Officer at Solar Landscape. Solar Landscape is a leading developer, installer and operator of community solar and commercial solar energy systems. Based in Asbury Park, NJ, Solar Landscape has served as a designer and installer of commercial solar panel systems across eight states totaling around 150 megawatts. John has 16 years of experience in the solar industry with various roles at enXco, Suntech, sPower, and Goldman Sachs.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Bill Jordan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-jordan-235295a/
Email: bill@letssharethesun.org
John Moran
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-moran-03a3b3a/details/experience/
How to donate to Let’s Share the Sun Foundation.
https://www.letssharethesun.org/contribute
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation and Wood MacKenzie Documentary about Proyecto Cucubano
https://woodmac.wistia.com/medias/33ia64ab9u
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation and fighting for renewable energy
https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2022/fighting-for-renewable-energy/
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Spencer who is the co-founder from Enerflo. Enerflo is a platform for Solar Sales and Operations and has processed $2 Billion in solar transactions to date. Spencer speaks about many interesting topics like how lowering soft costs is the next big thing in solar, Enerflo’s software simplifies the solar process, selling residential solar online will become more popular, and other solar trends and predictions.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Spencer
Spencer is the co-founder of Enerflo and the company is helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Spencer Oberan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-oberan-3734902b/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, John Chaimanis and Benoy Thanjan talk about Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI), how it was founded and how it can differentiate itself from its competitors. Their conversation in this episode goes into development capital, John's ideal projects, his thoughts on frictionless close, why he discourages discounting electricity for community projects, and how he values solar projects and renewable energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also hedges energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
John Chaimanis
John Chaimanis is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI), a leading development and asset management firm that positively impacts the world through direct investments into distributed scale sustainable infrastructure assets such as clean energy and water projects. He is a recognized thought leader, lecturer, and author. He consults regularly with sustainable business startups, investors, and institutions on the topics of sustainability and project finance and is an adjunct faculty in the finance division at Babson College.
Prior to his career in clean energy investing, Mr. Chaimanis co-founded a charter school in the greater Boston area. Mr. Chaimanis holds an M.B.A. from Babson College, a B.S. in Finance from Villanova University, and a US SIF for Sustainable and Responsible Investing (SRI) certification.
He has been featured in the 2014 Journal of Environmental Investing “Most Influential Investors” edition, the Institutional Investing in Infrastructure “In Focus” interview web series, the Family Office Review, the SunCast Podcast with Nico Johnson, the Experts Only Podcast, the Solar Maverick Podcast, the EM2U Podcast, and is the author of a graduate-level energy investment business case.
Insights from this episode:
- Details about Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI)
- How KSI differentiates itself from other competitors
- Insights into development capital
- John's ideal projects
- Why John discourages discounting electricity for community projects
- Insights into valuing a solar project
- Trends in the industry (renewable energy)
- Insights into the value of DER (distributed energy resources)
Quotes from the show:
- “The first transactions are always the most difficult. If you are able to get through that, it seems like it’s a lot more scalable” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “It can be a very bad situation when you staff a development inside an organization that just doesn’t know how to deal with development capital and development risk” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “Development capital is very risky. If you don’t have the structure right, you don’t have the right alignment, there can be disagreement and challenges” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “There are not enough projects out there to meet investors' appetite” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “What we see is the value of DER (distributed energy resources) to be the single most valuable kilowatt power on the system” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “We make electricity, just like anybody else that makes electricity, but we get the privilege of selling our electricity at a discount. It just does not make sense why we should be discounting it” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “A frictionless close can be done when you have trust in a relationship or a partnership” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “We have been really fortunate to find like-minded professionals that are as interested in making a good profit as they are in dealing in dignity and respect” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “There is always gonna be a lot of room for a local regional developer: could be an individual, could be three people” -John Chaimanis, Solar Maverick Podcast
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
John Chaimanis
Website: www.kendallsustainableinfrastructure.com/
LinkedIn: John Chaimanis
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Nigel Morris and Benoy Thanjan discuss the differences between the Australian and U.S solar markets and the varying pricing costs. Benoy highlights the high solar prices, especially in the U.S, and the factors contributing to the costs. Finally, he provides lessons that the Australian market can learn from the U.S solar industry and what he thinks is the future of the U.S solar market.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nigel Morris
With 30 years of experience in solar energy Nigel Morris is a Solar Technology Advocate and was recently added to a list of the world's Top 20 Solar Influencers. He is an experienced and passionate solar professional and co-host of Solar Insiders, one of the world longest running and best-ranked solar industry podcasts, and Great Solar Business, a new series exploring the secrets of building solar companies. He is obsessed with electric motorcycles, vehicle to grid, and the power of data.
Insights from this episode:
- Differences between the U.S and the Australian solar market
- Differences in pricing in the U.S and the Australian solar market
- Insights into why solar prices are in the U.S
- Insights into the competitive landscape of solar energy in the U.S
- What the Australian solar market can learn from the U.S
Quotes from the show:
- “The west of the U.S and Hawaii have a high solar radiance, so it makes a good market for residential solar” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “Australia has relatively expensive energy prices” -Nigel Morris, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “The price of batteries are going down substantially, specifically lithium iron technology ”-Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “We [Australia] do not have the experience that you guys [U.S] do in the large scale space, although we are chasing quickly there” -Nigel Morris, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “There is so much disruption that is happening in the industry” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “If you want that low-cost energy in Australia, if you want the cheapest energy, to top up your EV, you do that from a home solar system; you don’t do it from grid power” -Nigel Morris, Solar Maverick Podcast
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Nigel Morris
LinkedIn: Nigel Morris
Facebook: Nigel Morris
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Kent Halliburton takes us on his journey into the solar industry and bitcoin mining. Starting immediately after college, he worked at REC Solar for a few years before moving to Real Goods. He picked up his dream of traveling and began pursuing his passion for crypto. He takes us through the journey of how he was able to bring together his passion for crypto and tie it to his passion for solar energy. Kent talks about bitcoin mining and its benefits and renewable energy potential.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Kent Halliburton
Kent is the Chief Operating Officer of Sazmining Inc, overseeing the development of renewable energy-driven Bitcoin mining operations. He is an expert in solar energy and crypto. Kent graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Computer Engineering B.S. from California Polytechnic University. He helped develop Solar Energy Industry Alliance’s Sales Training program. Prior to his position at Sazmining, Kent’s last prolific role was leading sales and business development efforts for a publicly-traded solar energy company.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies for bitcoin mining
- How to generate passive income from bitcoin mining
- How to manage the income from bitcoin mining
- Strategies on how to tap into the opportunities in the solar industry
- Secrets to bitcoin mining and renewable energy
Quotes from the show:
- “What I realized about bitcoin mining is that it is not intuitive, it takes some time to get there, but it is a perfect compliment for renewables” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “I think within 2-5 years, we are going to see an unparalleled explosion of growth within these two technologies [renewable energy and bitcoin mining]” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “Bitcoin mining could be a great opportunity for renewable energy” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “It’s just interesting how things work and how fortuitous things are when you put yourself out there” -Benoy Thanjan, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “You never know where the networks and the relationships you make are going to take you” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “What’s brilliant about bitcoin mining is that it is the only manufacturing chain in the world that can be turned off in an instant” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “The only way that we are gonna keep our quality of life is by electrifying the grid, we got to electrify the grid, and decarbonize” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “Bitcoin mining is this energy that wants the cheapest energy, which is the energy that nobody else wants” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “There is no bigger honey pot in the world for attackers to go after than the bitcoin network” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
- “There is no network on the planet that is more secure than bitcoin” -Kent Halliburton, Solar Maverick Podcast
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Kent Halliburton
Website: Sazmining
Medium: Kent Halliburton
LinkedIn: Kent Halliburton
Twitter: Kent Halliburton
Solar Maverick Podcast and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
It is almost Summer Solstice which is the longest day of sunlight of the year!! Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast will be celebrating the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 23rd from 6pm to 10pm in Jersey City. It will be held at Hudson Hall which is beer hall and I am one of the owners of Hudson Hall. The details are below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-party-tickets-362940513847
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with John Powers about his company Extensible Energy whose mission is to bring energy intelligence to the small to medium building owners. Some of interesting things that John speaks about building energy intelligence for small to medium commercial and industrial buildings and changing how Solar sells to Commercial Customers.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
John Powers
John’s a longtime energy software entrepreneur, and his latest venture is turning dumb energy wasting buildings into genius energy saving buildings with DemandEx, an AI load flexibility and energy control software. The software works with or without solar, but focusses on peak shaving commercial demand charges by intelligently monitoring the whole building’s energy usage and production, then smartly flexing loads on and off to reduce demand peaks caused by HVAC, EV chargers, heat pumps, etc. It can also optimize batteries, if available.
DemandEx is NOT demand response, but rather demand flexibility. Its goal is to reduce utility bills for the building owner, not for the utility, although it can integrate with demand response programs if desired.
Extensible Energy is on a mission to bring energy intelligence to the small to medium buildings under 100,000 sq. ft., such as office buildings, warehouses, schools, and retail. Traditionally, building automation systems were too expensive and too complicated for this market. With Extensible’s SaaS business model, small buildings can now become energy efficient genius buildings for as little as $200/month and save thousands of dollars every year.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
John Powers
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntpowers/
Website: https://www.extensibleenergy.com/
Email: john@extensibleenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Bill Nussey about his new book Freeing Energy which is a must read if you are in the solar industry or interested in solar. The book focuses on how innovators are using local-scale solar and batteries to disrupt the global energy industry from the outside in. Freeing Energy is a deeply researched, actionable guide for anyone that cares about the future of energy—from startups, policymakers, investors, and utility leaders to the families and communities that want cleaner, cheaper energy today. Some of the interesting things that Bill speaks about Solar and Storage Technology is not fuel, the inevitable of having too much solar electricity, and why China is dominating solar manufacturing.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Bill Nussey
Bill Nussey is the founder of the Freeing Energy Project, whose mission is to accelerate the shift to cleaner, cheaper energy. Prior to Freeing Energy, Bill spent most of his career as a tech CEO. His first company, which he co-founded in high school, provided graphics software for early, text-based personal computers. His second company, Da Vinci Systems, was started out of his college dorm room and grew to serve millions of users across 45 countries. Later, he spent several years as a venture capitalist with Greylock. In 1998, he left the firm to run a portfolio company, iXL, which went public and grew to almost $500 million in revenue. After iXL, he joined Silverpop as CEO. Silverpop grew to nearly $100 million and became a global leader in cloud-based marketing. In 2014, IBM acquired the company and made it the foundation of the IBM Marketing Cloud. Shortly after the acquisition, Bill was promoted to VP Corporate Strategy out of IBM’s world headquarters in New York. Bill’s companies have created thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in value.
Bill’s journey into clean energy began with a TED Talk, which grew into 100+ articles and, most recently, a top ten energy podcast called The Feeing Energy Podcast. All of this supported and ultimately led to his upcoming book called Freeing Energy.
Supported by 320 interviews across the world, the book’s mission is to help readers understand a powerful new approach to accelerating the shift to clean energy. The core ideas focus on decentralized (or local) energy, novel business models, and new approaches to ownership and finance.
In 2018, Bill co-founded Solar Inventions whose mission is to commercialize a set of scientific breakthroughs for improving silicon photovoltaics.
Bill received a degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds several patents, has published two books and sits on several commercial and non-profit boards. Bill and his family are involved in a handful of projects providing off-grid, resilient electricity in places like East Africa and Puerto Rico.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Bill Nussey
Purchase Freeing Energy on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Freeing-Energy-Innovators-Local-Scale-Batteries/dp/B09MZLF2L9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DCX78UTL1AMN&keywords=freeing+energy&qid=1648512232&sprefix=freeing+energy%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billnussey/
Website: https://www.freeingenergy.com
He was on Episode 82 of the Solar Maverick Podcast with Ben Damiani on their startup Solar inventions.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000491304732
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Mark Culpepper who is the GM for global solar solutions at DroneBase, which is accurately and cost-effectively inspect solar assets to identify system anomalies so you can increase energy output, recover lost energy revenue, and mitigate risk. Mark Culpepper speaks about many interesting topics like how Dronebase is able troubleshoot modules with thermal scan at scale, manned aircrafts allow thermal scan at scale compared to drones, and Dronebase is going to scan about 80GW next year and exponentially going forward
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Mark Culpepper
Mark Culpepper is the GM for global solar solutions at DroneBase, which is accurately and cost-effectively inspect solar assets to identify system anomalies so you can increase energy output, recover lost energy revenue, and mitigate risk.
Mark started Precision Precision XYZ, a drone data services firm focused exclusively on the solar sector that was purchased
He has extensive experience as a senior technology executive working in sectors ranging from general aviation to data communications and wireless technology to network security and distributed energy, and have lived through three technology commoditization cycles - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Solar Energy as a Service (SEaaS), and Drone Service Providers (DSPs). As CTO and GM of Global Services at SunEdison, I leveraged IoT technology to lead the development of the world’s first global service operations for distributed solar energy systems.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mark Culpepper
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-culpepper-592291/
Website: https://dronebase.com/industries/solar#insights-solar-get-quote
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nobel Chang who is the Managing Partner of Commercial Strategy & Business Development from Palladium Energy. Palladium Energy is a solar developer and investor that develops utility scale solar projects in the US. Nobel speaks about many interesting topics like how to look at a new solar market, how to scale solar development, and what makes a project bankable.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nobel Chang
Nobel leads business development, market strategy, and commercial execution at Palladium Energy. He started his solar career in 2009, Nobel has originated and developed DG and utility-scale projects in CAISO, Northwest, MISO, ISO-NE, PJM, and Southeast markets in the United States. He also has developed and financed projects in Mexico, Chile, and Japan. Prior to co-founding Palladium Energy, Nobel was the VP of Development at US Topco Energy, started a greenfield development company, then joined Pine Gate Renewables as the VP of New Markets and Capital Strategy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Noble Chang
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nobelchang/
Website: www.Pd46Energy.com
Email: nchang@pd46energy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the head of business development from Enerflo. Enerflo is a platform for Solar Sales and Operations and has processed $2 Billion in solar transactions to date. Nate speaks about many interesting topics like how lowering soft costs is the next big thing in solar, Enerflo’s software simplifies the solar process, selling residential solar online will become more popular, and other solar trends and predictions.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is the head of business development at Enerflo. Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nate Jovanelly
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Press release regarding Nate joining Enerflo.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nathan-jovanelly-joins-enerflo-as-head-of-business-development-301463017.html
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Jordan Leventhal from Invenergy and John Moran from Lafayette Square. They discuss REACTIVATE which is a new innovative solar platform which is a joint venture between Invenergy and Lafayette Square. By 2030, Reactivate seeks to develop three gigawatts (“GW”) of renewable energy capacity, save $50 million in energy costs for LMI households, sign 100 contracts with minority or women-owned contractors, and facilitate workforce training for 2,500 underserved workers. They speak about many interesting topics like how REACTIVATE is solar 2.0, the many benefits of community solar project, and how to scale solar deployment and investment.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
John Moran
John Moran leads the community solar energy platform, Reactivate, in its efforts to make impact in underserved areas by acquiring, developing, financing, and operating renewable energy projects that support local communities.
Prior to joining Lafayette Square as Co-Head of Community Solar, John was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in the Renewable Power Group where he helped pioneer the group's Community Solar business. John has worked in the solar and renewables industry since 2006 and has worked on over a gigawatt of projects.
Previously, John was a Project Manager at Spower where he was responsible for taking projects from inception, through permitting, construction and financing. Prior to Spower, John held positions at Suntech where he led utility scale sales on the east coast, and EDF where he established their east coast distributed generation business. Before entering the Renewables space in 2006 John was a High School Science Teacher and Coach at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. John started his career in Private Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley.
John serves on the board of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Research Team. Originally from New City, NY, John holds a BS from the University of Notre Dame.
Jordan Leventhal
Jordan Leventhal serves on the Investment Committee of Reactivate and as Manager of Growth and Innovation at Invenergy. In his role at Reactivate, Jordan advises on market and impact strategy and oversees key investment decisions.
At Invenergy, Jordan leads the Growth and Innovation team where he engages in strategic planning and leads various growth initiatives across Invenergy’s solar, wind, energy storage, and other technology platforms.
Prior to his current role, Jordan led emerging technologies on the Invenergy Strategy team where he was instrumental in the launch of new Invenergy technology platforms including hydrogen, distributed energy, electric vehicle charging, offshore wind, and long-duration energy storage.
Previously, Jordan worked at Deloitte Consulting in the Strategy and Operations practice where he led strategy, sustainability, and corporate restructuring projects for large electric utility and consumer goods companies.
Jordan holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
John Moran
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-moran-03a3b3a/
Website: https://www.reactivate.com
https://www.lafayettesquare.com
Jordan Leventhal
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-leventhal-ba127b90/
Website: https://www.reactivate.com
https://invenergy.com
Additional Notes
Lafayette Square and Invenergy Announce Launch of Renewable Energy Joint Venture. The link to the press release is below.
https://invenergy.com/news/lafayette-square-and-invenergy-announce-launch-of-renewable-energy-joint-venture
Invenergy Announces Approximately $3 Billion Investment from Blackstone Infrastructure Partners to Accelerate Renewable Development Activities. The link to the press release is below.
https://invenergy.com/news/invenergy-announces-approximately-3-billion-investment-from-blackstone-infrastructure-partners-to-accelerate-renewable-development-activities
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Harald Overholm who is the CEO and Founder of Alight Energy. Alight Energy is the leading solar Power Purchase Agreement provider in the Nordics and developing more than 500 MW of PPA-based onsite and offsite projects across Europe. Harald speaks about many interesting topics like the European PPA market, how the European solar market has evolved, and how higher electricity prices in the past year is allowing more solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Harald Overholm
Harald was previously a cleantech venture capitalist and an advisor on solar markets to the WWF and the Swedish Government. He earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge with a thesis on solar diffusion and PPA. He is a member of the International Energy Agency’s PVPS workgroup on solar business models, a former associate with leading global sustainability think tank Stockholm Environment Institute, and a former board member of the Swedish Solar Energy Association.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Harald Overholm
Website: https://www.alight-energy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldoverholm/
Additional Notes
Benoy wrote two articles on Power Purchase Agreements(“PPA”) in Renewable Energy World and PV Magazine. The links are below.
https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/wind-power/achieving-affordable-clean-energy-goals-through-offsite-corporate-ppas/
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/553e8897e4b0836f4e9a5ccd/t/59bd51a4e5dd5b51a03c20ab/1505579432776/09050_Corporate_PPAs.pdf
Below is a link with Solar Maverick Podcast Episode 52 called PPA 101.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-52-ppa-101/id1441876259?i=1000455375187
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Jim Spano who is the Co-Founder, Head of Originations of Sol-REIT and Mark Settles who is the CEO of Sol-REIT. Sol-REIT offers long-term, fixed rate debt that matches the operational life of an asset and at a lower cost of capital. Jim and Mark speak about many interesting topics like how developers can keep more of the value that they created with their solar projects, their innovative financing to help developers own their projects, and energy storage financing.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jim Spano
Jim has played a key role in the development of projects totaling over four hundred megawatts in solar generation facilities. Through his leadership, Spano Partners Holdings Companies, a founding joint venture partner of Sol-REIT, has become recognized as one of the top privately-owned utility-scale and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar energy developers and financiers in New Jersey.
Mark Settles
Mark served as an executive coach for senior managers and as a senior executive for JPMorgan Chase & Co. for over 20 years. In his highest profile role at the bank, he reported directly to JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, as the firm’s Managing Director and Diversity Recruiting Executive. In that role, Mark helped the firm find and develop women and ethnic minorities for senior positions at the bank.
Throughout his banking career, Mark served as the head of various fixed income market product teams and as a specialist in central bank and sovereign reserves management.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jim Spano
Website: https://www.sol-reit.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-spano-ab43521/
Jim Spano was interviewed on the Solar Maverick Podcast Episode 13: How to develop a great solar project and many other interesting topics about solar and entrepreneurship with Jim Spano from Spano.
The link to the Jim's podcast interview is below.
https://spanopartners.com/podcasts/solar-maverick-podcast/
Mark Settles
Website: https://www.sol-reit.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-settles-b0a93168/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with B.D. Erickson who is the CEO of Satic USA and Satic Solar which produces electronic products that cleans and filters EMF radiation and Satic Solar is involved in residential solar. B.D. Erickson speaks about many interesting topics like how solar projects produce EMF radiation or dirty electricity, what trends are increasing EMF radiation, and the Montana solar market.
Satic is offering a 10% discount to Solar Maverick Listeners when you purchase their products use the promotion code “MAVERICK” at checkout at the Satic USA website. The Satic USA Shopping’s website is https://www.saticshield.com.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
B.D. Erickson
B.D. Erickson is the CEO of Satic USA. SATIC USA is a privately-owned electronics manufacturer and professional engineering firm HQ in Missoula, MT. The company is also involved in residential solar through Satic Solar. Satic USA is driven by a passionate belief that dirty electricity is inefficient, wasteful, harmful to electronics and equipment. Satic USA has created products for customers to clean and filter EMF radiation.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
B.D. Erickson
Website: https://www.saticusa.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-d-erickson-ii-a5362621/
Satic is offering a 10% discount to Solar Maverick Listeners when you purchase their products use the promotion code “MAVERICK” at checkout at the Satic USA website. The Satic USA Shopping’s website is https://www.saticshield.com.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with David Magid who is Managing Member and Founder of YSG Solar which is a solar developer based in New York City with a solar pipeline in excess of 100MWs. David speaks about many interesting topics like how to develop a good solar project, what are great markets in the US to develop solar, and how the grid should compensate energy storage.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
David Magid
David Magid is the managing member at YSG Solar which is a solar developer based in NYC. In 2018, Forbes recognized David’s leadership and listed him the “30 under 30” list in the energy sector. David has been involved with Community Solar development since 2015, with over 20 MW Residential Community Solar of executed projects and a 250 MW pipeline of utility and DG solar projects. YSG has executed power purchase agreements with clients such as the New York Military Academy, the New York Botanical Garden , The City of New York and many other local municipalities ,counties and towns.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
David Magid
Website: https://www.ysgsolar.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/
David was interviewed on Episode 9 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. Below is the link to the interview on Podbean.
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-09-how-david-started-his-solar-company-with-david-magid-from-ysg-solar/
David’s Books Suggestions
Rumsfeld Rules
https://www.amazon.com/Rumsfelds-Rules-Donald-Rumsfeld-audiobook/dp/B00CI9C1C6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QZKNXMW9FDRI&keywords=rumsfeld+rules&qid=1638807802&sprefix=Rumsfeld+ru%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1
The Firm: The Story of McKinsey and Its Secret Influence on American Business
https://www.amazon.com/The-Firm-Duff-McDonald-audiobook/dp/B00EA2HXZO/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2IGDL9KM8P364&keywords=the+firm+the+story+of+mckinsey&qid=1638808012&sprefix=story+of+mckinsey%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Broker-Robert-Moses-Fall/dp/0394720245/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SBZUVUYQHZHZ&keywords=power+broker+robert+moses&qid=1638808061&sprefix=power+broker%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Tom Matzzie who is President & CEO at CleanChoice Energy which expand access to clean energy through clean electricity, community solar, and offset products. Tom speaks about many interesting topics like how Cleanchoice is the easiest solution to procure renewable energy, how data science is lowering customer acquisition cost, and the future of the community solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Tom Matzzie
Tom is the President & CEO of CleanChoice Energy. After spending 15 years helping people get involved in politics through technology, Tom wanted to do something more about climate change. He had a vision to make renewable energy accessible for all, and founded CleanChoice Energy to do just that.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Tom Matzzie
Website: https://cleanchoiceenergy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommatzzie/
Twittter: @tommattzie
Sponsor: Summit Ridge Energy
Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
https://srenergy.com
info@srenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Mateo Chaskel who is Managing Director, USA at UGE which develops, owns and operates community and commercial solar generation & storage projects. Mateo speaks about many interesting topics like how UGE develops solar in state markets early before it becomes saturated, competitive advantages of developing and owning projects, and prime community solar markets.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Mateo Chaskel
Mateo Chaskel is the Managing Director, USA at UGE and the company develops, owns and operates community and commercial solar generation & storage projects. He is responsible for leading and managing all development related concerns for UGE projects working closely with the business development team to develop successful projects, markets, and portfolios. Coordinating UGE’s project development activities, project finance efforts, regulatory and permitting knowledge, and ensuring a smooth transition to the construction team for build-out.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mateo Chaskel
Website: https://ugei.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mateochaskel/
Email: mateo.chaskel@ugei.com
UGE Investor Presentation Sept 2021: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5909325e17bffc90f0e5da7a/t/612ff7a84bd6f15dd565d801/1630533546154/UGE+Investor+Presentation+-+202109.pdf
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Jason Kaminsky who is COO at kwh Analytics which is insuring the energy transition through the most comprehensive renewable energy data. Jason speaks about many interesting topics like how kwh uses data to create insurance products like their solar revenue put product, how hail storm in Texas damaged a solar plant and how that impacted the insurance market, and underperformance of solar projects is common based on the forecast production.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jason Kaminsky
Jason Kaminsky is the COO at kWh Analytics. Just prior to joining kWh Analytics, Jason spent more than three years as a Vice President of Environmental Finance at Wells Fargo Bank. As a senior member of the Wells Fargo deal team, Jason originated, underwrote, and financed tax-equity investments during a time when the bank added nearly $1bn of solar assets. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2011, Jason worked at SPG Solar, where he supported the CEO on strategic corporate initiatives.
Jason received both his B.S. in Mathematics and his B.S. in Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Environmental Sciences from UCLA. He holds an M.S. degree in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, and also completed his M.B.A. at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jason Kaminsky
Website: https://www.kwhanalytics.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkam/
Email: jason.kaminsky@kwhanalytics.com
Contact US at kwh Analytics
https://www.kwhanalytics.com/contact
Email: Contact@kwhanalytics.com
Solarscape(formerly Lendscape):
https://www.kwhanalytics.com/solarscape
Sponsor: Summit Ridge Energy
Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
https://srenergy.com
info@srenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Nigel Morris who is Head of Business of Development at Solar Analytics, has 30 years of experience in the solar industry, and has two solar podcasts. Nigel speaks about many interesting topics like the importance of data on the solar industry, the Australian solar market, and future solar trends.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nigel Morris
Nigel Morris has been involved in solar for almost 30 years and has worked as Head of Business Development at Solar Analytics for the last five years and is a Solar Technology Advocate. He is listed as one of the world’s Top 20 Solar Energy Influencers and hosts two solar podcasts called Solar Insiders and Great Solar Business. He has been involved in almost every aspect of the solar industry including manufacturing, installing, selling and designing solar, monitoring and storage systems around the world.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nigel Morris
Website: https://www.solaranalytics.com.au
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelmorris2/
Nigel’s two solar podcasts
Great Solar Business
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-solar-business/id1567999944
Solarinsiders
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-insiders-a-reneweconomy-podcast/id1269397979
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, youtube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Jesson Bradshaw who is CEO of Energy Ogre which is an electricity management company that uses proprietary systems to ensure its customers are always getting the best prices on their energy electricity. Jesson speaks about many interesting topics like how solar is technology and it will continue to decrease in cost and talks about how energy storage technology will be different for utility scale storage compared to electric vehicles. Jesson also discusses the Texas Renewable Energy Market and why the blackout happened earlier this year.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jesson Bradshaw
Jesson Bradshaw is the CEO and co-founder of Energy Ogre, an electricity management company that uses proprietary systems to ensure its customers are always getting the best prices on their electricity in the unregulated Texas energy market. Energy Ogre uses applied technologies to secure tailor-made plans for their members that make the most sense for using electricity. Energy Ogre manages the entire contract process, including renewals, and handles any issues that may arise--saving members time and money. Energy Ogre has helped over 100,000 Texans save up to 40% on their electricity bills, over $150M since its founding in 2013.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jesson Bradshaw
Website: https://www.energyogre.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-ogre/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Andrea Barber who is the Founder and CEO of RatedPower. RatedPower built pvDesign, a cloud-based software that carries out the design and engineering of utility-scale solar pv plants and their software has designed 800 Gigawatts of solar projects. Andrea speaks about many interesting topics like the importance of software how it significantly reduces the cost of solar, increase efficiencies, and allows more flexibility. She also discusses a case study that RatedPower has done regarding the future of Renewable Energy and Solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Andrea Barber
Andrea Barber is the Founder and CEO of RatedPower. She is an expert in management, strategy, and business development. Before founding RatedPower, she led international expansion at an engineering and development cross border company. Andrea has been awarded with several prizes related to entpreneurship and business and is one of the most influential women in STEM fields. She holds a Business degree from Carlos III University(Spain) and NEOMA Business School(France) as well as an international MBA.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Andrea Barber
Website: https://ratedpower.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-barber/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Paul van Brenkelen who is the Director, ESG and Traceability at Clean Energy Associates(“CEA”). Paul speaks about many interesting topics like the importance of ESG regarding solar supply chain, new traceability protocol that CEA worked with Solar Energy Industries Association(“SEIA”) to create, and US Government Withhold Release Order ("WRO") with Alleged forced labor how that impacts the solar industry.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Paul van Brenkelen
Paul is the Director, ESG and Traceability at CEA. He is responsible for deliverables of ESG and supply chain related services through CEA's global team. CEA's team through its best-in-class services focuses on ensuring quality across all aspects of the solar and energy storage industries and have been instrumental in supporting the installation of 85GW of solar power in 63 countries.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Paul van Brenkelen
Website: https://www.cea3.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-van-brenkelen/
A Recent Webinar that Paul spoke on Called How to Manage Solar Supply Chain Risk Following Customs Withhold Release Order (WRO) on Hoshine
https://www.cea3.com/cea-blog/how-to-manage-solar-supply-chain-risk-following-customs-wro-on-hoshine
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Drew Pierson who is the head of sustainability at BlueWave and Iain Ward who CEO of Solar Agricultural Services(“SolAg”). Iain and Drew speak about dual-use which is installing solar on farmland and the primary agricultural activities are continued. They speak about many interesting topics like the many benefits of dual-use and which states have or developing dual-use incentives.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also consults related to financing for solar projects and hedges environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Drew Pierson
Drew Pierson, head of sustainability at Boston-based BlueWave. BlueWave has successfully developed over 130 MW of solar in Massachusetts since 2010, including driving innovation in community solar and dual-use development,
Drew is a renewable energy project developer with over ten years’ experience in clean energy, real estate, and regional economic development issues. As Head of Sustainability at BlueWave, Drew seeks to raise the bar for sustainability-based enterprise by leading the company’s agrivoltaic and dual-use solar business strategy in multiple states.
Iain Ward
Iain Ward is an agriculture consultant/ expert and the CEO of Founder of Solar Agricultural Services(“SolAg”) that works with BlueWave to ensure that the land the projects are being developed on will benefit and/or improve from the project and that farmers have viable land moving forward. Iain provides insight in the podcast into how solar developers should be turning to agriculture experts to work with them to achieve success on these regenerative agriculture projects.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Drew Pierson
Website: https://bluewave.energy
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewpierson/
Email: dpierson@bluewavesolar.com
Webinar on Sustainable Solar Development with Drew as one of the panelists: https://bluewave.energy/bw-resources/webinar-sustainable-solar-development
Iain Ward
Website: https://www.solaragservices.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainward8/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Whit Fulton who is the CEO and Founder at ConnectDER™ which unlocks the massive potential of Distributed Energy Resources (“DERs”) by turning the meter socket into the utility's all-in-one plug-in point for solar, storage, EVs, and beyond. Whit speaks about a lot of interesting topics like opportunities and challenges with DERS, the grid of the future, and how their meter collar product helps utilities, installers, and homeowners.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier isolar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Whit Fulton
Whit founded ConnectDER™ to give inventors a place to solve meaningful problems and to ensure they have an ownership stake in the solutions they create. His personal mission is to create technologies and business approaches that unlock profitable models for renewable energy. Whit honed his analysis, negotiation, and product development skills through a series of senior managerial positions in energy analytics consultancies and cleantech startups.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Whit Fulton
Website: https://connectder.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitmanfulton/
ConnectDER’s program with ConEdison:
https://connectder.com/solar-installers/coned/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Eric White who is the CEO and Founder at Dividend Finance which is a leading national provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient financing solutions to property owners. Eric speaks about a lot of interesting topics like electrification of the car fleet is impacting the house, how the home will act as virtual power plant with solar plus storage and supply electricity to the grid to maximize revenue.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Eric White
Eric is the CEO and Founder of Dividend Finance. Dividend is a leading national provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient financing solutions to property owners. We give our customers the opportunity to obtain clean energy financing through a comprehensive suite of financing options.
Eric is a seasoned energy transition + renewables and fintech entrepreneur with a passion for conceptualizing and designing innovative financial structures, products and business strategies that break down capital barriers and empower underserved markets.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Eric White
Website: https://www.dividendfinance.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theericwhite/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Brian Lynch who is the Director in Sales and Business Development in Solar plus Storage for LG Electronics which manufactures high efficiency high quality PV modules solar panels in the US and South Korea. Jon speaks about a lot of interesting topics like residential solar customers will pay more for premium solar equipment and brand awareness matters, how to lower residential solar customer acquisition cost, and why solar assets are underperforming their initial production estimates.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Brian Lynch
Brian Lynch is Director in Sales and Business, Solar plus Storage at LG Electronics. He works with accomplished sales team to expand market of LG's high efficiency and high quality PV modules (made in Huntsville, AL) and next-gen ESS products. Brian has 18 years of solar experience and is experienced in solar industry marketing, communications, and business development professional. Brian has been involved in hundreds of megawatts of solar projects that are generating clean energy around the world.
Sponsor:
Summit Ridge Energy
Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
https://srenergy.com
info@srenergy.com
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Brian Lynch
Website: https://www.lg.com/us/solar
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belynch/
Email: brian.lynch@lge.com
Articles that Brian has wrote are listed below.
There’s more to solar systems than module capacity
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/07/06/yield-for-growth/
Underperforming solar assets shade the entire industry. Here is how to fix it
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/03/10/underperforming-solar-assets-shade-the-entire-industry-here-is-how-to-fix-it/
2020: Top Takeaways on Selling Solar Through a Pandemic
https://solarindustrymag.com/2020-top-takeaways-on-selling-solar-through-a-pandemic
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Jon Semingson who is the Managing Partner at Peak Demand which is a talent access firm that connects top companies in the renewable energy space with the talent they need to grow their businesses. Jon speaks about a lot of interesting topics like his renewable energy jobs outlook, how hiring was impacted by COVID, and how people can transition into renewable energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jon Semington
Jon Semingson Is Managing Partner of Peak Demand and head of Peak Demand. Jon has been recruiting in the renewable energy industry for 14 years.
Peak Demand is a talent access firm that connects top companies in the renewable energy space with the talent they need to grow their businesses.
The individuals they have placed have delivered over 10 gigawatts of installed generation to our clients. That’s billions of dollars of clean, renewable energy impacting the bottom line for our clients and enough renewable energy to power 10 million homes.
They work in Solar, Energy Storage, EV and related markets from the C-Level to Individual Contributors driving the renewable energy revolution.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jon Semington
Website: https://peakdemandinc.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solarrecruiter/
Email: Jon@inpeakdemand.com
Phone number: 916-565-2813
Videos: Jon’s videos
https://peakdemandinc.com/videos/
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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with George Hershman who is the President of Swinerton Renewable Energy and SOLV. Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE) is the largest Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC), and Operations & Maintenance Company through SOLV for solar photovoltaic plants and energy storage facilities throughout North America. George speaks about a lot of interesting topics about new innovations and efficiencies in the solar and storage industry, reasons for significant change in the energy demand curve that will lead to more renewables, and Biden’s infrastructure plan.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
George Hershman
George Hershman is an industry veteran who has led Swinerton Renewable Energy for 13 years and currently serves as board chairman at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). He is president of Swinerton and SOLV.
George Hershman began his tenure at Swinerton in 1997, working in project management until his promotion to San Diego Division Manager of Swinerton Management & Consulting in 2006. In response to a growing demand for renewable energy, George took on the task of building Swinerton’s presence in the renewable energy sector in 2008 and SOLV, Swinerton’s stand-alone solar operations and maintenance group, was formed in 2014.
Sponsor: Summit Ridge Energy
Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
https://srenergy.com
info@srenergy.com
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
George Hershmann
Website: https://www.swinertonrenewable.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgehershman/
Company Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swinerton-renewable-energy/
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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
It is our 100th episode of the podcast! We wanted to thank our listeners for their loyal support of the podcast. In the 100th episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the Director of Business Development at IGS Solar and regular contributor to the podcast. Nate speaks about a lot of interesting topics about how to lower residential solar customer acquisition costs, trends that he is seeing in storage and Electric Vehicles, and how solar policy should incent distributed solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the Director of Business Development at IGS Solar. He helped form IGS Solar in 2014. IGS Solar is a sister company to IGS Energy, which is the largest privately held energy supplier in the United States with more than four million customers. After developing more than 30MW of solar for nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies, he moved on to start the Residential Solar Division at IGS in 2016. IGS now has a thriving residential business where they partner with turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies that use their third party ownership model to allow more than a thousand new residential customers make the switch to solar every month. He currently leads the development of the residential solar business along with other national and strategic partnerships for IGS Solar.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
Website: https://www.igs.com/for-your-business/solar
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Email: Nathan.Jovanelly@igs.com
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Jay Hakes who is a Presidential & Energy Historian, Author, and Speaker and he discusses his new book called ENERGY CRISES -NIXON, FORD, CARTER, AND HARD CHOICES IN THE 1970s. Jay has worked for the Clinton and Obama Administration and President Carter. Jay also discusses how the 1970s had a huge impact on the US Energy Industry today, how the US invested in alternative energy technologies in the 70s including solar, and what energy technologies will be prevalent in the future.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jay Hakes
An expert on U.S. energy policy, Jay Hakes has a long history of working on energy issues, including as Administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration during the Clinton administration and as Director for Research and Policy for President Obama’s BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission. He also served for thirteen years as the Director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jay Hakes
Website: https://jayhakes.com
Contact: https://jayhakes.com/contact
Buy Jay’s Book
Jay’s long-awaited new book called ENERGY CRISES -NIXON, FORD, CARTER, AND HARD CHOICES IN THE 1970S is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Oklahoma University Press. For a copy with signed bookplate, contact a Cappella bookstore.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Crises-Choices-Environment-America/dp/0806168528/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1604404836&refinements=p_27%253AJay%20Hakes&s=books&sr=1-1
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/energy-crises-jay-e-hakes/1137783357
Oklahoma University Press
https://www.oupress.com/books/16285150/energy-crises
Capella Bookstore
https://www.acappellabooks.com/pages/books/246446/jay-e-hakes/energy-crises-nixon-ford-carter-and-hard-choices-in-the-1970s-volume-5-the-environment-in-modern
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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Laura Pagliarulo who is the President and Co-Founder of SolaREIT invests in land for solar developments through land acquisitions, lease monetization, and project re-powering. Laura speaks about a lot of interesting topics about innovative financing options for land on solar projects, how the financing of land on solar projects has not yet been disrupted, and increasing developers returns for projects with SolaREIT’s product offerings.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Laura Pagliarulo
Laura is a founding member and President of SolaREIT. Prior to joining the company, she was the Senior Vice President at CleanChoice Energy where she built and grew the community solar business. Earlier in her career she held positions at SunEdison, where she led the community solar division, and WGL Energy, where she ran their voluntary renewable energy business. She has over 18 years of experience in the renewable energy, electricity and natural gas industry.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Laura Pagliarulo
Website: https://www.solareit.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-pagliarulo-leed-ap-4934aa5/
Email: laura@solareit.com
Article:
Guest column: Landowners need more options to stimulate rooftop-level boom in large-scale solar development by Laura Pagliarulo
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/03/guest-column-landowners-need-more-options-to-stimulate-rooftop-level-boom-in-large-scale-solar-development/
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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Steph Speirs who is the co-founder and CEO of Solstice. Solstice connects businesses and households to local clean energy sources with guaranteed annual savings. Steph speaks about a lot of interesting topics about their innovative customer acquisition strategies for community solar subscribers, how their Energy Score is better predictor of customers paying their energy bill compared to FICO, engaging the LMI community regarding community solar, and community solar trends.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Steph Speirs
She co-founded and runs Solstice, an enterprise dedicated to radically expanding the number of American households that can take advantage of clean energy using community-shared solar farms. She was selected as an Inc Magazine Female Founder 100, Echoing Green Climate Fellow, a Kia Revisionary, a Renewable Energy World 40 Under 40 in Solar, Elle Magazine/INCO’s US Impact Entrepreneur of the Year, a Grist 50 Fixer, a Sierra Club Face of Clean Energy, a GLG Social Impact Fellow, a Cordes Fellow, a Global Good Fund Fellow, and an Acumen Global Fellow. Solstice was accelerated by Techstars Boston, MIT, Princeton, MassChallenge, Halcyon Incubator, and Cleantech Open.
She previously led sales and marketing innovation initiatives in India at d.light, a solar products company powering areas without reliable electricity; spearheaded Acumen's renewable energy impact investment strategy in Pakistan; developed Middle East policy as the youngest policy director at the White House National Security Council; and field organized in seven states for the first Obama presidential campaign.
She serves on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club Foundation and on the Advisory Board of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. She holds a B.A. from Yale, a Master in Public Affairs (MPA) with distinction from Princeton, and an MBA from MIT with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. At MIT, she was a recipient of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, the Legatum Fellowship, the Dean's Fellowship, and the Public Service Fellowship. She originally hails from Hawaii and was raised by a single immigrant mother.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Steph Speirs
Website: https://solstice.us
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skyspeirs/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Chris Diaz who is co-CEO of Seminole Financial Services has directly funded over $2 billion totaling more than 1 Gigawatt (GW) of Renewable Energy nationwide. Chris speaks about a lot of interesting topics about what makes a project bankable, potential new Federal incentives for solar, tax equity outlook 2021, and solar trends.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Chris Diaz
Chris Diaz is co-CEO of Seminole Financial Services, LLC (“SFS”). In addition to his role as co-CEO, Mr. Diaz oversees the Business Development team as well as Capital and Investor Relations. He is also a corporate shareholder.
Seminole is a leading finance provider to small scale (1MW – 40MW) Renewable Energy facilities. The company has directly funded over $2 billion totaling more than 1 Gigawatt ("GW") of Renewable Energy nationwide.
Since joining SFS in 2009, Chris has been responsible for the identification, evaluation, and negotiation of renewable energy finance transactions focusing on solar and wind projects between $2 million and $40 million in need of construction/interim financing and permanent debt financing.
Prior to SFS, Chris was employed by Credit Suisse, MMA Financial and the Midland Companies where he gained over 15 years of experience with tax credits and financial services. He has had multiple articles published about renewable energy finance and continues to be a frequent speaker on renewable energy finance and energy credits at national industry conferences. Chris is a member of the Board of Directors for the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) as the Vice Chair of the Solar Services & Consumers (SSC) Division, is a board member for the Solar Energy Trade Show (“SETS”) Board of Managers, is a member of SETS Board of Managers Finance Committee, and was Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with an emphasis in urban and regional planning from Florida State University, as well as an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Chris Diaz
Website: https://seminolefinancialservices.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-diaz-61688617/
Phone: (727) 460-0578
Email: cdiaz@seminolefinancialservices.com
A Guide To Preparing A Successful Solar Energy Project Finance Package by Chris Diaz
https://www.seminolefinancialservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/A-Guide-to-Preparing-A-Successful-Solar-Energy-Project-Finance-Package.pdf
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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Tim Montague who is in Business Development at Continental Energy Solutions which is the largest commercial & industrial solar installer & EPC in Illinois. Tim speaks about a lot of interesting topics about the Illinois and Midwest solar market, how energy storage is a game changer for solar energy, and how long term state solar incentives stop the solar boom and bust cycle scenario.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Tim Montague
Tim Montague works in business development at Continental Energy Solutions. Continental Energy Solution is the largest commercial & industrial solar installer & EPC in IL with over 100 projects and 60 MW installed. The company is known for quality & innovation on every job since 1912. Their Portfolio includes 3.5 MW Magid Glove in Romeoville IL & 2.9 MW IKEA Joliet IL.
Tim is a Solar PV and battery storage executive, podcast host, speaker, trainer and consultant. He is a renewable energy and green building leader with a passion for the energy transition. He helps developers and business owners build projects that return a handsome ROI. The solar project has a payback period of 3-6 years now in Illinois thanks to generous solar incentives. Let's grow solar!
Sponsor: Summit Ridge Energy
Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
https://srenergy.com
info@srenergy.com
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Tim Montague
Website: https://cesnrg.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/midwestsolar/
Tim’s Solar Podcast: https://cesnrg.com/podcast/
Tim’s Live Events: https://cesnrg.com/events/
Twitter: @tgmontague
Tim’s Email: tmontague@cesnrg.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Martin DeBono who is the President at GAF Energy which is creating roof-integrated solar and solar roofing solutions installed by roofers that are designed to look good and last. Martin speaks about how Building-integrated photovoltaics (“BIPV”) is the lowest cost electricity for homeowners in the long run, the importance of aesthetics regarding the customer decision for solar, and tax equity financing provided by GAF Energy for Commercial and Industrial solar customers.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Martin DeBono
Martin is the President of GAF Energy. Martin began his career in alternative energy in a somewhat unorthodox place: as a decorated officer on a nuclear submarine in the U.S. Navy. He has held sales and marketing positions at various tech companies, including Cisco, Siebel, Insightful and Pure Networks. Prior to running GAF Energy, he headed SunPower’s residential North American business and global commercial business and served as President of SunPower Capital. He is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and has a BS from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Harvard University. His favorite roof is the top of his bike helmet when he’s out on the mountain bike trails in British Columbia.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Martin DeBono
Website: https://www.gaf.energy
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martindebono/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
Benoy, our host of the podcast, speaks about solar trends and 2020 Year in Review. He talks about when solar will be the cheapest form of electricity, how the solar industry has been resilient during the pandemic, what technologies will improve solar production, and many other interesting topics. He is the CEO and Founder of Reneu Energy which is solar consulting and development company.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Article Links spoken about related to the Podcast
Benoy wrote an article for PV Magazine on off-site corporate PPAs.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/553e8897e4b0836f4e9a5ccd/t/59bd51a4e5dd5b51a03c20ab/1505579432776/09050_Corporate_PPAs.pdf
Benoy wrote an article for Renewable Energy World on Off-Site PPAs helping corporations with achieving affordable clean energy and meeting their sustainability goals.
https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/wind-power/achieving-affordable-clean-energy-goals-through-offsite-corporate-ppas/
https://about.bnef.com/blog/energy-transport-sustainability-10-predictions-for-2021/
https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/solar-power-now-cheapest-way-to-add-electricity-in-many-markets---and-getting-cheaper/
https://www.axios.com/corporate-renewables-energy-448350c4-43b3-4eaa-b53c-1fc89fa1b80f.html
Book Suggestion
Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Monk-Train-Purpose/dp/B07YF3VPSP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D3QIIKRFBI4Q&dchild=1&keywords=think+like+a+monk&qid=1613493437&sprefix=think+like+a+monk%2Caps%2C346&sr=8-1
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Paul Wormser who is the Vice President of Technology at Clean Energy Associates which is solar PV and battery storage quality assurance, supply chain management and engineering services firm. Paul speaks about technology innovations in solar and storage, how the solar industry has been very resilient during the pandemic, panel technology innovation, and many other interesting topics.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Paul Wormser
Paul Wormser is the Vice President of Technology at Clean Energy Associates. Paul has forty plus years of solar industry experience with management roles in solar technology and business development for the world’s largest solar companies, including SunEdison, First Solar, Sharp, Konarka, Mobil Solar and Exxon Solar. He served as Senior Director of Marketing for Solar Materials at SunEdison, managing the supply of modules and trackers for SunEdison’s projects. Paul worked for First Solar as Vice President of Worldwide Applications, managing new platform development.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Paul Wormser
Website: https://www.cea3.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwormser/
Top 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as the second ranked podcast to listen in Top Solar Energy 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Suvi Sharma who the Founder and Director of Solaria. Solaria is a leading premium residential solar manufacturer and has the solar industry’s most advanced solar panel technology. Suvi speaks about how Solaria differentiates from other residential solar manufacturers, talks about the Solaria’s product innovations, and future trends that he is seeing in solar panels and other solar industry trends. He also speaks about his entrepreneurship experiences and provides advice for entrepreneurs.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suvi Sharma
Suvi Sharma, an industry thought leader in solar PV innovation, is responsible for leading Solaria’s strategic initiatives as it extends the applications of its technology. Mr. Sharma joined Solaria in 2003. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in company formation, fundraising, talent recruitment, business development and global operations of innovative companies in renewable energy, information technology and private equity. Suvi Sharma was co-founder and board member of NEXTracker until its acquisition by FLEX. He began his career at Geocapital Partners, a $500 million international private equity firm, and founded and ran IVUS, an outsourced CRM provider. Mr. Sharma holds a B.S. in Statistics from Northwestern University.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Suvi Sharma
Website: https://www.solaria.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvi-sharma-414a0a80/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpiWNrJCpQA2FORj_4bNCqA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-5irK1Juhw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrUKyj_k0UI
Email: suvi@solaria.com
Top 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as the second ranked podcast to listen in Top Solar Energy 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Tom Williard who the CEO and Principal of Sage Energy Consulting. Sage Energy Consulting works with clients to help them implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects including solar, wind, energy storage, microgrids, fuel cells, and EV fleet transition planning and infrastructure support. There are many interesting topics that Tom speaks about on this episode some of them are the many benefits of having microgrids, how PPAs have allowed more development of solar, and about EV fleet transition project.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Tom Williard
Tom Williard is the Principal and CEO of Sage Energy Consulting has more than 18 years of experience in energy consulting and development of energy sector businesses, with a focus on the development of technical and financial models to predict potential energy asset allocation and financial performance, and has served as CEO since Sage’s inception. In 2013, Mr. Williard cofounded SolEd Benefit Corporation and wrote the project financial models used to structure PPA and lease financings that reduced the cost of renewable energy projects for public schools. In 2005, he cofounded Solmetric, a company that developed the SunEye, a high precision instrument now widely used in the solar industry to measure shade characteristics. In 2001 he cofounded System Design, a renewable energy system design and due diligence company.
Prior to 2001, Mr. Williard worked in electronics engineering in senior hardware and software engineering positions, as senior technologist, and in engineering management. Mr. Williard also provided engineering management consulting to startup and early stage companies and served for seven years as an elected public school trustee in Marin County. As a Sage Principal, he provides financial, policy, and technical oversight for all company projects, and provides expert testimony for clients and industry groups.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Tom Williard
Website: https://www.sagerenew.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-williard-b68a443/
Phone: (415) 663-9914
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Sponsor Information
We would like to thank our sponsor Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.
SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.
From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.
Summit Ridge Energy was interviewed on Episode 26 and Episode 87 of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Website:
https://srenergy.com
Email:
info@srenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Joshua Hill who is a solar consultant and is recently the first person to drive across the United States with solar powered vehicle. Joshua took an electric box truck weighing in at over 8 tons fueling it with only solar power. He talks about his cross country journey, predictions regarding electric vehicles, and why solar panels will be more commonplace on vehicles in the future. His life goal is to help more than one million American homes and businesses go solar—on their terms, in the right way.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Joshua Hill
Joshua is a solar power consultant for all commercial/residential projects with extensive background in marketing and sustainability. Joshua is the owner of Awaken Solar is here to be trusted, independent advisor in the solar energy world. Awaken serves to provide truth in energy to those who might invest in solar or becoming more energy efficient. Their goal is to educate customers with free content, and serve as a truly independent consultant in the solar and energy industries. Further, the company hopes to advance common-sense policies throughout America regarding energy. Joshua “Sunshine” Hill has built Project Griffin out of an old EV made by Smith Electric Vehicles. He added solar panels to it, enough so that ALL of the fuel needed to charge each day could be harvested from the sun and has traveled across the United States.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Joshua Hill
Website: https://awakensolar.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuashill/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPts62LN9TH6HXkgf2DQkRQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awakensolar/
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Mike Casey who is the Founder and CEO at Tigercomm. Tigercomm is the leading U.S. cleantech PR, marketing communications and public affairs firm, counsels cleantech executives and investors and passionately designs, builds, and runs winning communications programs. Mike discusses how clean energy companies should market during COVID, how stronger brands can help solar move out from under commoditization, how to be a thought leader, and many other interesting topics.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Mike Casey
For 30 years, Mike has focused on the design, staffing and strategies for winning communications programs. As Tigercomm’s founder, he counsels cleantech executives, investors and philanthropists on strategies for meeting their business objectives.
Mike is a top U.S. innovator and strategist on cleantech marketing and communications. He has presented at more than a dozen major conferences, and he writes frequently on clean economy topics at ScalingClean and Renewable Energy World.
Mike has trained more than 2,000 people on interview techniques, message development and public relations management. Before Tigercomm, he built winning communications programs for the National Environmental Trust and the Environmental Working Group, which he helped make “... dollar for dollar, demonstrably one of the most effective groups in Washington” (National Journal, 2/02). He is also a communications veteran of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and two presidential campaigns.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mike Casey
Website: https://www.tigercomm.us/home
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecaseytigercomm/
Clean Editors Roundtable Episode 2: https://www.tigercomm.us/insights/cleantech-editors-webinar-epsiode-2
The Great Solar Migration: How Stronger Brands Can Help Solar Move Out From Under Commoditization: https://www.tigercomm.us/insights/great-solar-migration
Mike’s Book Recommendation-The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with Steve Raeder who is the Founder and CEO at Summit Ridge Energy and Brian Dunn who serves as dual role COO/CFO and co-founder at Summit Ridge Energy. Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading owner-operator of community solar assets, providing energy savings to thousands of customers across the country.
They speak about how they grew Summit Ridge Energy from 5 employees with zero revenue in 2017 to 50 employees and several hundred million in top line revenue. Steve and Brian discuss trends in community solar, energy storage projects that they are developing, and the tax equity market.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Steve Raeder
Steve Raeder is the Founder and the CEO of Summit Ridge energy, one of the nation’s largest owner/operators of community solar assets. In his role as CEO, Steve leads day to day corporate operations, as well as development and execution of the company’s revenue generation strategies. Prior to launching SREC in 2017, Steve served in multiple roles as SunEdison including Managing Director of Sales and General Manager of its East Coast C&I business unit where his team’s developed hundreds of MWs across multiple solar markets, including pioneering work with off-site “virtual” system that transformed the company’s business model. Steve holds a BA in History and Business Administration from Gettysburg College.
Brian Dunn
Brian Dunn is the co-founder of Summit Ridge Energy and serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. A member of the company’s management committee, Brian is responsible for all of SRE’s financial functions including accounting, audit, treasury, corporate finance and project finance. Prior to Summit Ridge, Brian served as Vice President at Hunt Alternative Energy Investments, the energy investment subsidiary of Texas-based Hunt Companies. In this role, Brian managed the company’s investments in distributed solar and combined heat and power projects. Prior to joining Hunt in 2011, Brian developed and financed clean energy projects for a private equity manager and held associate and analyst positions at JPMorgan and American Express. Brian received his B.A. from Bowdoin College in Economics and Government & Legal Studies.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Steve Raeder
Website: https://srenergy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-raeder-5283a0/
Brian Dunn
Website: https://srenergy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dunn-78010115/
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with William Szamosszegi who is the Founder and CEO at Sazmining which is a cryptocurrency mining, consulting, and management firm. William talks about cryptocurrency and the importance of cryptomining and how renewable energy can be incorporated into cryptomining. He also discusses how energy storage is a game changer for cryptomining and how they help energy companies turn their excess/stranded power into revenue through cryptomining.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
William Szamosszegi
He founded Sazmining in 2018 and currently as CEO & President and has scaled the team to handle multiple domestic and international joint venture mining projects. He has built a well-recognized brand within the industry, having been written up in Business Wire, Yahoo Finance, Marketwatch, Business Insider, and other platforms. He strategically positioned Sazmining to capitalize on future trends in the cryptocurrency mining and energy industries, enabling innovation that will support a truly dominant global brand.
Prior to his work in cryptocurrency and blockchain, William co-founded the technology company TurnUh LLC, where he managed domestic and international projects. William’s work focused on product development, marketing campaigns, and scaling teams to achieve rapid expansion of corporate capabilities. His experience includes work in algorithmic video promotion at IRIS.TV and business development at Bankers Healthcare Group. William was the recipient of Bucknell’s venture grant, a finalist in SXSW’s Digital Entrepreneurship Tournament, a Forbes Fellow, and a speaker on Cryptocurrency/Blockchain topics at conferences and Universities. Prior to his work as a tech CEO, he co-founded the Winter Tennis Special Olympics program at the Junior Tennis Champions Center at College Park, Maryland to provide winter training opportunities for tennis special Olympians. William is a graduate of Bucknell University.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
William Szamosszegi
https://sazmining.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamszamosszegi/
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with Shounok Sinha who is an investment principal at Constellation Technology Ventures. Shounok discusses many interesting topics like the electrification of the transportation fleet, future of solar plus storage, and his predications on the electricity grid of the future.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Shounok Sinha
Shounok joined the Constellation Technology Ventures in 2019 as an investment principal and is responsible for originating and structuring new investments as well as supporting the growth of the Constellation Technology Ventures (CTV) portfolio.
Prior to joining CTV, Shounok led the Investment Structuring team within Constellation Energy’s Distributed Energy business. Shounok has led new product development, financial structuring and asset acquisition efforts for competitive bidding and internal underwriting helping deploy over $1B of capital on Distributed Energy development; opportunities span multiple asset classes including Solar PV, Storage, Fuel Cells & Biomass. In addition, Shounok has had extensive experience in Project Financing and was involved in non-recourse debt offerings on utility scale renewable and gas generation assets totaling over $1.5B.
Shounok holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Instrumentation Engineering from BMS College of Engineering, India and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Shounok Sinha
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shounok/
Sponsor:
Thank you to our sponsor Solar Energy Systems LLC who sponsored this episode of the podcast. Solar Energy Systems, LLC (SES) is a solar energy photovoltaic design/build firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and serving the Northeast U.S. Founded in 1998, the company designs, builds, and maintains solar photovoltaic (PV) systems within the public and private domain. We interviewed David Buckner who is the Founder and CEO of SES on Episode 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market.
To learn more about Solar Energy Systems, check out their website which is www.solaresystems.com. Email SES at info@solaresystems.com or Call 718-389-1545.
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with Eric Pasi who is the Chief Development Officer at Innovative Power Systems(“IPS”) which is full-service clean energy development firm about the Midwest solar market and other solar markets that the company focuses on and the community solar segment. Also, Eric wrote a new book called the CleanWave: A Guide to Success in the Green Recovery. His book educates readers through the past, present, and future of cleantech post-pandemic and offers practical tips for those interested in career opportunities, or those curious to learn more.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Eric Pasi
Since 2007, Eric has helped organizations create revenue and meet sustainability goals with IPS Solar. As a company they carved out a niche in Midwest commercial rooftop and community-based solar development, focusing on our clients’ best interests.
Over the last 13+ years he has helped to accelerate significant solar power development in Minnesota and the upper Midwest. Taking on the Chief Development Officer role in 2016, he has contributed to growing annual revenues by more than 1000%.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Eric Pasi
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpasi/
Twitter: @ericpasi
https://www.cleanwavebook.com
https://www.amazon.com/CleanWave-Guide-Success-Green-Recovery-ebook/dp/B08D39RPCW
https://www.instagram.com/cleanwavebook/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 83: NJ Solar Market Overview
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan, the host of the podcast, discusses the NJ Solar Market which has been top ten state for solar deployment in the United States and has an ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. He discusses a lot of the new developments in the NJ Solar market for example new solar state level incentive and the community solar pilot.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
NJ Community Solar Pilot
https://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/programs/community-solar
NJ Solar Transition Stakeholder Process
https://njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/program-updates-and-background-information/solar-proceedings
Book Recommendation from the Podcast:
FEARVANA: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear into Health, Wealth and Happiness by Akshay Nanavati
https://www.amazon.com/FEARVANA-Revolutionary-Science-Health-Happiness/dp/1630476056
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and YouTube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 82: Startup Focuses on Technology Innovations for Solar Panels
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Bill Nussey and Dr. Ben Damiani discuss their startup Solar Inventions and how they are improving solar technology and scaling up and commercializing their inventions. They also speak about being the first winner of the American-Made Solar Prize Competition and how it has helped their company. Ben and Bill also discuss their predictions for the clean energy industry and their experiences as entrepreneurs.
Solar Inventions was created with a mission to accelerate the pace of innovation in solar and other clean energy solutions. Their first wave of products is based on the work of Dr. Ben Damiani. The benefits of the technology include increased power, improved shading tolerance, and reduced hotspot risk. Their product compliment existing technologies and do not require new equipment or manufacturing techniques.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guests
Bill Nussey, Partner and CEO
Prior to Solar Inventions, Bill spent most of his career as a tech CEO. He co-founded his first company in high school which provided graphics software for early, text-based personal computers. His second company was started out of his college dorm room and ultimately sold business software across 45 countries. After several years as a venture capitalist with Greylock, he left the firm to run a portfolio company which he took public and grew to almost $500 million in revenue.
His company prior to Solar Inventions, Silverpop, was sold to IBM where he later served as IBM’s VP Corporate Strategy out of their world headquarters in New York. Bill’s companies have created thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in value.
Bill received a degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds several patents and has published two books with another book in development called Freeing Energy.
Dr. Ben Damiani, Partner and Chief Scientist
Ben has spent his career in solar. His innovations have enjoyed global reach through his work at early solar pioneers, Suniva and SolarWorld. He has worked across the world commercializing new solar technologies and building solar manufacturing facilities.
Ben received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech and did part of his grad work at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. After graduating he joined Intel’s Process Technology Development (PTD) group and lead the medium current ion implant group. Bridging the technology from the integrated electronics industry into the solar industry, Ben was responsible for the first-ever implementation of Ion Implanted Solar Cells in high volume production for Suniva, Inc. Ben successfully realized this USA born technology from concept and feasibility to 180 MW’s production capacity in less than 28 months, a process that normally takes 6 years.
As the Director of Industrial Technology Development for Semco Engineering in France, he developed new processes for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, low pressure diffusion and oxidation, bifacial solar modules, and n-type PhosTop solar modules. He holds several patents and has authored more than 30 papers.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Bill Nussey
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billnussey/
Website: https://www.solarinventions.com
Dr. Ben Damiani
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-damiani-3560491b/
Website: https://www.solarinventions.com
Solar Inventions White Paper
https://www.solarinventions.com/whitepaper
Sponsor:
Thank you to our sponsor Solar Energy Systems LLC who sponsored this episode of the podcast. Solar Energy Systems, LLC (SES) is a solar energy photovoltaic design/build firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and serving the Northeast U.S. Founded in 1998, the company designs, builds, and maintains solar photovoltaic (PV) systems within the public and private domain. We interviewed David Buckner who is the Founder and CEO of SES on Episode 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market.
To learn more about Solar Energy Systems, check out their website which is www.solaresystems.com. Email SES at info@solaresystems.com or Call 718-389-1545.
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and YouTube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, John Lee Dumas("JLD"), founder and host of the Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast, talks about his experiences with solar power in Puerto Rico, shares the three things that make entrepreneurs successful, and where is the future of the podcast industry. With over 2,500 episodes, 1 million + listens a month, and seven-figures of annual revenue, JLD is just getting started!
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
John Lee Dumas
JLD was born and raised in Maine where he went to Massabesic High School and then to Providence College on an ROTC scholarship to get his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002. After graduating, he was commissioned in the US Army as an officer. During his four years of active duty, he served eighteen months in Iraq and at the age of 23, JLD became the Armor Platoon leader responsible for men and tanks. After that, he served four years in the Army Reserves before becoming a civilian.
After serving in the army, JLD struggled to find his next goal. He tried his hand at law school and dropped out in the first semester. Later he joined the John Hancock Life Insurance company in Boston but after working for two years with the organization, he decided to quit and took a commercial real estate job, which didn’t last more than a year.
After spending a lot of time in his car, commuting during the jobs and having no interest in radio, JLD started listening to podcast interviews and instantly fell in love with their free and inspiring content and decided to start his own podcast. The distinguishing feature of his podcast was that it was a 7-day-per-week podcast where he interviewed several successful entrepreneurs. Despite not generating any revenue for the first nine months, he still remained confident and loyal to his listeners and his work. Since then, the podcast has grown and generated over $16 million in revenue with more than one million monthly listeners. After the success of his podcast, Dumas has started a free Podcaster Course which teaches everything a person needs to know to start their own podcast.
JLD has also written several books on podcasting and productivity.
-
The Freedom Journal: Accomplish Your #1 Goal in 100 Days
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The 100-Day Goal Journal: Accomplish What Matters to You
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The Mastery Journal: Master Productivity, Discipline, and Focus in 100 Days
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The Podcast Journal: Idea to Launch in 50 Days
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Podcast Launch: How to Create & Launch Your Podcast Kindle Edition
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The Common Path to Uncommon Success - available March 23, 2021
Insights from this episode:
- Reasons why JLD is incorporating solar and other sustainable features into his lifestyle.
- Details on Puerto Rico’s energy situation and how solar power and the increase in the future in available electric vehicles can help.
- How to be a successful entrepreneur by being productive, disciplined, and focused.
- Details on trends in podcasting, what JLD is working on now, and what his future holds.
Quotes from the show:
- On why JLD installed solar in his home: “I’ve really wanted to continue to move a little more self-sufficient, a little more or the grid in different areas of my life to include energy.” – John Lee Dumas, Episode #81
- “Successful entrepreneurs [are] productive, disciplined, and focused human beings.” – John Lee Dumas, Episode #81
- “The future of podcasting is niche. Niche is going to win.” – John Lee Dumas, Episode #81
- “I think you always mention, be your authentic true self as well and that really resonates.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #81
- “What I recognized is, the path to this uncommon success is not complicated. It’s not super difficult. It’s a common path.” – John Lee Dumas, Episode #81
- “The problem is people get off the pathway too early. They may start on the right path but they just don’t know how to continue in the right direction and continue with the right focus.” – John Lee Dumas, Episode #81
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
John Lee Dumas
Website: eofire.com
Podcast: Entrepreneurs on Fire
Twitter: @johnleedumas
Facebook: John Lee Dumas
Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020
Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020. Below is the link with more information.
https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with Andy Klump of Clean Energy Associates about how the rising demand for solar power has also created a rising need for greater quality assurance within the solar industry. Andy discusses what quality assurance in solar means, what sets CEA apart from their competitors, and what he sees as key trends in the solar and energy storage supply chain. As an American company based in China, Andy shares how COVID-19 specifically affected their operations and how it disrupted business overall.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Andy Klump
Andy is the founder and CEO of Clean Energy Associates. Clean Energy Associates works with developers, independent power producers (IPPs), and engineering procurement construction (EPC) customers in 55+ countries. Founded in 2008, Clean Energy Associates provides technical advisory services in the areas of quality assurance, supply chain management, and engineering services. Their 125-plus member team comprised of over 85 in-house engineers serving the needs of project developers, IPPs, EPCs, financial institutions, and other downstream partners that value supply chain transparency and quality solutions in the global storage and solar energy fields.
Andy’s area of expertise is storage and solar energy, with a track record of 14 years of leadership experience in the field of storage and solar energy along with 17 years of experience working within Asia. Prior to CEA, Andy served as the Vice President of Business Development for Trina Solar, where he headed the company’s international expansion plans covering supply chain, international business development, capital raising, and corporate development. During the period from 2006 to 2008, the management team successfully raised nearly $500 million in capital during Trina’s IPO, follow-on, and convertible bond offerings on the New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, Andy also served as an active Board Member of the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
Being proactive towards society and entrepreneurial in nature, Andy also co-founded KIDSIQProject.org in 2015, a non-profit organization advancing drug development for reversible Intellectual disability disorders with an initial focus on Kleefstra Syndrome. Andy is also an active member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization in Shanghai.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on starting Clean Energy Associates and the services they provide, what quality assurance is, and how they enhance the solar supply chain.
- Benefits of overseeing the whole solar process including being able to better identify trends in solar power and storage.
- Difficulties of incorporating different technologies and software into energy storage.
- How to help clients incorporate software capability when acting as a technical advisor of solar assets.
- Strategies China is employing to push its solar and storage agenda forward and how the automotive industry is helping that agenda.
- Details on what key trends are happening in the solar market including cost reduction and higher output modules.
- Difficulties Clean Energy Associates faced in China in the early days of COVID-19, how they are still being impacted, and how it caused them to evolve as a company.
- Suggestions Andy has for solar entrepreneurs to create a successful company with a great culture.
Quotes from the show:
- On what CEA provides: “We created this comprehensive, on-site quality assurance program that really starts with a factory audit, with a rigorous team and a rigorous methodology and a thousand-point checklist.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- “Our core customer is the end-owner of solar and storage assets who cares about consistent, reliable, and optimized performance and having a ‘Wow’ customer experience.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- “Everyone is talking about energy storage and the cost of energy storage, the duration of the batteries, and then coupling it with solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #80
- “The reality is that the overall Asian supply chain, particularly in China, has a dominant path to cost reduction and that’s where we’ve seen these dramatic cost reductions and that is what is going to allow the industry to grow.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- “Once you combine storage with solar to balance a system you’re really adding a lot of value to your clients, your asset owners.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #80
- “We’re going to see more and more large-scale deployment of energy storage in the future but, still, I think the primary focus has been on the manufacturing side and that’s where China has significant scale advantages.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- “If I had to make one bold prediction, it’s on the technology-adoption side, and I see module power classes continue to make leapfrog steps forward.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- “Everything keeps getting re-engineered because the technology changes so if you’re able to know what’s going to happen in the future, you’re able to design for it in the beginning, and I think that’s a huge advantage to the asset owner.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #80
- “We believe that by helping our clients and stakeholders deploy solar and storage solutions worldwide, we are creating a better future.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
- CEA’s vision statement: “By 2025 we want to become the leading global solar and storage engineering services firm that creates tangible impact with every customer.” – Andy Klump, Episode #80
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Andy Klump
LinkedIn: Andy Klump
Website: www.cea3.com
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Solar Energy Systems for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Solar Energy Systems, LLC (SES) is a solar energy photovoltaic design/build firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and serving the Northeast U.S. Founded in 1998, the company designs, builds, and maintains solar photovoltaic (PV) systems within the public and private domain. I interviewed David Buckner who is the Founder and CEO of SES on Episode 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market.
To learn more about Solar Energy Systems, check out their website which is www.solaresystems.com. Email SES at info@solaresystems.com or Call 718-389-1545.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 79: Building the Solar Future Through Solar Forecasting
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Dr. Nick Engerer who is the CTO and co-founder of Solcast speaks about how new advancements in cloud computing and satellites has allowed Solcast to create comprehensive models for solar forecasting. He also speaks about how solar forecasting is extremely important regarding profitability of solar projects and its importance when you combine storage with a solar project.
Solcast is dedicated to developing the data and tools through solar modeling and forecasting needed to plan, construct, operate and manage solar power systems across the world helping boost solar profits for projects across the world.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guest
Dr. Nick Engerer
Nick is an expert in the field of solar radiation and distributed solar PV modelling, and has co-founded Solcast in 2016 out of a sincere desire to enable others to build the solar-powered future. Nick displays an unusual level of passion for developing applied research projects and collaborating with industry to make BIG ideas a reality.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dr. Nick Engerer
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-nick-engerer/
Website: www.solcast.com
Nick’s Biohacking Longevity Blog
https://www.nickengerer.org
Nick’s Longevity Book Recommendations
Lifespan by Dr. David Sinclair
Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/Lifespan-Why-Age_and-Dont-Have/dp/1501191977/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=lifespan&qid=1596301737&sr=8-2
Why we sleep? by Dr. Matthew Walker
Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Matthew-Walker-audiobook/dp/B0752XRB5F/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Why+we+sleep%3F&qid=1596301816&sr=8-3
Sponsor:
Thank you to our sponsor Solar Energy Systems LLC who sponsored this episode of the podcast. Solar Energy Systems, LLC (SES) is a solar energy photovoltaic design/build firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and serving the Northeast U.S. Founded in 1998, the company designs, builds, and maintains solar photovoltaic (PV) systems within the public and private domain. I interviewed David Buckner who is the Founder and CEO of SES on Episode 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market.
To learn more about Solar Energy Systems, check out their website which is www.solaresystems.com. Email SES at info@solaresystems.com or Call 718-389-1545.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and YouTube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 78: Solar Dynamic Selling System for Solar Enrgy
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Rylee Meek is the CEO and Founder of the Social Dynamic Selling System talks extensively on how his one to many sales system through dinner seminars is a game changer for solar companies. He also speaks about his entrepreneurial journey and how he adapted his business during COVID19.
Rylee went to produce over $100 million in sales over the past 9 years using the Social Dynamic Selling System. Rylee took a Solar Company from $0 to $2 Million in under six months and proceeded to generate over 8 figures of sales in the next 12 months after that.
Free Book Offer
Rylee Meek is offering exclusively to Solar Maverick Podcast Listeners the pdf version of his book for free which on Amazon charges $14.99 for the paperback. The book is called Food for Thought: How to Use Dinner Seminar Marketing to Grow Your Business in Ways You Never Thought Possible. The link is below to receive the free book.
http://socialdynamicselling.com/mavericks
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guest
Rylee Meek is the founder and CEO of the Social Dynamic Selling System, which turns dinner seminar marketing into a science. Social Dynamic Selling is a value-based approach to lead generation and client acquisition. The Social Dynamic Selling System provides a Predictable, Sustainable, and Scalable system for entrepreneurs and business owners looking to drive more business and increase revenue through new customer acquisition. He also has a podcast called "The Sales Conversion Podcast.” The podcast introduces listeners to the creator of the Social Dynamic Selling System, and how to turn cold calls into hot leads. On the show, Rylee and his industry expert guests share their own expertise as business building guru’s to expand your business, grow your income, and improve your overall life.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Rylee Meek
Text Rylee: (727) 472-3860
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rylee-meek-1556a919/
Website: http://socialdynamicselling.com
The Sales Conversion Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-conversion-podcast/id1508586091
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean, youtube, and most other podcasting platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 77: Expert Insights: Driving Growth in the Energy Storage Industry
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Kelly Speakes-Backman who is the first CEO of the U.S. Energy Storage Association (“ESA”) discusses about the many benefits of energy storage. She also talks about how the cost is decreasing exponentially and the storage capacity keeps increasing significantly, how it is a game changer for intermittent power sources, and many other interesting topics.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guest
Kelly Speakes-Backman is the first Chief Executive Officer of The U.S. Energy Storage Association (ESA), the national trade organization for the energy storage industry. Serving as CEO since 2017, Kelly leads the association’s efforts to represent the interests of energy storage in the United States, including policy, external relations and industry leadership.
Kelly has spent over 20 years working in energy and environmental issues in the public, NGO and private sectors, including United Technologies, SunEdison and Alliance to Save Energy. She is a former Commissioner of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Kelly Speakes-Backman
ESA Phone Number: +1 202 293-0537
Email: k.speakes-backman@energystorage.org
Twitter: @KSpeakesBackman
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyspeakesbackman/
Energy Storage Association Website: https://energystorage.org/
Sponsor:
Thank you to Silverline Communications for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Sillverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech, is headquartered in DC with satellite offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City.
To learn more about Silverline, go to teamsilverline.com. You can reach Silverline at 703-286-5500 or info@teamsilverline.com.
We interviewed Laura Taylor who is the CEO and Founder of Silverline Communications on Episode 59: Lessons Learned from Clean Energy Entrepreneur.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean, youtube, and most other podcasting platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 76: How CS Energy has grown rapidly and differentiated itself from other solar installers?
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Kevin Magayah and Matt Tripoli from CS Energy discuss the company's competitive advantages in solar construction and energy technologies that the company is looking to construct. Also, they speak about what precautions that the company took due to COVID-19 and many other interesting topics. CS Energy was recently named the nation’s number-one commercial solar installer by global research firm Wood Mackenzie.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guests
Kevin Magayah
Vice President in Business Development at CS Energy
Mr. Magayah has 15 years of experience in large scale solar PV installations as well as bridge and tunnel work for public and private- sector clients. In his Business Development role, he is focused on building and maintaining relationships with CS Energy’s solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) customers in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the US. Leveraging his strong solar engineering, development and project management expertise, Kevin works with customers to create the most cost effective and productive solar facilities possible. Kevin has developed, designed and installed over 230 MW of solar photovoltaic systems for over 40 projects across the US and internationally, including engineering and constructing CS Energy’s first international solar project in Israel in 2016. Throughout his 15-year EPC career, he has proven to be an exceptional problem solver with an attention to detail who continues to be an asset to the customers he serves.
Matt Tripoli
Director in Project Development at CS Energy
Matt Tripoli is responsible for the development of new utility-scale and distributed solar and storage projects for CS Energy. He began his work in solar development in 2012, and he has been part of the acquisition, development, and operation of solar and energy projects in multiple markets throughout the US. Mr. Tripoli has also developed utility-scale natural gas, landfill-gas-to-energy, and wind projects. In total, his development efforts have resulted in over 150 MW’s of operating distributed generation projects. His diverse energy industry background includes work supervising distribution system design at PPL Electric Utilities, and asset electrical engineering support for Chevron’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Kevin Magayah
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-magayah-9995096/
Matt Tripoli
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tripoli/
CS Energy
Website: https://www.csenergy.com
Contact CS Energy: https://www.csenergy.com/contact/
LinkedIn: csenergy-usa
Facebook: @CSEnergyUSA
Twitter: @CS__Energy
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 75: Mid-Year Solar Trends 2020
June 9, 2020
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy, the host of the podcast, speaks about mid-year trends in solar. He talks about how COVID-19 had a major impact on the solar industry. Benoy speaks about how third party financing will be more popular post COVID-19 and states will continue to take leadership role in promoting renewables. He also discusses about the continued growth of community solar and solar plus storage and stand alone storage will grow exponentially in the future.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Article Links discussed in the podcast
U.S. renewable energy consumption surpasses coal for the first time in over 130 years.
COVID-19 Impacts on the U.S. Solar Industry
9 Ways to Stay Positive During the Pandemic
How Stay Positive During the Pandemic
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
May 26, 2020
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Nathan Jovanelly of IGS Solar speaks about how IGS Solar differentiates from other solar residential financiers. Nate talks about how the residential solar industry has been impacted by COVID-19. We also discuss how renewable energy should be incentivized in the United States and whether cost of capital or return on investment will change due to the pandemic.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guest
Nathan Jovanelly
Nate is the Director of Business Development at IGS Solar. He helped start both the commercial and residential divisions of IGS in 2014. Since then the company has developed, owns, and operates more than 150MW of commercial solar assets. They operate in 19 states, and have a booming residential division with more than 10,000 customers. IGS Energy, is an independent retail natural gas and electric supplier based in Dublin, Ohio, United States. It serves more than 4,000,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers. In just a few short years IGS has become the 5th Largest Solar Developer based on 2017 data from GreenTech Media.
Nate also appeared in two previous episodes in the Solar Maverick Podcast. The details are below.
Episode 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
Episode 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
Website: IGS Solar
LinkedIn: Nathan Jovanelly, PE
Twitter: @NateJov
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 73: Policy discussion on the NJ and NY Solar Market
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick, Benoy interviews Alex Rivera who is the Senior Vice President of Business Development from Vanguard Energy Partners. Vanguard Energy Partners is a national solar design-build firm that specializes in commercial, industrial, and utility-scale projects.
Alex talks about the incentives of the New Jersey solar market with the new TREC program and the sunsetting of the SREC(“Solar Renewable Energy Credit”) program. He also speaks about the community solar pilot in NJ and discusses the NY solar market and other states that Vanguard is looking into for solar. Alex discusses how educating clients and looks at things from their perspective will assist clients with making the right decision regarding their solar energy project. Also, he talks about how COVID-19 has impacted Vanguard and the solar industry.
About our host
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
About our Guest
Alex Rivera is the senior vice president of business development for Vanguard Energy Partners. He is a member of the New Jersey Alliance for Action Energy Committee, the Solar Energy Industry Association and serves on the steering committee for the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy. He has worked in the solar energy industry for over 15 years, working with commercial and industrial clients to retrofit their facilities and support a more renewable energy economy.
Alex was also on Episode 4 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. The episode title was Strategies to Acquire Commercial & Industrial Solar Customers and the NJ Solar Market with Alex Rivera from Vanguard Energy Partners. Below is the link of the epiosode on Apple Podcasts.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-04-strategies-to-acquire-commercial-industrial/id1441876259?i=1000449328243
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Phone: 201-743-9533
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Alex Rivera:
Cell Phone: 772-215-3626
Email: alex@vanguardenergypartners.com
Website: www.vanguardenergypartners.com
Sponsor:
Sponsor: We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
They are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for them is not just a slogan, it’s what they practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy and Li speak about how COV19 has affected the solar industry and they also speak about state level initiatives that were passed this month to increase solar deployment. Benoy and Li also speak about suggestions that they have to have a positive outlook and be successful during the pandemic.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Resources Mentioned:
106,000 American clean energy jobs were lost in March
Force Majeure: What does the coronavirus mean for your solar contract
Mediation Apps
Headspace
Calm
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Phone: 201-743-9533
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Email: Li@mjwangmedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Sponsor:
Sillverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech, is headquartered in DC with satellite offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City.
What defines them? They are: Independent. Agile. Absolutely invested in their clients and their teams.
They are storytellers and connectors at heart, grounding programs with insights to achieve real business objectives and shape outcomes that influence markets and policy. They use every tool in the communication arsenal to translate complex ideas into breakthrough campaigns that drive stakeholder action. The team that gets it done? Silverline Communications. Strategic, smart professionals with unrivaled expertise in energy, policy and emerging technologies.
In short: They know their stuff.
They believe in what they do. They believe in what their clients do. When their clients succeed, the world is a better place.
To learn more about Silverline, go to teamsilverline.com. You can reach Silverline at 703-286-5500 or info@teamsilverline.com.
I interviewed Laura Taylor who is the CEO and Founder of Silverline Communications on Episode 59: Lessons Learned from Clean Energy Entrepreneur.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
This episode of Create Your Life Series will motivate you to make and keep your resolutions this year. Kevin talks with Benoy Thanjan, owner of Reneu Energy, about his path to entrepreneurship in the solar energy industry and his passion project, the Solar Maverick podcast. Benoy and Kevin look back on their journeys over the past year and discuss what it takes to be successful in entrepreneurship, podcasting, and life.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Kevin Y. Brown
Kevin Y. Brown is a National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Center For Public Trust (CPT) “Being A Difference” award recipient, international speaker, entrepreneur, and author. The former MTV Networks host and NYC fashion marketer has created an international following as a speaker on personal excellence, effective communication, and leadership. Kevin has been featured by Black Enterprise magazine as a “Modern Man of Distinction” and highlighted in various publications for his self-help speaking work and helping students graduate college debt-free. Recognized for his commitment to empowering foster care youth and as a foster care system alumnus, he has also delivered the keynote address at the International Foster Care Organizations Conference in Sydney, Australia, and Osaka, Japan. Kevin is currently the creator/host of Sirius XM’s “Create Your Life” series, a fellow in the New York Chapter of the Startup Leadership Program, and an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Reneu Energy, how the company became involved with Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and how states are employing them to incentivize solar development.
- How to create a more eco-friendly lifestyle on a daily basis and incorporate renewable energy into any household.
- Strategies on goal-setting, forming a work plan, and taking action steps to attain those goals.
- How to create a successful podcast in a niche market, facing challenges, and making your own opportunities.
- Details on how Benoy and Kevin became podcasters and what that process has taught them.
Quotes from the show:
- “My first background in energy was at Deloitte & Touch and then I knew that renewable energy sustainability was my passion.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- “There’s a lot of exciting things that are happening with the (renewable energy) industry, specifically related to solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On having a renewable lifestyle: “There’s the Three R’s that we could all incorporate into our whole lifestyle, which is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On what it takes to become an entrepreneur: “A lot of time, in pursuit of running your own company, it takes a while.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On entrepreneurship: “It’s not easy to just go (out) and then suddenly start a company and take that leap, it definitely takes time.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On attaining goals: “Every day I come up with a task list… of what are the biggest things that are going to move the needle to get me closer to my goals.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On making Solar Maverick: “It’s important to take the feedback that you get from the podcast but it’s also important to be what you wanted the show to be about.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On listening to Solar Maverick: “Solar is here to stay and it is something that is becoming bigger and bigger and more a part of our daily lives and with that, we need to be informed and that’s why I tune in to the Solar Maverick podcast” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On Kevin creating the Create Your Life Series: “It was being a professional speaker and I wanted a way to engage with my listeners and audience members on a continuous basis.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On what Kevin has learned through his guests on the Create Your Life Series: “You have to be bold and authentic and actually be doing what it is that aligns with you.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
Resources mentioned
Solar Maverick with Benoy Thanjan
Create Your Life Series: Episode 134 with Kevin Y. Brown
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan:
www.reneuenergy.com
www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
Kevin Y. Brown:
www.kevinybrown.com
www.instagram.com/kevinybrown
www.twitter.com/kevinybrown
www.facebook.com/kevbrown001
Create Your Life Series:
https://www.facebook.com/cylseries/
https://www.instagram.com/cylseries/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, google play, stitcher and www.createyourlifeseries.com/podcast
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Manish Nayar, the founder and managing partner of OYA Solar, shares his entrepreneurial experience and perspective with Benoy and discusses how a Canadian company made its home in the United States solar market. Whether you are in the research stage or a veteran business owner, this episode is a ray of light for solar entrepreneurs.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Manish Nayar
Manish Nayar is the founder and Managing Partner of OYA Solar. Manish has led the growth of the company and its resulting 1000MW+ North American development pipeline. Manish has developed, constructed or transacted on over 500MW of solar assets in the last 10 years. Prior to OYA, Manish was with the investment banking group at Merrill Lynch & Co. where he focused on corporate finance, M&A and restructuring of companies in the diversified industrials group. Prior to Merrill, he was CEO of Judricks Enterprises Ltd, a global tier 1 supplier of powertrain and transmission components to the automotive and heavy equipment industries. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management with majors in Analytical Finance and Strategy as well as a B.E.Sc in Computer Engineering and a B.Sc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Western Ontario. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on OYA Solar, the reason Manish founded the company, and what their plans are for future growth.
- Benefits of not having a government-sponsored Investment Tax Credit.
- Strategies for finding solar markets to focus on in the United States and where OYA Solar is developing projects.
- How development in community solar and utility-scale projects have matured.
- Benefits of extending access to the solar market to include low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities.
- How OYA Solar approaches different solar trends, including storage and electrification targets.
- Details on what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the solar industry and key traits that will help you succeed.
Quotes from the show:
- On switching from Canada to a United States solar market: “We foreshadowed that the market would slow down and ultimately close as the government incentives were starting to step down pretty drastically. That’s when we pivoted to the US [United States].” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On the Investment Tax Credit: “If we’re putting the economics aside, I think it would be more beneficial for us, as developers and owners, but perhaps less-attractive for tax-equity investors.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On OYA Solar’s projects in New York: “For us, we felt that size and the scale of the market were really attractive and we felt that we had a good differentiating factor in our development process.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “I think developers have gotten much better at anticipating the needs of the community and the stakeholders.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “It’s pretty amazing how the tenure [of solar contracts] has changed so quickly in such a short amount of time.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- On increasing solar access to the LMI [low-to-moderate income] community: “This is really democratizing solar for all of us and LMI [low-to-moderate income] is a key component to that so we think that we have to be part of the solution to solve it.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “You pretty much do everything.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- “Community solar projects represent more near-term development for us and we think we can add a lot of value on the utility side, as well.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On current trends in the solar market: “The biggest that we are seeing right now is storage. I really believe that storage prices are going to follow the same trend as module prices.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “This is all exciting stuff. It’s basically disruption of the traditional electricity industry and it sounds like you guys are in the forefront with doing solar and storage.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- “As an entrepreneur, you have a vision for what you want your company to be and for what you want to do and I think, regardless of what you hear from other people, if you’re really committed and dedicated to it, you’ll make it happen.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Manish Nayar
Email: manish.nayar@oyaventures.com
LinkedIn: Manish Nayar
Twitter: OYA Solar
Facebook: OYA Solar, Inc.
Website: https://oyaventures.com
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
They are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for them is not just a slogan, it’s what they practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick, Benoy asks Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser about why roofing and solar are important and how roof restoration with solar allow more rooftop solar projects to be constructed. This discussion is an in-depth look at what roof restoration entails, what makes a good solar platform, and how the cost-saving benefits will last well into the future.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Daryl Pilon
Daryl Pilon is the Director of Business Development for Standard Solar, a vertically integrated commercial and industrial EPC company, providing superior solar energy solutions since 2004. Their goal is to invest their capital in new projects and drive the solar industry forward. Daryl comes from a background in engineering and worked on roofing systems before joining Standard Solar three years ago.
Bob Burwasser
Bob Burwasser has been in the commercial roofing business for 29 years and Regional Technical Manager for Everest Systems Co. Everest Systems Co. boasts over 30 years experience in the roof coatings industry.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies for evaluating what projects make good candidates for rooftop solar installations. – Daryl
- Details on rooftop restoration versus roof replacement, what restoration entails, and how restoration helps to enable the solar industry. – Bob
- How Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) help non-profit organizations attain solar solutions.
- Benefits of restoration and incorporating roof restoration and solar installation simultaneously.
- How to match the solar array to the roof and ensure the installation does not void the roof warranty.
Quotes from the show:
- On SMP 11: The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions: “It was a very popular podcast. We actually got a lot of great feedback about the integration of roofing and solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69
- “What we try to avoid is roof replacement which gets extremely costly.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
- On the liquid material employed in roof restoration: “It was initiated as a material in the New York World’s Fair in 1964, GE Silicones - the inventor of silicone - showcased the product in Flushing, New York, it’s been used ever since and seems to be exploding recently in the roofing marketplace.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
- “We can do it very cost-effectively and quickly by incorporating [roofing and solar] simultaneously.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
- “I think there are many, many companies and many, many roofs out there that are great possibilities for roof restoration and solar.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
- On restoration and installation benefits: “It’s the two coming together in one solution in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that I think it’s a beautiful option for many clients.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
- On preparing roofs for solar: “I think a soft benchmark is 5 to 7 years old as a minimum, anything older than that and we would want to restore that roof and get them to a brand new 25-year warranty.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
- On roof replacement: “It’s a costly, time-consuming, disruptive procedure that has killed a lot of solar deals and that is something that, of course, we want to avoid, we want to enable more solar deals.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
- On roof restoration warranties: “You’re getting a superior warranty, you’re getting a superior product at a much lesser cost and when we incorporate that into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) it helps everybody.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
- “It really is the marriage of roofing and solar, the next level.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69
Resources Mentioned:
SMP 11: The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions with Benoy Thanjan, Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Daryl Pilon
Cell Phone: 347-633-2502
Email: daryl.pilon@standardsolar.com
Website: www.standarsolar.com
LinkedIn: Daryl Pilon
Bob Burwasser
Office Phone: 212-689-4440
Cell Phone: 917-287-4370
Email: bburwasser@everestsco.com
Website: https://www.everestsystemsco.com
LinkedIn: Bob Burwasser
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Jon Powers shares the origin story of CleanCapital and how they went from an idea to a start-up to a successful investment capital firm in clean energy. Jon discusses how CleanCapital studied what was working in other business sectors to create an internal technology platform to identify and acquire clean energy assets, underwrite them efficiently, and bring new capital into the clean energy market.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jon Powers
Jon leads corporate strategy, operations, investor relations, and marketing for CleanCapital. He is a clean energy and national security expert committed to making clean energy accessible to everyone.
Prior to joining CleanCapital, Jon led public sector business development at Bloom Energy. His passion for clean energy stems from his time serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq, where he learned how vital clean energy is in protecting America’s national security. He helped to revolutionize the U.S. Army’s energy program, first as Special Adviser for Energy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army and later as Director of Outreach for the Army’s Energy Initiatives Task Force. In 2012, Jon was appointed to the post of Federal Chief Sustainability Officer by President Obama. Jon is a graduate of John Carroll University and Johns Hopkins University.
He was named to Washington Life’s Top 25 Tech Leaders in D.C., 2016 and Renewable Energy World’s inaugural Solar 40 Under 40 list.
Insights from this episode:
- How to use technology to bring efficient solutions to the clean energy sector by analyzing what has worked in other industries such as real estate.
- How to create a technology platform that provides value, expedient execution, and workflow solutions.
- Strategies for managing challenges in entrepreneurship and creating a successful company.
- Details on how CleanCapital continues to make adjustments to their business model to open new opportunities for investment.
- Strategies for attracting investors that were not previously interested in the solar energy market.
- Details on the types of projects CleanCapital focuses on, what an ideal project looks like for them, and trends they are seeing in the solar financing industry.
- Details on Jon’s experience in the Army and how that led him into the clean energy sector, becoming a member of Operation Free and working for the White House under President Obama.
Quotes from the show:
- On working with partners in clean energy: “We don’t just acquire the assets, we actually stay in and actively manage them on behalf of our partners. What we’ve done really well, to date, is our ability to really efficiently and quickly underwrite and close deals.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- “We have a very clear underwriting process that’s enabled by technology so we are able to move as fast as the seller.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- “What is unique about our technology is that we didn’t try to overly engineer a perfect solution, we built what we needed to execute.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- “Technology aside, the thing we do best is just [having] a really great culture and great teammates that are mission-driven.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- On preferred projects: “We love to be able to do the transaction directly with the seller because it brings efficiency, it cuts out the middleman, and [the seller] can get more out of the deal when they are not paying an advisor.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- “The longer the contracted period, the better for the economics of the project.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #68
- “Our biggest strength is our ability to transact and to do it quickly.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- “It’s important to have a good reputation in [the clean energy investment] space because it’s not a huge market.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- On creating the Experts Only podcast: “What I wanted to focus on was the intersection of energy, innovation, and finance.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
- On how corporations are influencing the renewable energy market: “It’s interesting how [corporations] are actually creating opportunities and demanding access to renewable energy which is then allowing the states and utilities to change to be able to get that business.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #68
- On successful entrepreneurship: “Everything is going take way longer than you think it will, you can’t do it all yourself, you need to think about how to build-out a good team and be willing to follow the path that the market sends you on.” – Jon Powers, Episode #68
Resources Mentioned:
CleanCapital Experts Only podcast hosted by Jon Powers
SMP 14: How Institutional Investment Capital is Transforming the Renewable Energy Market with Thom Byrne with Benoy Thanjan and Thom Byrne
Operation Free is a coalition of veterans and national security experts who believe oil dependence and climate change pose threats to our national security and advocate for securing America with clean energy.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Jon Powers
LinkedIn: Jon Powers
Website: CleanCapital
Twitter: @CleanCapital_
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
They are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for them is not just a slogan, it’s what they practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Kushagra Nandan provides a unique international perspective on the solar industry that comes from his early days in the United States solar market, starting his company, SunSource, in India, and his experience working on over 300 solar projects across many countries throughout India, Asia, and Africa. While talking about his journey with SunSource, Kushagra gives an in-depth overview of the entire Indian solar market from its inception to its future.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Kushagra Nandan
As Co-Founder and President of SunSource, Kushagra has guided the company’s strategy, project execution, technology and engineering efforts, with a primary focus on client-specific solar solutions and international market development. He has played an active role in helping shape SunSource’s offerings for domestic and international markets. Kushagra has pioneered efforts towards providing end-to-end engineering solutions beginning from initial scoping and capacity building to actual project design, engineering, supervision, and construction. Kushagra is actively engaged in building the capability to handle a challenging portfolio of solar projects and focused on deeply entrenching the philosophy of minimizing the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).
Kushagra brings a vast amount of experience in leading teams that have developed, designed and installed multi-megawatt solar PV projects. Prior to SunSource, Kushagra worked with global solar majors including SunPower and GE. As one of the core members of the SunDurance Energy team, he led the technical group and helped grow the team and capability to develop, engineer-build projects ranging from 100’s kilowatt to multiple megawatts. Kushagra has also had roles at New Energy Options, Inc., AstroPower Inc. (currently GE Energy), and the Center for Sustainable Energy at the University of Massachusetts.
Kushagra holds a Master’s degree in Solar Energy Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology. Kushagra has also successfully completed a Solar PV Technology Assessment Certification from Florida Solar Energy Center & Villanova University along with Electrical Safety for Qualified Electrical Workers Certificate from Louisiana Tech University. He is a Lifetime Member of the Solar Energy Society of India and was a member of the interconnection group at the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Association to assist New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities to help define State’s solar policy implementation.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on SunSource, their future growth plans, and ownership targets that will allow further international expansion.
- Strategies for deciding what solar projects SunSource invests in and, more importantly, when and where to invest.
- Details on the similarities and differences between the solar markets in the United States and India.
- How to bring more solar projects into the Indian ecosystem to reduce the dependence on diesel fuel in the commercial/industrial market.
- The secret to generating repeat business and being a successful entrepreneur.
Quotes from the show:
- “Similar to the US [United States], every state here in India has its own regulatory guidelines even though there is a full perspective on the federal side.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- On working in the United States solar market: “Virtually in front of my eyes, I saw how the whole market started evolving and the financing started coming in.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- On the changing solar market in the United States: “I remember doing a 500-kilowatt project in 2005 (in) Atlantic City [New Jersey] and making the national news and now nobody talks about a 500-kilowatt project. Even a 500-megawatt project barely makes the news.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- “India, over the last so many years, has become one of the leading consumers of solar power.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- On solar trends in India: “What we are seeing, additionally, is now solar plus storage is starting is starting to take shape.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- “Your reputation is only as good as your last project, so you don’t take it easy, you keep on delivering.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- Benoy summarizing SunSource’s success: “The goal, eventually, was always to finance the projects and then once financing was available it seemed to really scale with the right partnerships and the right people.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #67
- On entrepreneurship: “It doesn’t matter if you win or if you lose, you definitely learn a lot.” – Kushagra Nandan, Episode #67
- On entrepreneurship: “Everyone should try it out. It’s an experience and you learn a lot from it because you’re required to wear a lot of different hats.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #67
- On the international solar market: “It’s still very early so there is plenty of opportunity, especially in the Indian market.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #67
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Kushagra Nandan
Email: knandan@sunsource-energy.com
LinkedIn: Kushagra Nandan
Website: sunsource-energy.com
Sponsor:
We would like to thank RadiantREIT for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
RadiantREIT is the first-ever investment trust to bring mortgage REITs to the solar energy market.
For the solar developers and EPC developers out there, financing with RadiantREIT’s solar mortgage REIT will transform how you think about the business of project development. With RadiantREIT financing, you can increase project cash flow and you can retain ownership of your projects.
The company’s cradle-to-grave financing package includes the entire capital stack. RadiantREIT arranges tax equity, 100% construction financing and up to 99% term financing at competitive rates with no upfront fees including legal and diligence!
Co-Founders Jim Spano and Jeff Just are solar and finance veterans who have brought together a team of experts to create and offer this innovative financing model enabling developers to capture the true value of their development. They are committed to addressing the financing gaps that exist in today’s market, especially for small and mid-sized developers. RadiantREIT will remove the stress of financing or refinancing, and allow you to maintain focus on your projects. Let them be your outsourced, structured finance department.
Visit www.radiantreit.com to learn more and to submit your expression of interest form today.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Rich Walsh shares his journey to founding Madison Energy Investments with his two other partners, why Madison Energy Investment focuses on the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) solar market, and their goal of owning solar projects in every state. The overall discussion is a very high-level look at trends in the solar industry, the complicated financing of solar projects, and where to continue to find value in solar sectors.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Richard Walsh
Rich oversees all activities relating to business development and strategy at Madison Energy Investments. This includes project origination, new market analysis and partner and customer relations. Rich spent 5 years at WGL Energy where he led business development activities related to solar. He originated over $300 million of projects across dozens of state markets with clients ranging from the federal government to professional sports teams. Rich also previously worked in renewable energy advisory with Sterling Planet. Rich currently serves as the US Representative for the World Energy Council’s future energy leaders programme. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Samford University.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on how Madison Energy Investments was founded, the partnerships they formed, and the role they play in the solar investment industry.
- How to differentiate your company using diversity, assuming risk, and adding value.
- Benefits of building strong, long-term relationships with developers of solar projects.
- Details on community solar projects and other solar programs across the United States that Madison Energy Investments is involved with.
- Secret to creating a strong business brand in a specialized market by identifying where that market has the most need.
- Benefits of creating many good partnership opportunities instead of focusing on only one large scale opportunity.
Quotes from the show:
- On the company motto Certainty, Speed, and Trust: “It’s to remind us that every time we introduce ourselves to someone we truly mean we are going to do exactly what we tell you we are going to do and we’re going to do it fast.” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- “The only way to get [larger scale projects] is to aggregate, the only way to aggregate is to have a team that understands what they’re doing, that has experience, and the only way to find the deals is to have long-term relationships.” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- On what makes Madison Energy Investments successful: “The whole key is being able to aggregate and manage assets effectively, which we have shown we can do both of those.” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- “We hope to be in every single state at some point and we will probably be in 20 by the end of next year (2020).” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- On the challenges faced by smaller solar energy firms: “It’s very difficult if you’re not one of these large energy companies that has a very experienced energy department, to understand the contracting [for solar financing]. It’s very difficult to get renewable energy.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #66
- On being in the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) market: “There is this massive disconnect, this massive gap between community solar and utility-scale [projects] that is rife with opportunity.” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- On the importance of diversified partnerships: “If you work with one partner and do one deal you’re losing money as the owner and operator.” – Richard Walsh, Episode #66
- “Always the first transaction is the hardest to close and then it becomes more scalable [with] more transactions.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #66
Resources Mentioned:
5 Observations on the Commercial Solar Market by Richard Walsh for GreenTechMedia
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
Transition Renewable Energy Credit Program (TREC)
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Richard Walsh
Email: rwalsh@madisonei.com
LinkedIn: Richard Walsh
Website: Madison Energy Investments
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Silverline Communications for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Sillverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech, is headquartered in DC with satellite offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City.
What defines them? They are: Independent. Agile. Absolutely invested in their clients and their teams.
They are storytellers and connectors at heart, grounding programs with insights to achieve real business objectives and shape outcomes that influence markets and policy. They use every tool in the communication arsenal to translate complex ideas into breakthrough campaigns that drive stakeholder action. The team that gets it done? Silverline Communications. Strategic, smart professionals with unrivaled expertise in energy, policy and emerging technologies.
In short: They know their stuff.
They believe in what they do. They believe in what their clients do. When their clients succeed, the world is a better place.
To learn more about Silverline, go to teamsilverline.com. You can reach Silverline at 703-286-5500 or info@teamsilverline.com.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, David Buckner recounts how and why he left the world of finance to start Solar Energy Systems, a full-service solar energy company that has become a leader in the Northeastern solar market. David and Benoy talk about specialization in the solar industry, how to grow as a company in an evolving industry, and what they both love about the solar market.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
David Buckner
As a founding member of Solar Energy Systems (SES), David has been with the company since its inception in 1998. His first two years building SES were spent after-hours “moonlighting” on his day job. He’d been a government bonds broker for a Wall Street brokerage firm and enjoyed most of it, but yearned for more diversity in his daily activity, including time outside, and he discovered he loved being up on the roofs. So he quit his Wall Street gig in 2000 to dedicate everything to SES.
Today as President, David does everything from meeting with clients and vendors to taking a delivery if no one is available or if he just needs some exercise. He thinks longevity in the solar industry is an asset: “I’ve seen many ups and downs as the industry has grown from a heavily subsidized start-up to what is increasingly becoming a mature space. I respect the effort it takes to organize people and get projects constructed. And I enjoy developing new opportunities, but it's really about executing for the clients who have already committed to working with us.” He believes that life is a team sport.
David has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Fordham University and is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). He was actually one of the first to take and pass the test back when NABCEP began testing in 2004.
David has 5 bikes and 4 BMX scooters — he likes to take clunkers and put minimal cost and effort into making them rideable.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Solar Energy Systems’ early decision to focus on the commercial/industrial sector of the solar energy industry over the residential solar energy sector.
- Details on the challenges of installing solar panels in New York City.
- How to determine good business opportunities for Solar Energy Systems and how they take advantage of those opportunities.
- Benefits of creating a business plan in the changing solar market that allows for adjustment and provides the most value.
- Strategies for becoming an entrepreneur in general and specific advice for gaining entry into the solar market.
Quotes from the show:
- On Solar Energy Systems’ decision to focus on commercial solar energy: “It just became more interesting and more fun for us to figure out how to do larger projects and work together as a small team.” – David Buckner, Episode #65
- “Our bread and butter is still the commercial rooftop, but we are moving a little bit into the larger ground mount [solar] sector as well.” – David Buckner, Episode #65
- “There’s a lot of challenges in New York City from a physical perspective, but there is as much support here as anywhere.” – David Buckner, Episode #65
- “There is so much opportunity in so many different [areas] now in the [solar] industry that you could focus on … it can be overwhelming.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #65
- On writing a business plan in an evolving solar industry: “Plans are made to be changed.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #65
- “That’s one thing I like about the [solar] industry, it’s growing and evolving.” – David Buckner, Episode #65
- David’s advice for solar entrepreneurs: “I think that you need to segment and specialize, whether that’s engineering, development, installation work, financing … everybody is trying to throw their money into [the solar] industry.” – David Buckner, Episode #65
- “What I love about the [solar] industry … is everything is changing so quickly and there is no typical day and it’s growing so exponentially. And it’s becoming more mature, but I think that we are still in the early stages of the solar industry.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #65
Resources Mentioned:
Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
Partnership Fund for New York City
City University of New York (CUNY)
Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
David Buckner
Email: info@solaresystems.com
LinkedIn: David Buckner
Website: Solar Energy Systems
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Nathan Vasher discusses how Extra Space Storage is one of the biggest corporate users of solar energy and how they plan to continue growing their solar deployment and also employing energy-conscious initiatives. Nathan also shares his path to solar, trends he’s excited about, and an energy future that looks very bright.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Vasher
Nathan Vasher is the Manager of Solar at Extra Space Storage, a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Standard & Poor 500 (S&P 500). It is a fully-integrated, self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust. Extra Space has properties in 40 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico, they own or operate over 1,800 stores comprising approximately 1.3 million units and 135 million square feet of rentable space. Extra Space has become one of the largest corporate users of solar energy according to rankings realized by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The trade group ranked Extra Space in tenth place in terms of the number of solar installations.
Nathan has 7 years of professional client-facing experience working with public sector, non-profit and international clients through all phases of organization development; providing strategy, performance management, measures development, process improvement, change management, training and business process design services. He has experience providing technical support to advance health programs in the area of supply chain management working in multiple countries including The Netherlands, South Africa, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire, and Switzerland.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Nathan’s role as Manager of Solar at Extra Space, the history of the company’s solar program strategy, and how that strategy has advanced over the years.
- How Extra Space determines what properties to install solar.
- How Extra Space runs RFP process with preferred vendors on properties to determine where to install solar.
- Why Extra Space has a preference toward owning the solar projects on their properties.
- How Nathan uses Extra Spaces’ past successes to guide where they invest in new solar properties.
- Strategies to plan for the future when you are dealing with older properties and the inevitable repairs they will need.
- Benefits of employing energy-saving initiatives including increased energy efficiency and cost-saving.
- Details on the step-down of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), how states are creating their own renewable energy incentives, and how that affects the viability of future solar development.
Quotes from the show:
- On the financial feasibility of solar projects: “That’s something that we are always looking at, how do we get the most value for the capital that we spend and solar, up to this point, has been a huge return on our investment.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- “Our wholly-owned [business] portfolio is really simple, if we see an opportunity to put solar on a property, we just move forward with it because we don’t need anyone’s permission.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- On creating partnerships to further the solar program at Extra Space: “We’re just in the nascent stages of really trying to figure out what is best for each of our partners and how we work together with them to do solar [projects].” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- On preparing for the future of older properties: “We plan that in some point in the life of the solar [installation], the roof is going to have to be fully replaced.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- On the biggest challenge of older properties: “Trying to find the right mix, on some of the older properties, of how we can really get the biggest bang for our buck without having to really bend over backward to configure the system.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- “One of the biggest challenges we have is getting the right-sized [solar] system for the property.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- “The biggest benefit to going solar is the cost savings of using solar and not having to pay [for energy].” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #64
- “We’re just going to keep going until we run out of roofs.” – Nathan Vasher, Episode #64
- “From where I sit, combining solar and storage is a huge opportunity … I think it’s going to be a trend, coupling power plus storage.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #64
Resources Mentioned:
Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
Request for Proposal RFP
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Sponsor:
We would like to thank RadiantREIT for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
RadiantREIT is the first-ever investment trust to bring mortgage REITs to the solar energy market.
For the solar developers and EPC developers out there, financing with RadiantREIT’s solar mortgage REIT will transform how you think about the business of project development. With RadiantREIT financing, you can increase project cash flow and you can retain ownership of your projects.
The company’s cradle-to-grave financing package includes the entire capital stack. RadiantREIT arranges tax equity, 100% construction financing and up to 99% term financing at competitive rates with no upfront fees including legal and diligence!
Co-Founders Jim Spano and Jeff Just are solar and finance veterans who have brought together a team of experts to create and offer this innovative financing model enabling developers to capture the true value of their development. They are committed to addressing the financing gaps that exist in today’s market, especially for small and mid-sized developers. RadiantREIT will remove the stress of financing or refinancing, and allow you to maintain focus on your projects. Let them be your outsourced, structured finance department.
Visit www.radiantreit.com to learn more and to submit your expression of interest form today.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Vasher
Email: nvasher@extraspace.com
LinkedIn: Nathan Vasher
Website: Extra Space Storage
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy and Li look into the future and define trends in solar energy. Community Solar Programs will continue to rise in popularity along with energy storage and favorable state level renewable energy legislation. Benoy and Li conclude the interview with a personal look toward 2020 and how they stay focused and mindful throughout the year.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- Benefits from the cultural shift of society regarding renewable energy and climate change that is emerging.
- Defining the Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) and a how that is allowing significant development of solar
- Details on the risks associated with corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and opportunities that will exist in the future for smaller companies.
- Benefits of incentive programs and how they can help produce more solar energy.
- Details on Green Tariff Programs that utility companies offer customers the ability to purchase green energy.
- Benefits of using bifacial solar modules
- How tariffs on solar panels impacted the solar market.
- Benoy and Li speak about mindfulness and mediation to help achieve their resolutions throughout the year.
Quotes from the show:
- “What we see is that it’s really big companies are taking advantage of the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) but we think there will be an opportunity for mid-size and smaller commercial and industrial [companies].” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #63
- On state solar programs and legislature: “There seems to be a focus on incentives to produce more solar energy.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #63
- “With all these states taking leadership in this position [on incentives] it’s going to lift up the entire industry just by mandating certain standards.” – Li Wang, Episode #63
- “There’s a lot of incentives in the pipeline to develop solar [energy] and [energy] storage, both stand-alone and together.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #63
- On Green Tariff Programs: “For small and mid-size businesses it could be an opportunity for them [to reach] their renewable energy goals.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #63
- “Politics do matter as far as how the policies reflect the industry, the Trump administration has not been supportive … on their attitudes toward policies that help renewable [energy]. ” – Li Wang, Episode #63
- “If you look at state legislation, a lot of states have really been aggressive with passing incentives because the federal government hasn’t passed any new incentives.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #63
- “What I have learned, through meditation, is that you can train your mind to become more present.” – Li Wang, Episode #63
Podcasts Mentioned:
Episode 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics - with Benoy Thanjan and Nathan Jovanelly
Resources Mentioned:
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs)
Solar Energy Industries Association
Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Radiant REIT for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
RadiantREIT is the first-ever investment trust to bring mortgage REITs to the solar energy market.
For the solar developers and EPC developers out there, financing with RadiantREIT’s solar mortgage REIT will transform how you think about the business of project development. With RadiantREIT financing, you can increase project cash flow and you can retain ownership of your projects.
The company’s cradle-to-grave financing package includes the entire capital stack. RadiantREIT arranges tax equity, 100% construction financing and up to 99% term financing at competitive rates with no upfront fees including legal and diligence!
Co-Founders Jim Spano and Jeff Just are solar and finance veterans who have brought together a team of experts to create and offer this innovative financing model enabling developers to capture the true value of their development. They are committed to addressing the financing gaps that exist in today’s market, especially for small and mid-sized developers. RadiantREIT will remove the stress of financing or refinancing, and allow you to maintain focus on your projects. Let them be your outsourced, structured finance department.
Visit www.radiantreit.com to learn more and to submit your expression of interest form today.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
This episode of Solar Maverick Podcast is a live panel discussion from the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar held in Dallas, Texas from October 2019. Lisa Brown from Johnson Controls, Susan Nickey from Hannon Armstrong, Benoy Thanjan from Reneu Energy and Todd Samson from Deloitte & Touche participated in a panel discussion on the role of renewable energy in real estate.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown joined Johnson Controls in 2003. As national director for municipal infrastructure and smart cities, Lisa is responsible for the growth of the local government market in North America, including the development of strategies, offerings, and innovations for local government service and systems markets. In 2015, Lisa created Johnson Controls' local government urban growth initiative, which combines smart city solutions with community outreach and workforce enhancement for midsize to large municipal customers. Lisa is consistently sought out to deliver keynote presentations and participate on smart city and IoT panels to discuss how data can assist cities to become "smarter" and its relation to climate resiliency, smart infrastructure, and economic growth.
Lisa was recently nominated to join the Women of Municipal Government committee for the National League of Cities and the Smart Communities Advisory board for the International City Managers Association. For the past three years, she has been the leader of the East Region Women's Resource Network of Johnson Controls and served as a global ambassador for International Women's Day. Lisa served 15 years with the Junior League of Montclair-Newark, four of those years as director of community development and outreach in Newark, New Jersey. Lisa currently is a board member of the Rumson-Fair Haven Education Foundation. In 2016, she was honored as a NY Women of Valor and received the Humanitarian Award from St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, which support 1.5 million food-disadvantaged New Yorkers annually.
Susan Nickey
Susan Nickey is a Managing Director at Hannon Armstrong, a leading provider of debt and equity financing to the energy efficiency and renewable energy markets. Susan has over 25 years of executive leadership in the energy and finance sectors. She has focused her efforts on proving that creative solutions and innovation can make the production of clean energy more profitable, competitive, affordable and mainstream. Most recently, she founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of Threshold Power. Prior to working at Threshold, she served as Chief Financial Officer at ACCIONA Energy North America. She was named one of Women’s eNews’ 21 Leaders for the 21st Century for her leadership in sustainable development. Susan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.
Todd Samson
Todd Samson is a Certified Public Accountant and Tax Partner with Deloitte & Touche in the greater Chicago area. Todd was the moderator for the Impact of Renewable Energy on the Future of Real Estate at the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar in 2019 and has presented about renewable energy at the Deloitte 2017 Power & Utilities Fall Seminar. He graduated from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in 2003 with a master's degree in business and a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on how the role of renewable energy has changed and grown over the past several years and the future role renewables will play in the real estate market.
- Details on what is driving interest in renewable energy such as sustainability and concern for climate change.
- Strategies for addressing and overcoming concerns from government agencies regarding the implementation of renewable energy sources.
- How software will be very important to monetize different energy technologies and storage through for example resiliency and demand reduction.
- Strategies municipalities are employing to create new revenue streams and monetize the renewable energy market.
- Details on where the most significant opportunities exist in real estate in regards to renewable energy.
- How to overcome the challenges of financing renewables in real estate.
- Details on the United States renewable energy market versus the international renewable energy market and where innovation is going to come from in the future.
Quotes from the show:
- On the mission of Johnson Controls: “Building renewables into the fabric of our overall holistic projects is definitely a priority for us and we help owners and building developers really pivot toward being more environmentally conscious.” – Lisa Brown, Episode #62
- “Renewables are converging with energy efficiency and other technologies which is exciting to see.” – Susan Nickey, Episode #62
- On solar power: “As a technology, people have gotten very comfortable with it in a very short period of time … so the conversations are a lot easier than they were.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #62
- On people and businesses moving and working in urban areas: “They are demanding, as part of the mandate when they move in, that they need green [renewable energy] and that they are willing to pay higher for it.” – Lisa Brown, Episode #62
- “The world is watching what North America is doing so developers and municipal leaders … need to be progressive in order to survive.” – Lisa Brown, Episode #62
- “Corporations have been the big drivers and they are forcing cities and states to open up the market to renewable energy.” – Susan Nickey, Episode #62
- “It is very difficult for America, at least for the states, to be able to do sweeping innovation (across) the entire United States because we all adhere to different rules and different forms of government.” – Lisa Brown, Episode #62
Resources Mentioned:
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: Reneu Energy
Lisa Brown
LinkedIn: Lisa Brown
Website: Johnson Controls
Susan Nickey
LinkedIn: Susan Nickey
Website: Hannon Armstrong
Todd Samson
LinkedIn: Todd Samson
Website: Deloitte LLP
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
On this special episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy is a guest on The Formula with Timothy Roman. Benoy divulges his criteria for investing in different ventures, how he interacts with the companies he’s invested into, and how the movie Back to the Future influenced one of the companies he’s currently working with. Also discussed is the importance of networking, podcasting, and personal branding and Benoy reveals his favorite television show.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Timothy Roman
Timothy Roman is the founder and CEO of Roman Media Group, a passionate team of young entrepreneurs with a proven track record for helping businesses get from zero to 7 figures 100% on the backbone of digital marketing. He was featured in Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too by Gary Vaynerchuk. Tim recently began his podcast The Formula where everyone from real estate titans to self-made entrepreneurs share their formula for success.
Insights from this episode:
- Details of Benoy’s progression into entrepreneurship and his interest in renewable energy.
- Strategies on how Benoy chooses what projects to invest in and the various roles he plays in each investment.
- How to determine if an investment is right for you and how to develop the ability to say no.
- Benefits yielded from networking, how that leads to new opportunities, and the synergy created between different investments.
- How to employ personal branding for product development and the impact video marketing can make.
Quotes from the show:
- On what it takes for Benoy to invest: “If you can trust the person, you can see their vision, you can see examples of that (vision) and them having a track record of success.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- “I see so many business opportunities now because I have invested in several businesses and I would say 97% I say no to because it’s not the right opportunity.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- “The restaurant industry is a lot harder than I ever imagined it to be.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- On technology and Reneu Energy: “We are probably very tech-savvy for a solar energy company. We take a lot of things that we’ve learned from other industries and incorporate it.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- “The network of people is important. It’s all about who you know.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- “I learn from the entrepreneurs that I’m working with. I’m learning about other industries and I’m incorporating some of the things I see into my own business.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- The question Benoy starts his day with: “What are the things that are going to move the needle?” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- “If I’m investing money into a business, I’m already accepting that I might not get that money back.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- On determining a good opportunity: “I’m all about being direct, transparent, honest. There are certain values I’m trying to look for.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
- On accelerator programs: “I’ve always been extremely curious about the atmosphere … it sounds like it not only creates amazing network opportunities, it’s also educated a lot [of people].” – Timothy Roman, Episode #61
- On evolving marketing techniques: “Written word has obviously taken the back seat a little bit, which is Search Engine Optimization ("SEO"), blogs, and things like that, but video and audio [formats] are the dominant ones.” – Timothy Roman, Episode #61
- “I think everything is about building the personal brand. People want to see a face that they trust.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #61
Resources Mentioned:
Startup Leadership Program
Podcasts mentioned:
Create Your Life Series by Kevin Y. Brown
The School of Greatness by Lewis Howe
SMP 32: The New Jersey Solar Market with Benoy Thanjan and Suzanne Waters
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Timothy Roman
LinkedIn: Timothy Roman
Website: Roman Media Group
Podcast: The Formula
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode Benoy Thanjan, Patrick Morand, and Victoria Zelin present about Developing Renewable Energy In Opportunity Zones at the Opportunity Zone Bootcamp hosted by Brownfield Listing Event in NJ in October 2019. Benoy presents a high-level recap of current federal solar incentive programs and the NJ solar market. Patrick provides details on qualified opportunity zones investments and outlines project financing for solar investments. Victoria gives an in-depth overview on the success of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program financing in the renewable energy market.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Patrick Morand
Patrick practices in the area of energy regulatory law and renewable energy development. Mr. Morand counsels energy clients, including electric utilities, electric distribution companies, regional transmission organizations (RTOs), renewable energy developers, and financial institutions before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state public utility commissions and other federal and state agencies. Mr. Morand has extensive experience in a wide range of energy regulatory matters involving the Federal Power Act (FPA), Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) and Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005). Mr. Morand also counsels clients in the development of power purchase agreements (PPA); engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreements; interconnection agreements; and other project development agreements.
Mr. Morand is a graduate of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, and a graduate of Michigan State University.
Victoria Zelin
Victoria is the Co-Founder of the Center for Regenerative Community Solutions (CRCS) and Director of Development for New Jersey PACE (NJPACE). She speaks publicly and has been published on the subject of sustainability; “Who Will Be the Rock Stars of Corporate Sustainability?” Science, Wisdom, and the Future: Humanity’s Quest for a Flourishing Earth, Collins Foundation Press, 2012.
Most recently, she sold Deloitte’s sustainability consulting services to major corporations. Previously, she sold organizational change consulting services to F500 companies. She is masterful at getting to the heart of the issue, articulating a compelling case for change, and inspiring people to take action. Earlier, she co-founded the Sustainable Leadership Forum, a peer network in Central NJ that empowers people in their own sustainability initiatives.
Victoria has an MBA from Yale’s School of Management with a specialization in organizational development and a BA in cultural anthropology from Duke University.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Benoy's start in the solar industry, his role within Reneu Energy, and what types of projects Reneu Energy is working on.
- Benefits of current and upcoming solar incentive programs in NJ and the growth of community solar.
- Detailed overview on the solar industry, changes that are taking place, and the future of renewable energy.
- Benefits of qualified opportunity zone business.
- Details on safe harboring of solar panels to qualify for the 30 percent ITC.
- Details on how to structure tax benefits in the solar market.
- Benefits of using a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to fill in gaps in solar project financing.
- Strategies on employing a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) in a qualified opportunity zone.
- Details on alternatives in states that do not offer Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing.
- Benefits to property owners when they employ Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing.
Quotes from the show:
- On the Investment Tax Credit (ITC): “It’s very difficult, actually, to find solar panels because people are actually using that 5% harboring (of the Investment Tax Credit) for panels.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #60
- On state level incentives in New Jersey: “The great thing about New Jersey is that it has very high electricity costs … but it also has a very strong state-level incentive, the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC).” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #60
- On safe harbors in qualified opportunity zones: “There’s something very critical to developing a renewable energy project … in particular a community solar project, that is helped by (those) safe harbors.” – Patrick Morand, Episode #60
- On Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing: “It’s really low-cost, long-term financing that is for renewables, energy efficiency, and in some states, resiliency.” – Victoria Zelin, Episode #60
Resources Mentioned:
Opportunity Zone Boot Camp on Oct 2019 in NJ
New Jersey Clean Energy Program
Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Solar Energy Renewable Credit (SREC)
New Jersey Property Assessed Clean Energy
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
Sponsor:
We would like to thank our sponsor for this podcast episode Infiniti Energy Services.
Infiniti Energy Services is a turn key solar development company with the focus on origination of opportunities between Maine and Virginia. They use their ability to structure financing and EPC projects as a value add with their partners. To learn more about Infiniti go to their web-site www.infinitienergyservices.net or contact Tom Loredo- Director of Project Origination at 732-370-2446
We interviewed Michael Kushner who is the President at Infiniti Energy Services on Episode 49 of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Patrick Morand
LinkedIn: Patrick Morand
Website: Duane Morris LLP
Email: PLMorand@duanemorris.com
Victoria Zelin
LinkedIn: Victoria Zelin
Website: NJPace
Twitter: @VictoriaZelin
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
We released today Solar Maverick Podcast-Episode 59: Lessons Learned from Clean Energy Entrepreneur Laura Taylor, CEO and Founder of Silverline Communications. Laura Taylor discusses the journey over the last ten years of her company, Silverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech. She also shares her perspectives on the importance of mentorship and diversity within the clean energy market, and why public relations and branding is vitally important for the renewable energy industry. Laura also talks about The Cleanie Awards, the first-of-its-kind industry award designed to recognize innovators in the clean energy community.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Laura Taylor
Laura Taylor is Founder and CEO of Silverline Communications, a nimble, full-service integrated communications agency uniquely focused on the B2B technology sector. As CEO of Silverline, Laura counsels a wide portfolio of enterprises, crafting impactful communications programs tailored to engage and influence key stakeholders and ultimately, drive measurable growth.
Previous to Silverline, Laura co-founded and led global and national practice areas and served in management roles with regional high-growth ventures, accumulating over $1 billion in funding. During her tenure at Edelman, she was a founding leader of the agency’s award-winning global clean technology practice. In three short years, Laura led a team that grew the division from zero to a multi-million-dollar, international practice. A few years later, Laura built a clean technology division for Omnicom from the ground up. After establishing programs at the world’s largest and most prestigious public relations agencies, she founded Silverline Communications in 2009.
In addition to leading Silverline, Laura continues to innovate and seek opportunities to contribute to the clean energy sector. After realizing a severe shortage of clean tech industry award recognition, Laura launched The Cleanie Awards® in 2018 to highlight notable individuals and companies in the industry. She is a frequent Forbes contributor and serves as Chairwoman on myriad Boards, including Potential Energy DC, CleanTech Open Southeast, and Solas Nua Theatre Company. Past speaking engagements include the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit and the Energy Storage Annual Conference and Expo.
Insights from this episode:
- Details of Laura’s passion to be an entrepreneur and how optimism has shaped her journey.
- Benefits of being a mentor and making an impact in the lives of other entrepreneurs.
- Strategies Laura employed to win support for Silverline Communications in the company’s early days.
- How to brand companies as they mature in the clean technology market by changing focus and visibility.
- Secrets to successful branding, including marketing and production.
- Details on how The Cleanie Awards grew to become one of the most prestigious awards in renewable energy.
Quotes from the show:
- “If you think about the what ifs too long, you’re just going to sit in the corner, you’re never going to get it (your goals) done.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- “I'm an external optimist who doesn't dwell on failure. We plan for it, but we don't dwell on it.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- ”I feel like very successful people are able to learn from failure and then adjust and adapt.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59
- On the expansion of the solar market: “Everything is changing so quickly, and it is so globalized, there’s no real borders or boundaries.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59
- On being a mentor: “I’m very interested in women and making sure that women feel supported within the clean energy community and outside of the clean energy community.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- On working with clients over time: “It is so wonderful to see them (now) engaging in the Wall Street aspect, in the finance aspect.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- On the urgent need to combat climate change: “How do we work within this global economy to keep things churning and not burning?” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- “Personal branding is very important and people really want to see and listen to the people they are doing business with.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59
- “I think the Midwest (United States), for renewable energy, is one of the next big markets.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59
- “That’s us (Silverline Communications) in a nutshell: just tech geeks.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
- On accomplishment: “You never say never … there’s always a little twist on the adventure.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59
Resources Mentioned:
The Cleanie Awards
After noticing there was a severe shortage of industry recognition honoring the efforts of those making a positive impact, The Cleanie Awards was established to amplify innovation stories in cleantech and shine a spotlight on funders to global market movers shaping the industry.
Sponsorship Information:
We would like to thank Silverline Communications for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.
Sillverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech, is headquartered in DC with satellite offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City.
What defines them? They are: Independent. Agile. Absolutely invested in their clients and their teams.
They are storytellers and connectors at heart, grounding programs with insights to achieve real business objectives and shape outcomes that influence markets and policy. They use every tool in the communication arsenal to translate complex ideas into breakthrough campaigns that drive stakeholder action. The team that gets it done? Silverline Communications. Strategic, smart professionals with unrivaled expertise in energy, policy and emerging technologies.
In short: They know their stuff.
They believe in what they do. They believe in what their clients do. When their clients succeed, the world is a better place.
To learn more about Silverline, go to teamsilverline.com. You can reach Silverline at 703-286-5500 or info@teamsilverline.com.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Laura Taylor
LinkedIn: Laura Taylor
Website: Team Silverline Communications
Twitter: @SilverlineComms
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Nathan Jovanelly of IGS Solar, solar expert and thought leader, discusses his passion for bringing renewable energy to the low-to-moderate income (LMI) residential market, solar projects for non-profit organizations, and whether new legislation to keep the Solar Investment Tax Credit("ITC") at 30 percent will be passed. Nathan talks in detail about the benefits of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), along with solar battery inverters, and all things solar.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is the Director of Business Development with IGS Solar and a thought leader in the solar industry. As an intrapreneur, Nate assisted with launching IGS Solar for both residential and commercial customers. IGS Solar started in 2014 has developed, owns, and operates more than 115MW of solar with another 25MW in construction. IGS Solar operates in 19 states, and has a booming residential division with more than 7,000 customers. In just a few short years IGS has become the 5th Largest Solar Developer based on 2017 data from GreenTech Media.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Nathan’s mission within IGS Solar and his focus on low-to-moderate income (LMI) customers.
- Benefits of the cultural change happening in America in regards to how renewable energy is now viewed as a more viable energy option.
- Strategies used by non-profit organizations that allow them to use the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and how the credit may also be applied to energy storage.
- Details on financing solar projects in the low-to-moderate income (LMI) market.
- Benefits of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the different ways they can be employed by business and residential consumers.
- Benefits of solar batteries and energy storage and the introduction of inverters to the renewable energy storage market.
- Details on what Nathan views as upcoming major trends in the solar industry.
Quotes from the show:
- “I believe that the next generation wants renewable energy, I think they are demanding renewable energy.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- “We have this huge thermonuclear reactor in the sky that gives us all the power we could ever need and all we have to do is tap into that and we could start solving energy problems globally.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- On the benefits of using Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): “The appeal of the lease is that you have a flat payment.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- “I really think solar plus storage is going to be such a great innovation within the (solar) industry.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #58
- “Solar, to me, is a standard asset and very easy to understand, but once you couple it with storage, it takes it to another level and we are going to see a huge proliferation of solar plus storage in the near future.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #58
- One of Nathan’s favorite quotes (by Winston Churchill): “The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, while an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- “If you really believe in something, to you it’s real. It’s tangible, you can feel it, you know it.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- On what it takes for someone to be successful: “Finding what your passion is, the value add, focusing on your strengths and just being tenacious. Taking the road less travelled.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
- From the podcast Good by Jocko Willink: “Anything bad that happens in your life, there’s always good that comes from it … because you’re going to be put in a situation where you have to adapt.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #58
- On being mindful in your life: “What we really only can control is the present. We can’t change what happened in the past, we can’t do anything about the future.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #58
- “Success is the interest of hard work.” – Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #58
Podcasts Mentioned:
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS with Benoy Thanjan and Nathan Jovanelly
Good by Jocko Willink
Resources Mentioned:
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
Website: IGS Solar
LinkedIn: Nathan Jovanelly, PE
Twitter: @NateJov
Email: Nathan.Jovanelly@igs.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy shares what he learned from the Solar Power International conference, including solar trends, other speakers he met, and what the conference will be like in 2020. Benoy talks about other conferences, past and present, he has been involved with and Benoy and Li also touch on how politics affects renewable energy projects, how legislation is affecting the outlook for solar, and how other countries treat renewable energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter, to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- Benefits of attending the Solar Power International conference and how it has changed over the years Benoy has been attending.
- Details on the step-down of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and how that is affecting solar investments.
- Strategies for people who plan to attend the Solar Power International conference to allow them to have a better experience.
- Details on other conferences relating to solar power and renewable energy and the Reneu Energy holiday party.
- Strategies for people interested in investing in the hospitality industry.
Quotes from the show:
- “Don’t let what you can’t control affect you, only focus on what you can control.” – Li Wang, Episode #57
- “When you go to other countries, their energy policy is on a national basis, but in the US (United States) it’s different. It’s actually a state-by-state basis.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #57
- “One of the reasons I got excited about solar was that it could make the United States energy independent with renewable energy resources.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #57
- On the outlook for solar: “Yes there’s challenges, but the industry has always been creative and unique to figure out how to be competitive.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #57
- “The hospitality industry is a very competitive industry.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #57
- Benoy’s advice on business investing: “The first thing is about trusting the partners that you’re either working with or investing with.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #57
Podcasts Mentioned:
SMP 45: Productivity Tips and Entrepreneurial Advice from the CEO and Founder of the Number 1 Millennial Platform Called Mogul with Benoy Thanjan and Tiffany Pham
SMP 44: Community Solar 201 With Benoy Thanjan and Suzanne Waters
Resources Mentioned:
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Conferences Mentioned:
Reneu Energy Holiday Party
The Reneu Energy Holiday Party will be on Thursday, Dec. 5th from 6pm to 9pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City. We will also be celebrating the holidays and the 50th episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast which is one of the most popular podcasts in solar. The cost to attend the event is $10 and food will be served.
Reneu Energy's CEO Benoy is also a co-owner of the event venue, Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse.
Solar Power International Conference
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
Mogul X Conference
Opportunity Zone Boot Camp & Pitch Competition - Newark, New Jersey October 17
National Brownfields Conference Coming to Los Angeles, California December 11-13
Sponsor:
We would like to thank our sponsor for this podcast episode Infiniti Energy Services.
Infinity Energy Services is a turn key solar development company with the focus on origination of opportunities between Maine and Virginia. They use their ability to structure financing and EPC projects as a value add with their partners. To learn more about Infiniti go to their web-site www.infinitienergyservices.net or contact Tom Loredo- Director of Project Origination 732-370-2446
We interviewed Michael Kushner who is the President at Infiniti Energy Services on Episode 49 of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and Suzanne celebrate Suzanne’s 10th podcast episode with the Solar Maverick Podcast and talk about the upcoming Reneu Energy Holiday Party. They also update us on the New Jersey Community Solar Pilot Program and recap some previous Solar Maverick podcasts before covering energy consumed by cannabis grow facilities and the inevitable inclusion of renewable energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with an unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on what it is like to be on a podcast, upcoming Solar Maverick podcasts, and what to expect from Solar Maverick in the future.
- Strategies on applying for the New Jersey Community Solar Pilot Program.
- Benefits of sophisticated grow facilities and how they work.
- Details on specific energy usage of cannabis cultivation.
- Benefits of the integration of two growing industries, solar and cannabis.
Quotes from the show:
- On the cannabis industry: “It’s a huge growth area in the solar industry, especially as cannabis gets legalized in more and more states throughout the United States.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #55
- The way that Reneu Energy is different from other developers: “ We believe that solar is not the only solution. That it is a multi-prong solution.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #55
- On indoor grow facilities: “You know you’re yielding a better product which will give you better revenue.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #55
- “Most people in the cannabis industry are about, obviously, using less electricity and, obviously, renewable forms of electricity.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #55
- On Benoy touring MMD Shops: “It sounds very intricate, actually. I feel like there’s a lot of details behind-the-scenes that you don’t realize go into actually growing the plants.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #55
- “I’m still stuck on the amount of power that goes into running these facilities.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #55
- “It will just be interesting to see how these industries, solar and cannabis, … it will be interesting to see how they grow and progress, complimenting one another.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #55
- On the outlook of solar and cannabis industries: “Both industries are growing exponentially and both will be growing for a very long time.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #55
Podcasts Mentioned:
SMP 42: Live Event - How Solar Technology is Changing the World
SMP 45: Productivity Tips and Entrepreneurial Advice from the CEO and Founder of the Number 1 Millennial Platform Called Mogul with Benoy Thanjan and Tiffany Pham
Resources Mentioned:
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC)
Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA)
Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association (MSSIA)
Can solar help the legal marijuana growing industry? by Kelly Pickerel - Solar Power World Online
Greentours.com
Can solar help the legal marijuana growing industry? by Benoy Thanjan - Solar World Online
Achieving Affordable, Clean Energy Goals Through Off-Site Corporate PPAs - Renewable Energy World by Benoy Thanjan - Renewable Energy World
'A model of sustainable commerce': carbon footprint, grid concerns push SoCal weed industry to be more green by Melissa Daniels - Desert Sun
Conferences Mentioned:
Reneu Energy Holiday Party
The Reneu Energy Holiday Party will be on Thursday, Dec. 5th from 6 pm to 9 pm at Hudson Hall in Jersey City. We will also be celebrating the holidays and the 50th episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast which is one of the most popular podcasts in solar. The cost to attend the event is $10 and food will be served.
Reneu Energy's CEO Benoy is also a co-owner of the event venue, Hudson Hall, a Czech biergarten and smokehouse.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn:Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Suzanne Waters
Email: suzanne@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Suzanne Waters
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Sponsor:
We would like to thank our sponsor for this podcast episode Infiniti Energy Services.
Infinity Energy Services is a turn key solar development company with the focus on origination of opportunities between Maine and Virginia. They use their ability to structure financing and EPC projects as a value add with their partners. To learn more about Infiniti go to their web-site www.infinitienergyservices.net or contact Tom Loredo- Director of Project Origination 732-370-2446
We interviewed Michael Kushner who is the President at Infiniti Energy Services on Episode 49 of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode Benoy is speaking with Mishka and Steve Ashbel, brothers and owners of MMD Shops of California, on the intricacies of entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry, the important role passion plays in growing your business, and the future of the cannabis industry across the country. They discuss the power consumption of cannabis cultivation, how that growing industry will create an opportunity in renewable energy, and the inevitable integration of solar and cannabis industries.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Mishka and Steve Ashbel
MMD owners and brothers, Steve and Mishka Ashbel, opened their first medical marijuana dispensary in North Hollywood, California in 2006, and have been at the forefront for advocating for safe and legal access to cannabis for over a decade.
They currently have four shops in California and are a leading resource for cannabis entrepreneurship across the country. They are currently pursuing the idea of taking MMD Shops public.
Insights from this episode:
- The origins of MMD Shops and entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry, including licensing and legal challenges.
- A brief history of legal cannabis and the issues early cannabis entrepreneurs faced paving the way for a new and growing industry.
- How the continued normalization of cannabis will affect the landscape of retail competition.
- The energy consumption involved in cannabis cultivation and the role of solar power and renewable energy will play in replacing traditional power sources.
- How the thriving cannabis industry will create an increased demand for solar power and lead to an integration of profitable, growing industries.
Quotes from the show:
- On solar power in the cannabis industry: “...they are inevitably bound to make a marriage together, that’s going to happen.” – Mishka Ashbel, SMP #54
- “It is becoming such a big and real industry that it’s not just for people who love consuming cannabis, it is developing as an industry” – Steve Ashbel, SMP #54
- On discussing partnerships in new cannabis markets: “If it happens to be that somebody, in wherever they’re listening, and cannabis is new and emerging and they are looking for a strategic partner that has license operational experience, we are very much open to those discussions.” – Mishka Ashbel, SMP #54
- “The right to choose your health and wellness and what you put into your body is incredibly important and we’re incredibly passionate about that.” – Mishka Ashbel, SMP #54
- On using cannabis to alleviate illness symptoms: “We never say it’s a cure. We say it’s about the quality of life.” – Mishka Ashbel, SMP #54
- “We very much encourage that everybody get into the licensed cannabis space. Don’t go into the illegal trade. Those days are over. We need to move on and turn this into an industry. It needs to be taxed, it needs to be regulated.” – Mishka Ashbel, SMP #54
- On the normalization of cannabis: “We are not competing with other cannabis retailers, we are competing with Starbucks.” – Steve Ashbel, SMP #54
- “I think a lot of people are scared of failure, but failure is the best teacher in life. That’s where you learn to adapt.” – Benoy Thanjan, SMP #54
- “Cannabis producers use way too much energy; it’s not efficient, it’s not efficient at all.” – Mishika Ashbel, SMP #54
Podcasts Mentioned:
Tiffany Pham
SMP 45: Productivity Tips and Entrepreneurial Advice from the CEO and Founder of the Number 1 Millennial Platform Called Mogul with Benoy Thanjan and Tiffany Pham
Event Announced:
Reneu Energy Holiday Party Resources Mentioned:
Interim Control Ordinances (ICOs)
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Mishka and Steve Ashbel
Website: MMD Shops
Instagram: MMD Long Beach
LinkedIn: Mishka Ashbel
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
For the first time on the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy is discussing permitting in the solar industry with Allison Rohrs while at the Solar Power International Conference ("SPI"). They delve into the details of the process of permitting, why permitting is necessary, and possible problems that might interfere with permitting.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Allison Rohrs
Allison Rohrs has joined SWCA’s Pittsburgh office as Senior Renewable Energy Project Manager, contributing to the continuing development of SWCA’s work in renewable energy throughout the central and eastern U.S. Allison joins SWCA from the Saint Francis University Institute for Energy, where she was the Executive Director for nearly seven years, overseeing a wide range of energy related initiatives in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Her unique and diverse work experience spans operations and maintenance of electric (wind) generators, renewable energy site development, energy policy research, and community outreach.
Allison has well established relationships with renewable energy developers, investors, manufacturers, policy makers, and other key stakeholders. She studied Environmental Science at the University of Colorado and received her master’s degree in Energy and Mineral Engineering from Penn State. Allison is also a Certified Energy Manager by the Association of Energy Engineers.
Insights from this episode:
- What permitting is and why it is important for the solar industry.
- The possible effects of energy projects on cultural and natural resources through Critical Impact Assessment ("CIA").
- The specifics of types of permitting required and how they can be impacted by different factors.
- The benefits of applying for applications early and having a plan of action for your project.
- How solar projects can be affected because of regulations varying from state to state.
Quotes from the show:
-
Talking about the tiny house tour in Pennsylvania: “We could show that, even on cloudy days or days it was raining, that we are still making electricity here. And that is really powerful when you’ve been talking to a community that has only seen coal for the last hundred years. “ – Allison Rohrs, Episode #53
-
“Anyone in the solar/renewable energy space is an entrepreneur in their own way.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #53
-
“As an industry I think that we should be, and we are, in the business of doing good things for the environment and … I think regulation kind of ensures that is what is happening.” – Allison Rohrs, Episode #53
-
On the permitting process: “Start these processes early because they take a lot of time and a lot of energy and very often they can stop a project.” – Allison Rohrs, Episode #53
- “Be prepared that you might run into issues.” – Allison Rohrs, Episode #53
-
On attending the Solar Power Initiative ("SPI") conference: “I was blown away with how many people are exhibiting and how packed the convention center is.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #53
-
Talking about the book Ego is the Enemy: “We are all biased toward our perspective.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #53
-
“We think Pennsylvania is one of the next big markets for solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #53
Events Mentioned:
Reneu Energy Holiday Party
Podcasts Mentioned:
Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu
Lewis Howes Podcasts
Books Mentioned:
High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
Ego is the Enemy and Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
Resources Mentioned:
SWCA “Sound Science, Creative Solutions”
Solar Power International Conference
Sept. 23 - Sept. 26, 2019 Salt Lake City, Utah
All Solar Power Events are produced by SEIA and SEPA, including the development of cutting-edge educational programs offered at each show. What sets Solar Power Events apart from other conferences is the support of these two organizations. All proceeds from the events go straight back into the industry.
National Geographic
State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO)
US Army Corps of Engineers
Influencer 2019
Oct. 10 - Oct. 12, 2019 San Diego, California
INFLUENCER Magazine presents the first-ever conference exclusively for up-and-coming influencers, by experienced influencers, on how to grow your personal brand, monetize your content, reach more people, and dramatically scale your business.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Allison Rohrs
Email: allison.rohrs@swca.com
Website: SWCA
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and Li discuss Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), their effect on solar industry financing, and what benefits long-term solar investments can provide to businesses and homeowners in the growing solar industry. In addition, Benoy talks about upcoming conferences and events he will be attending.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter, to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on upcoming conferences that Benoy will be attending.
- Books and podcasts that have influenced Benoy and Li and the Solar Maverick Podcast.
- The crucial role customer service plays in business and how you represent your brand.
- The details on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and how they are affecting financing and the development of the solar pipeline.
Quotes from the show:
- “We are firm believers that if you own a brand you have the right to express how you want to carry that culture.” – Li Wang, Episode #52
- “Personal branding is so huge.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #52
- On news that US Utility Solar Pipeline has hit a new high: “It shows you that people are confident about what is happening in the solar industry. Not all these projects in this pipeline are going to get developed, but it shows you that people are confident about what is happening in the solar industry.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #52
- “But, really, just get involved in the industry. We think all parts of the industry are going to grow.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #52
- “The real value that we are seeing from a career perspective is a project developer.“ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #52
- “Any investment involves risk, but combined with the federal incentives and the terms I’m looking at it seems like accessibility to financing is pretty good for those who do want to get involved in solar.” – Li Wang, Episode #52
- “In the past, there were a lot of good projects and not enough financing. Now there is so much financing and not a lot of good projects.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #52
Quoted by Benoy: “Ultimately, there's one investment that supersedes all others: Invest in yourself. Nobody can take away what you've got in yourself, and everybody has potential they haven't used yet.” - Warren Buffett
Podcasts Mentioned:
SMP 45: Productivity Tips and Entrepreneurial Advice from the CEO and Founder of the Number 1 Millennial Platform Called Mogul with Benoy Thanjan and Tiffany Pham
SMP 42: Live Event - How Solar Technology is Changing the World
SMP 43: 2019 Energy Storage Trends with Benoy Thanjan and Li Wang
SMP 47: Solar Financing 101 with Benoy Thanjan and Li Wang
Lewis Howes Podcasts
Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu
Books Mentioned:
High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Resources Mentioned:
Mogul App
Rush Order Tees
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
PV Magazine; Off-site, In Mind
Achieving Affordable, Clean Energy Goals Through Off-Site Corporate PPAs SEIA Model Leases and PPAs
U.S. Utility Solar Pipeline Soars to 37.9 GW, A New Record Conferences Mentioned:
Mogul X Conference
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 New York, New York
Benoy was the Dean of the Hustle Track at the Mogul X innovative conference; made up of transformative classrooms, immersive experiences, and networking opportunities – all of which dive into the key aspects of a Mogul’s life including Failures, Work, Relationships, Health & Wellness, Travel, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. Each class is taught by the best of the best: world-class CEO’s, top executives, celebrities, and professors – taking their lifetime of learnings and expertise and turning it into actionable lessons for you.
Solar Power International Conference
Sept. 23 - Sept. 26, 2019 Salt Lake City, Utah
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
Oct. 2 - Oct. 4, 2019 Dallas, Texas
Benoy spoke at the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar on Friday, October 4 in a panel on “Impact of renewable energy on the future of real estate” with Lisa Brown from Johnson Controls and Susan Nickey from Hannon Armstrong.
Influencer 2019
Oct. 10 - Oct. 12, 2019 San Diego, California
INFLUENCER Magazine presents the first-ever conference exclusively for up-and-coming influencers, by experienced influencers, on how to grow your personal brand, monetize your content, reach more people, and dramatically scale your business.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and Suzanne provide a general overview of the Community Solar program in various states and have a high-level discussion about the Community Solar initiative in New Jersey, including a deep-dive into tax credits and how they affect the development of solar projects.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with an unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this episode:
- The basics of the Community Solar initiative, including how it is defined by SEIA.
- The differences in the New Jersey pilot program versus other Community Solar programs.
- How Community Solar programs are growing and what challenges are facing those programs.
- How the SREC and ITC may affect the future of these programs and customers.
- Specifics on the New Jersey incentives and their effect on other markets.
Quotes from the show:
- “Community Solar is one of the next big things in solar.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #51
- “Seems like financiers of community solar projects are getting comfortable with having a substantial number of the customers as residential and there is no long-term contracting.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #51
- “Politicians love community solar because it provides access to people who would not normally have solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #51
- Referring to the SREC: “What’s been challenging, actually, for developers who have been trying to develop projects in New Jersey for Community Solar is that they’re not sure they’ll get approved for the project and for the projects built, if they’ll qualify for that 5.1%.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #51
- “The word mediocre stings a little bit when you hear it.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #51
- “If you really want to do big things, you have to be uncomfortable.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #51
- “Carpe Solum. For those of you that don’t know, it means: seize the sun” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #51
Benoy’s quote of the day: “If you don’t dream big, you’ll only ever be mediocre.”
Podcasts Mentioned:
SMP 23: Community Solar 101 with Benoy Thanjan and Suzanne Waters
SMP 44: Community Solar 201 with Benoy Thanjan and Suzanne Waters
SMP 19: Customer Acquisition and Billing in Community Solar with Benoy Thanjan and Eric Dahnke
Resources mentioned:
Solar Renewable Energy Credit
Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - Community Solar
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Suzanne Waters
Email: suzanne@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Suzanne Waters
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this milestone 50th episode of the Solar Maverick Benoy and Li discuss getting started in podcasts, read and reply to listener feedback, and recap some previous episodes. Benoy shares his thoughts on climate change and its effect on the solar industry, what part solar recycling might play in the future, and the shape of solar panels in regards to efficiency. Most importantly, this episode is a HUGE THANK YOU to our listeners.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter, to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- Why the first podcast is the hardest and how you can get to 50 episodes.
- What kind of an investment you need to make in podcast technology.
- How climate change is affecting the solar industry and panel recycling.
- The effects of technology on the shape of solar panels and increases in efficiency.
- The impact of these podcasts and the future of Solar Maverick.
Quotes from the show:
-
“I always prefer doing the interviews in person because I feel like the dynamics are a lot better, but, you know, there are some people that we would like to interview, but we can’t in person.“ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #50
-
“It’s just amazing every month the number of downloads are getting bigger and bigger and larger and larger “ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #50
-
“It is just amazing to me how many people listen to the podcast. “ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #50
-
“Solar energy is a way of combating climate change. Obviously, we are seeing a proliferation of solar coming online and in record amounts.“ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #50
-
“The future is pretty bright and it’s amazing.“ – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #50
-
“I think in the future there has to be some kind of hat that I can wear that’s going to turn that absorption into energy.” – Li Wang, Episode #50
-
“Benoy is humble, but he is widely connected.” – Li Wang, Episode #50
-
On the book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie:
“If you can distill down your decision-making process, mostly based on the facts and not your own self-induced stress, then your efficiency in turning around and going forward in decisions is going to be a lot faster.” – Li Wang, Episode #50
- To our listeners “Thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you.” – Benoy Thanjan & Li Wang, Episode #50
Podcasts Mentioned:
The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes
Entrepreneurs on Fire with John Lee Dumas
Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn
SMP 42: Live Event - How Solar Technology is Changing the World with Benoy Thanjan and panel of guests
SMP 13: How to develop a great solar project and many other interesting topics about solar and entrepreneurship with Jim Spano from Spano Partners with Benoy Thanjan and Jim Spano
SMP 41: Solar Entrepreneur Perspective on Development of Solar and Storage Projects with Benoy Thanjan and Ben Levy
Books Mentioned:
Millionaire Fastlane by MJ Demarco
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Resources Mentioned:
SmartFlower
Podcast Laundry
Podcast Movement
ZoomRooms Video Conferencing
SolSuntech, Inc.
Solar Backpacks
Solar Hats
SoSol Hats
BlinkList
Audible
www.podknife.com
Benoy will be speaking at the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar on Friday, October 4 in a panel on “Impact of renewable energy on the future of real estate” with Lisa Brown from Johnson Controls and Susan Nickey from Hannon Armstrong.
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
October 2-4, 2019 | Dallas, TX
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode, Michael and Benoy discuss how consultative approach to solar development and financing add the most value to the customer to make the best decision. In addition, they discuss the importance of transparency and close relationships in success in business.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Michael Kushner
Michael is responsible for Operations at Infiniti Energy Services. He leads the project management staff to ensure all initiatives are completed on time and on budget, while focusing on the safety of all construction team members and quality of all installations. He is involved in project strategy formulation during project development, as well as strategy implementation through completion.
Michael has more than 10 years of experience in managing operations in the residential, commercial and renewable energy sectors. Before joining Infiniti Energy Services, Michael held an east coast regional operations manager position with SunEdison, where he successfully managed the development, execution and installation of more than 50MW in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Georgia. He also held the position of Director of Construction at Pro-Tech Energy Solutions, LLC for two and a half years. During this time, he oversaw a project management and construction staff of twenty, while they successfully installed and interconnected over 120MWs of commercial and utility projects throughout the East Coast.
Insights from this episode:
- What separates Infiniti Energy Services from competitors and what markets they are focused on.
- How PPAs and the difficulties of financing can affect potential projects.
- How a background in real estate development can make it easier to develop solar projects and mitigate perceived risk.
- How educating customers adds value to projects and being transparent creates stronger relationships and better business.
- The benefits of the pilot program in New Jersey and how similar programs going forward will affect the industry.
- What entrepreneurship in solar means and ways to succeed in business ownership by developing a loyal staff.
- Different methods used to successfully balance life and business, such as meditation and turning off notifications.
Quotes from the show:
-
- “Sometimes when you are so close to it you don’t necessarily take a moment to step back to see the strides you’ve already made because you’re focused on the strides you want to make.” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
- “You’re basically customizing solutions that add the most value to the customer. Whereas other parties might try to push a solution that might not necessarily be a good fit.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #49
- “We like to be able to bring creative solutions to folks who want to move forward with potential projects. ” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
- In regards to financing solar “It shouldn’t be as complicated, I think, as some other finance companies make it. ” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #49
- “When you conduct business transparently and openly, there is so much time that you can save. ” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
- “Beyond business, it’s just human interaction. ” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
- On creating a business team “It isn’t only about are they right for my company, but is my company right for them. ” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
- Regarding approach to success in entrepreneurship “You always have to think strategically.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #49
-
“Everyone’s path is different, right? We’re all the same, but different ” – Michael Kushner, Episode #49
Resources Mentioned:
New Jersey Clean Energy Program
Headspace - meditation and sleep app
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®
Benoy spoke about Steve Raeder who is CEO of Summit Ridge Partners and he is also SunEdison alumni like Micheal who was interviewed in Episode 26 of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Michael Kushner
Email: infinitiES@optimum.net
Facebook: Infiniti Energy Services
Website: Infiniti Energy Services
Twitter: @InfinitiEnergy
LinkedIn: Infiniti Energy Services
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick we recap the How Solar Technology is Changing the World live event with Steve Schwerd while covering Steve’s top three things to look for in a business partner. In addition, Steve and Benoy cover the misrepresentation of solar efficiency in comparison to other resources and the benefits of recycling and reusing solar panels.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Steve Schwerd
With over 25 years in Consulting Engineering, Mr. Schwerd has proven accomplishments in engineering design; project, client, staff and financial management; business development; engineering operations; and firm leadership. Experience ranges from creating small MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) departments to a Principal/Shareholder role as the engineering leader for a large multi-office, international full service Architectural & Engineering firm.
With energy and sustainable design a key focus for years, Steve then became involved in renewable energy and design in 2008 as Solar PV became an increasingly viable option. He developed and led a full-service engineering team that emerged as a nationally recognized engineering leader for solar, having completed over 350 projects and 300MW across 25 states prior to his departure. Upon establishing Schwerd Consulting, Steve can now follow his passion for renewable energy and be fully committed to and active in the Solar industry.
Insights from this episode:
- What three things you want in a business partner.
- Why proven results are a must.
- The benefits to business of interacting socially and professionally.
- How to build strong relationships with customers.
- How recycling solar panels can further the strong idea of renewable energy.
- What trends may be affecting the solar industry.
- How the efficiency of solar transfer is perceived.
Steve Schwerd’s three things you want in a business partner:
1: They have to have proven results in their field.
2: They have to be able to develop business.
3: They have to be someone you want to have a beer with.
Quotes from the show:
- “Clients and customers they don’t pay for your skills, they don’t pay for your knowledge, they pay for the application of that result. ” – Steve Schwerd, Episode #48
- “You need to be able to enjoy their company socially because it can be challenging enough professionally.” – Steve Schwerd, Episode #48
- “These are huge points that anyone can use in any type of partnership.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #48
- “I think that people are looking for people that are authentic, that are themselves. I think people appreciate it.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #48
-
“Quality and value is first and foremost, but we want everybody involved in the process to be comfortable. You have to have a likeability factor because at the end of the day people are putting their trust in you. ” – Steve Schwerd, Episode #48
-
“Don’t let the business overwhelm you.” – Steve Schwerd, Episode #48
-
“The sun is there everyday. We are going to be wasting it if we’re not taking that and converting it to electricity. ” – Steve Schwerd, Episode #48
-
“Is there ever business as usual?” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #48
Resources Mentioned:
Schwerd Consulting LLC
SEIA - Solar Industries Energy Association
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®
www.podknife.com
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
October 2-4, 2019 | Dallas, TX
Benoy will be speaking at the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar on Friday, October 4 in a panel on “Impact of renewable energy on the future of real estate” with Lisa Brown from Johnson Controls and Susan Nickey from Hannon Armstrong.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Steve Schwerd
Email: admin@schwerdconsulting.com
Facebook: Schwerd Consulting
Website: Schwerd Consulting LLC
Twitter: @schwerdsolar
LinkedIn: Schwerd Consulting
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
SMP 47: Financing Solar 101
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick we dive into Benoy’s finance origin story going back as far as his 7th grade stock/finance class. In addition we also learn about Benoy’s parents influence on his entrepreneurial path, secrets to financing solar projects and upcoming tax incentives for solar investing.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter, to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- The benefits and importance of early financial education
- How internships shape your future
- The importance of mentors and relationships
- How and why video helps to establish trust
- Secrets to financing Solar Projects
- The blueprint to solar financing 101
- Insight to solar tax incentives and upcoming changes
Quotes from the show:
“The ITC has created hundreds of thousands of jobs, sparked more than 150 billion in private investment and helped grow solar deployment by more than 10,000 percen”t – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #47
“The reason I push people to do video is it helps establishes trust.” – Li Wang, Episode
47
“Fortunately or Unfortunately more people prefer to watch videos than to read” – Li Wang, Episode
47
“I have 10 years of experience in the solar industry, I don't consider myself just a financing person because I’ve been on all sides of the transactions and on all of the development aspects of it and even on the construction side” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #47
“It’s interesting because 10 years of experience in the solar industry, you’re considered a veteran because it’s such a new industry.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #47
Resources Mentioned:
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®
Solar met 2.7% of U.S. electric demand during the first half of 2019
How a battery can be eligible for the ITC today and possibly in the future
Model Leases and PPA
www.podknife.com
Benoy will be speaking at the Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar on Friday, October 4 in a panel on “Impact of renewable energy on the future of real estate” with Lisa Brown from Johnson Controls and Susan Nickey from Hannon Armstrong.
2019 Deloitte Renewable Energy Seminar
October 2-4, 2019 | Dallas, TX
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy interviews Dan French, the Founder and CEO of Brownfield Listings. Dan discusses opportunity zones and brownfields, explaining how these topics intersect with solar advancement. Dan also discusses his experiences in creating Brownfield Listings and shares his entrepreneurial advice.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Dan French
Dan French is the Founder and CEO of Brownfield Listings. Dan is a trained attorney and transaction expert with domestic and international experience. His U.S. practice has focused on real estate transactions, environmental risk transfer and redevelopment. Long a student of the deal his watchword is ‘due diligence’, which helps explain why Dan has been trusted to lead transaction support initiatives for some of the largest companies in the world. His transactional experience encompasses thousands of properties of all conditions across two dozen states, with more than a billion dollars of property and environmental liability successfully transacted.
He has received an LL.M. in Business Law from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, a J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law, and a B.A. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dan is leading a redevelopment renaissance within the larger real estate revolution—a technological, civic, social and market-based movement lifting the form and function of humanity’s built-environment to new heights, taking the health and wealth of our communities with it. He believes proactive due diligence is the difference in successful real estate transactions and in life.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies on understanding opportunity zones
- Strategies to understanding brownfields
- Secrets to solar market mixers
- How to make a market when it does not already exist
- Strategies on how brownfields can help the solar industry
Quotes from the show:
“Brownfield listing is a property market place and project marketplace for real estate with reuse challenges. Dan [French] is a trained attorney and transaction expert with domestic and international expertise. His U.S. practice is focused on real estate transactions, environmental risk transactions, and redevelopment.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #46
“Solar is one of our biggest segments. We have a tag, or species, in our taxonomy… called brightfield, so you can tag your site as a brightfield, which [tells] the market that you’re interested in pursuing solar development… You can be a greenfield… We have greyfields. It’s a rainbow of opportunities on the property side and professional side.” – Dan French, Episode #46
“We built a great educational program with speakers, public and private sector folks, along the two tracks tilted towards our different segments of the audience. So we had the solar, developer, and vendor track, and then the land owner and community track… and our idea is to coach them up and then throw them in the solar market mixers.” – Dan French, Episode #46
“I think the market mixers are a great idea. I mean as a speaker of the event, meeting with the different land owners, you are really able to build a relationship with them. And you know it’s a lot easier to follow up with them once they’ve met you, and they’re a lot more responsive than say… if it was a cold sort of call or… they received some sort of letter.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #46
“A brownfield is a real estate parcel that may or may not be contaminated, so it’s land that has been previously developed. We’re not quite sure what was there before, sometimes you know for sure, but sometimes you don’t. It may have been a factory a hundred years ago.” – Dan French, Episode #46
“If you’re selling commercial real estate or industrial property, you need to undertake an environmental investigation before you buy it, or you may step into the chain of liability. So if you buy a brownfield, and do not do your environmental homework, then you may be partly liable, even if you didn’t actually do the pollution yourself.” – Dan French, Episode #46
“There needed to be a place that you could be in your pajamas at midnight. Like it was really hard! How do we get our environmental liabilities out there in a way that the market can understand? Get in front of a lot of people at once? There was no market, there was no simple place to list in five minutes. That’s what the kernel of Brownfield Listings was, and from that we grew into this ecosystem.” – Dan French, Episode #46
“We’re doing that again [the Opportunity Zone Boot Camp and Pitch Competition] actually, in Newark, New Jersey at NJIT on October 17th. We run on the same format. There is going to be a great educational program in the morning through midafternoon, and then a pitch competition in the early evening, and that reception in the evening we’ll announce the winners.” – Dan French, Episode #46
Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about the Opportunity Zone Boot Camp & Pitch Competition Coming to Newark, New Jersey October 17
Learn more about the National Brownfields Conference Coming to Los Angeles, California December 11-13
Benoy was on webinar with Dan French called Powering up Brightields
Benoy speaks about the Virginia Solar Market and Dan speaks about the opportunity to redevelop brightfields with solar.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dan French
Email: info@brownfieldlistings.com
Call: 312-988-0256
Website: https://brownfieldlistings.com/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes and Podbean
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy interviews Tiffany Pham, the Founder and CEO of Mogul. Tiffany describes how she runs her business successfully from the inside out, and how she’s able to handle the stress that comes with it. She discusses her key company values and her main strategies for maximum productivity and efficiency.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Tiffany Pham
Tiffany Pham is the Founder and CEO of Mogul, a global platform and mobile app that provides tools to individuals and organizations, to achieve optimal productivity and growth. Disrupting the $30 billion productivity tech market, Mogul provides an ecosystem, including their Mogul app & platform, that enables top diverse talent to reach their goals and realize their full potential. Mogul then partners with top workplaces worldwide to attract and advance their top diverse talent — from rising talent to the most senior women worldwide — through their technology products. With the revenue they earn, Mogul provides free educational resources to women in need through international partners such as the United Nations.
Tiffany Pham is the author of several books including You Are a Mogul: How to Do the Impossible, Do It Yourself, and Do It Now, and Girl Mogul: Dream it. Do it. Change the World. In Girl Mogul, she speaks directly to teens and young adults, sharing insights from her own life as well from the lives of the most incredible and inspiring women on Mogul. Tiffany Pham has proven that with the right attitude, the right people, and the right vision, there’s nothing girls can’t do.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies to being productive and efficient
- How to stay in the present
- How to manage your time
- Strategies to finding future talent and consumers
- How to have a healthy company environment
- How to use Dale Carnegie’s advice
Quotes from the show:
“If you’re not familiar with Mogul, Mogul is a global platform reaching millions of women across 196 countries and 30,470 cities, disrupting the $30 billion productivity technology market. Mogul is enabling users world-wide to achieve their goals and realize their full potential.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #45
“I did get inspired to attend Yale and Harvard Business School from watching movies. As an immigrant, here in the U.S. I couldn’t help but be influenced by movies, because that’s how I ended up learning English when I was younger. I watched movies and watched t.v. shows, listened to the radio, and soon I would have been listening to podcasts, had I been at this time growing up.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
“As a B to B software company, we partner with other companies to create incredible technology that they can subsequently license in order to attract, and retain, and advance the talent from within our ecosystem into their workplaces as well. And as a result, increase their diverse workforce by 74.4% per year on average, and ultimately create a more equal work force.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
“Despite all the big impact that Mogul is having now, it all started initially with one person. My grandmother. She was this big inspiration for me. Such a role model, such an amazing maverick of her time. She ran newspapers across Asia. She ran other businesses that always ultimately provided others in need with information and opportunities.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
“On October 15th, there will be a refresh across the ecosystem, across our app, across our web and mobile app platform, to unify it all; so as, to be cohesive across every part of our ecosystem, so that you can access all your to-do’s, all your goals, no matter which channel you’re on, across our web, mobile web, or the app.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
“[The] final key thing is staying present in the moment, and over-delivering on that moment. In any moment that I’m in, I’m concerned on over-delivering on that moment alone. I do not think back about that past moment. I do not think about what’s going to happen next.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
“The biggest book that had an impact on me was How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. And my dad actually gave it to me, when I was seventeen years old, because I [was] actually running division one track on a track scholarship, and then I got a serious knee injury. Where basically, I didn’t have that opportunity anymore. But that book really helped me as far as setting myself up for success.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #45
“Talent today is different than talent has ever been before in previous generations. Talent today, Millennials, Gen Z, look at a company to really understand: what is its social impact? What are they doing in terms of diversity and inclusion? What are they doing in terms of work-life integration and learning development? They care so much about these four and more aspects that that’s ultimately how a company can find its future talent and its future consumers.” – Tiffany Pham, Episode #45
Resources Mentioned:
You can:
Download the Mogul App
Read You Are Mogul and Girl Mogul by Tiffany Pham
Buy a ticket to the Mogul X Conference
Read How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Tiffany Pham
Instagram: @tifftpham @onmogul
Twitter: @tifftpham @onmogul
LinkedIn: @onmogul
Facebook: @tiffanypham @onmogul
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes and Podbean
SMP 44: Community Solar 201
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and Suzanne talk about community solar and how it’s one of the fastest-growing areas of solar. They discuss the benefits and trends of community solar, and they go into the four different business models through which community solar projects get done. They also discuss legislation to keep the Investment Tax Credit at 30%.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is the Vice President of Business Development at Reneu Energy. She is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution. Additionally, she collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects.
Insight from this episode:
- Strategies to understanding community solar trends
- Secrets to community solar business models
- How to make community solar accessible to LMI customers
- Strategies on federal incentives for solar
- Strategies to keeping the Investment Tax Credit at 30 percent
Quotes from the show:
“Obviously the question you’re all asking, if you’re listening to this episode is ‘what is community solar?’... According to SEIA community solar is a situation where a center solar array is built either by utility, municipality, or some other third party owner.” – Suzanne Waters, Episode #44
“Today many American households and businesses don’t have access to solar because they rent, live in multi-tenant buildings, have roofs that are unable to host a solar system, or experience some other type of mitigating factor.” – Suzanne Waters, quoting from SEIA Episode #44
“Community solar expands access to solar for all, including, in particular, low to moderate-income customers most impacted by a lack of access, all while building a stronger distributed and more resilient electric grid.” – Suzanne Waters, quoting from SEIA Episode #44
“So what we’re finding is that financing communities are slowly getting more comfortable in having customers that are 100% residential. Where there’s no long-term contract. Where there’s no penalty if the customer opts out.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #44
“So right now, what the investment tax credit is, it’s a credit on your taxes for 30% of the cost of the [solar] system. There’s actually a step down over the next couple of years, so till the end of 2019 it’s 30%, come 2020 it will be 26%, in 2021 it’s a 22% credit, and then in 2022 it’s 10%. – Suzanne Waters Episode #44
“If you want to take advantage of the 30% tax credit you have to have 5% of the [community solar] project procured by the end of 2019. And the biggest thing we see is that people will buy and secure the panels for their project.” – Suzanne Waters Episode #44
“The most common [business model for community projects] is a Special Purpose Entity, which is the SPE model… In this approach individuals or companies join in a business enterprise to develop a community solar project… Organizations may take advantage of incentives and tax credits that are available, that are unavailable to utilities.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #44
Resources Mentioned:
For more information on community solar:
Listen to Episode #23: Community Solar 101
Listen to Episode #19: Customer Acquisition and Billing in Community Solar
Listen to Episode #42: How Solar Technology Is Changing the World!
Benoy referred to the eBook titled “Community Solar: What You Need To Know” created by Standard Solar. The link to the eBook is below.
https://www.standardsolar.com/standard-solar-releases-ebook-offering-critical-insight-executing-successful-community-solar
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Suzanne Waters
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-waters-01bb6077/
www.reneuenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes and Podbean
SMP 43: 2019 Energy Storage Trends
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy and Li talk about energy storage and how it’s a huge game changer. They go into the many benefits and trends in energy storage. They also discuss legislation to keep the Investment Tax Credit at 30%.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
Li Wang is a life-long journalist and communications professional. He worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Daily News, during the summer of the O.J. trial, and has since had some fascinating jobs, from being a business reporter, to an arts editor, to a film critic. He has since shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services, and now his company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insight from this episode:
- Discuss energy storage trends
- Discussion on federal incentives for solar
- Potential Extension of Investment Tax Credit at 30 percent
- How to control your ego
Quotes from the show:
-
“So prices are going down, capacity and efficiency is increasing. So has that recent combination of factors, sort of accelerated the advancement of [energy] storage?” - Li Wang Episode #43 “Definitely!” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
-
“I guess the best way to look at [energy storage] is like landlines and cellphones. You know, you need the infrastructure with the landline, and then basically what energy storage allows is you can be decentralized vs. having a central network and connecting it.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
-
“You know we are seeing more blackouts. If anyone was in New York three weeks ago on a Saturday, from midtown to… on the west side, there was a power outage… and you would think ‘wow 2019. How is that kinda still happening?’”- Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
-
“Energy storage is a great way to help with bringing energy back into the grid. It’s a lot faster for energy to come from an energy storage unit that having a peak or natural gas plant.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
-
“I think one thing that I didn’t realize about the Tesla [electric car] is it’s also performance wise and safety wise so incredible too. You know, one of the features in a crash, it has a lot of capacity to absorb damage… so when I shop for cars, you know I have young kids, so I’m thinking safety. So that hugely impresses me.” – Li Wang Episode #43
-
“It’s been exciting actually what happened in the past few days. The House and Senate introduced legislation for a 5-year extension of the solar investment tax credit… you know, please reach out to your representative and lawmakers to pass this critical legislation.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
-
“So [energy storage] is huge for, you know, countries that don’t have already electricity infrastructure. You know, particularly in emerging countries, and then obviously in the U.S. we haven’t upgraded the transmission and distribution grid in a long time.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode #43
Resources Mentioned:
Gary Vaynerchuk, Youtube Channel
Featured Book:
Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
Featured Quote:
“Since 2005, when ITC was first passed by the Republican led congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. The ITC has created hundreds of thousands of jobs. Sparked more than $40 billion in pride investment and helped solar grow by more than 10,000 percent.” – Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of Solar Energy Industry Association
Featured Link:
Benoy spoke about the Energy Storage Midyear Snapshot by Nikola Power
https://nikolapower.com/blog/2019/7/1/energy-storage-midyear-snapshot
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes and Podbean
Episode Summary:
Led by Suzanne Waters, VP of Business Development at Reneu Energy, Benoy Thanjan joins three other solar industry leaders on a panel called How Solar Technology is Changing the World hosted by Reneu Energy and JCTech Meetup. The panel discusses solar energy, how it’s affecting us, what the future looks like, and how it’s impacting Jersey City. Coming from different sectors, each panelist offers their unique knowledge base to create a thorough picture of the field. Topics include industry growth, incentives, solar energy careers, obstacles & threats, community solar projects, and more.
About the Guests:
Suzanne Waters: Suzanne Waters is the Vice President of Business Development at Reneu Energy. She is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution. Additionally, she collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion dollar projects.
Steve Schwerd: Steve Schwerd is the owner of Schwerd Consulting, LLC. Schwerd Consulting is dedicated to design, engineering, representation, and support in all areas of solar photovoltaics. He has nearly 30 years in Consulting Engineering and an extensive background in Electrical Engineering. He became involved in renewable energy and design in 2008 and formed Schwerd Consulting in 2014 to allow for 100% dedication to the solar sector.
Juan Truyol: Juan Truyol works as a Project Estimator at Strata Solar, LLC. He is an experienced estimator with a background in estimating, procurement, and a demonstrated history working in civil construction as well as the renewables and environment industry. Truyol earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S in Construction Infrastructure and Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He’s skilled in construction engineering, project estimation, construction, and scheduling.
Chris Grablutz: Chris Grablutz is the Director of Business Development at PV Pros, Inc. He entered the solar industry in 2010 and has experience in engineering, project management, and operations. Grablutz joined PV Pros in 2017 and assists clients with owner’s engineering, testing, maintenance, and repair solutions. He’s passionate about solar energy and views his career as an exciting chain of challenges that continue to prevail.
Benoy Thanjan: Benoy Thanjan, Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, advises several solar startup companies about investment and development. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer. The company focuses on developing commercial, industrial, and utility scale solar, plus storage projects. Additionally, the company sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Insights from Episode:
- What technology goes into solar energy
- Why building owners and land owners should use solar energy
- The incentives and benefits of using solar energy
- How solar energy has changed in the last 10 years and where it will be in 30 years
- How to enter the solar energy field as a career
- The downsides and threats to solar energy
- Resources to learn more about solar energy
- What community solar is and how people can benefit from it
- How solar panels are recycled and reused
Quotes from the Show:
When asked about the technology that goes into solar energy… “In terms of technology, really just capturing data, having it, knowing how to sort it, and then knowing how to use it and evolve from it in the future is a tremendous resource for operations and maintenance of PV systems.” Chris Grablutz, Episode #42
Why should building/land owners look into going solar? “Building owners should definitely look into solar in New Jersey, it’s a way of saving money and going green. There’s green incentives for solar energy. There’s the 30% investment tax credit. There’s also solar depreciation.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #42
“Landowners should look at (solar energy) because you could potentially have a solar field and could receive rent or someone could buy land as they develop a project.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #42
What advice would you give to people looking to break into the solar industry? “The industry is great, so if you’re thinking about it, my first suggestion would be- do it. It’s a great industry, you’ll find many great people.” Chris Grablutz, Episode #42
“Our industry the cost goes down every year and other industries go up- steel, copper, aluminum. Solar goes down, so it will be the cheapest, most cost effective form of energy in the future.” Juan Truyol, Episode #42
“With energy storage, with policies continuing to drive the proliferation of solar, what it means for the benefit of the environment is fossil fuel plants will be shut down in large scales. Even PSEG recently announced their goal is by 2046, they will have no fossil fuel plants except for two of the newest natural gas plants.” ” Steve Schwerd, Episode #42
“Do not feel intimidated to come into the solar industry. We were all somewhat hesitant in the beginning and it turned out ok. No, for real, it’s not intimidating and there’s a lot of good people. There’s ups and downs like any industry, but overall 70/30, it’s good people wanting to teach you, mentor, and just have more cool people to work with ultimately.” Juan Truyol, Episode #42
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
www.reneuenergy.com
Suzanne Waters
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-waters-01bb6077/
www.reneuenergy.com
Juan Truyol
jtruyol@stratasolar.com
www.linkedin.com/in/juan-truyol-4995b958/
https://stratasolar.com/
www.facebook.com/strata.solar/
www.twitter.com/StrataSolar
www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9ml4yKbGoaDkJxNyXfQMQ
Steve Schwerd
www.schwerdconsulting.com/
admin@schwerdconsulting.com
www.linkedin.com/company/schwerd-consulting/about/
www.linkedin.com/in/steveschwerd/
www.facebook.com/Schwerd-Consulting-744150758955130/
www.twitter.com/schwerdsolar
Chris Grablutz
https://pvpros.com/
info@pvpros.com
www.linkedin.com/in/cgrablutz/
www.twitter.com/PVProsInc
Jersey CIty Tech Meetup
We would like to thank you to Jersey City Tech Meetup for partnering with Reneu Energy on this great solar event. For more information on Jersey City Tech Meetup. Please follow the links below.
https://jctechmeetup.com
https://www.meetup.com/Jersey-City-Tech-Meetup/
SMP 41: Solar Entrepreneur Perspective on Development of Solar and Storage Projects
Episode Summary
Solar entrepreneur, Ben Levy joins Benoy on the podcast this week to talk about his passion for solar and his company Round Trip Energy. Ben has a diverse background and unique perspective on what it means to be a solar developer and consultant. Their conversation spans topics such as the Washington DC solar market, dealing with massive shut downs like what happened with the hurricane in Puerto Rico, Ben’s experience and advice as an entrepreneur, and current trends and projections in the larger solar community.
About our Guest:
Benjamin is the Founder and Executive Director of Round Trip Energy, a growing renewable energy consulting and development startup, specializing in the development, financing, operation, and management of commercial and utility-scale solar, wind, energy storage, and energy efficiency projects. The company develops world-class greenfield and behind-the-meter projects that are optimized for performance and speed to deploy with Round Trip’s proprietary cost-risk-mitigation development approach.
Benjamin is a project developer, engineer, and construction manager with experience in cradle-to-grave development of world-class renewable power generations facilities across the US and Caribbean. His career in construction of sustainable projects also includes 5 years in energy efficiency project development at military bases and other Federal government campuses as well as success with leading HVAC, lighting, water, building envelope, and water treatment retrofit projects. Mr. Levy was previously a manager of Project Development at Constellation Energy and Sr. Manager of Engineering and Construction at Sonnedix, both developer-owners of large-scale power generation facilities and pioneers in the utility-scale renewable space. He led the design and construction of the 58MW solar, 22MW energy storage Oriana Solar Park, the largest solar plant in the Caribbean.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Insight from this episode:
- What Round Trip Energy does, what makes them different, and why Ben started the company.
- The underserved areas of the solar business
- Ben’s take on the DC market and what makes it uniquely challenging
- What it’s like to work on projects in Puerto Rico including the impact of hurricanes and managing a crisis of that magnitude
- The potential of energy storage projects in the future and which markets are strong for this opportunity
- Suggestions and advice for people looking to be an entrepreneur in a world that enforces the “stable 9-5 employee” job structure
Quotes from the show:
“There’s a lot of companies doing off grid residential, and there’s a lot of suppliers providing PCS and batteries together, but there’s not a lot of companies that are integrating and providing the full permitting and analysis and implementation scope.” Ben Levy, Episode #41
“What’s different about D.C. is we have a true confinement of the supply of SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates). That’s because D.C. is essentially a 9 mile by 9 mile grid that’s totally packed with residential houses and commercial office buildings. There’s very limited space to add solar.” Ben Levy, Episode #41
“The investors that win projects are the ones that are comfortable with taking a certain portion of merchant SREC risk.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #41
“Financiers and investors are willing to take a little bit more merchant risk than they used to be and that is a product of who are the tax equity and sponsor equity investors and what’s their comfort and risk level.” Ben Levy, Episode #41
“I believe over the next 3 or 4 years regulators, policy makers, utilities, and local jurisdictions are going to be catching up and creating structures where developers and builders out there will be able to connect the real technology with the clients who need them.” Ben Levy, Episode #41
“Our bills especially here on the east coast are shifting to being more demand heavy than energy heavy because they’re realizing that they need to incentivize people to get their demand down in the times where it’s quite congested.” Ben Levy, Episode #41
“It’s a lot easier to get power back onto the grid from the storage devices.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #41
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan:
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Ben Levy
www.roundtripenergy.com
info@roundtripenergy.com
LinkedIn - Round Trip Energy
Facebook: Round Trip Energy
Episode Summary
Li Wang, Director of Marketing at Reneu Energy, returns to the podcast as co-host. Listen as he and Benoy catch up about current events and discuss some hot topics in solar right now including solar energy projects in low income areas.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insight from this episode:
- Thoughts on the topic of India becoming a leader in solar with their tariff exemption.
- The state of solar business in other countries and how it compares to solar in the US.
- Low income housing and solar opportunities in the New York market.
- The benefits of solar projects in low income communities.
- A review of current state of solar industry including state and federal level legislation, tariffs, jobs, and the investment tax credit.
- The normalization and social acceptance of solar as it is becoming more mainstream.
Quotes from the show:
“The perception has been that solar, at least in the US, is just for the wealthy.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #40
“Community solar is one of the fastest growing types of solar in the US but states are requiring that a certain percentage of it be low income.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #40
“You’re providing solar and energy to a population that doesn’t have it, and also promoting renewable energy, allowing people to lower their carbon footprint, and allowing people who would not normally receive solar to get solar energy and be involved in the process.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #40
“After the initial investment it’s been shown to actually be able to lower utility bills which is significant.” Li Wang, Episode #40
“Solar has an opportunity now to become more accepted in the mainstream instead of a privilege for the rich.” Li Wang, Episode #40
Resources Mentioned:
Shark Tank
Grant Cardone
Book:
The Power of Broke by Daymond John
Sponsors for Recent Reneu Energy Events
Infiniti Energy Services
Spano Partners
Schwerd Consulting
CBL Markets
To request a media kit send an email to info@reneuenergy.com
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Episode Summary
Reneu Energy’s Benoy Thanjan and Suzanne Waters talk in detail about what landowners need to know about going solar. They discuss the reasons why a landowner should look into going solar for generating income through a utility scale or community solar project, a description of different incentives available, and logistically how they would go about doing it.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this episode:
- The many benefits of leasing your land for solar projects.
- Federal incentives for solar systems owner such as the investment tax credit.
- The effects of the investment tax credit and the current safe harboring trend on the availability of solar panels.
- The difference in the residential vs. the commercial investment tax credit percentage drop-down.
- Other federal incentives such as MACRS (“Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System”)
- The impact of state level incentives.
- Infrastructure and types of systems for solar farms.
- How landowners would go about qualifying their land and what makes a location ideal for utility scale solar projects
- The importance of accessibility and proximity to transmission infrastructure
Quotes from the show:
“The system owners can recover their costs up front instead of over a 20-25 year period which is pretty much the life of the system. So, that’s something that definitely makes the projects more attractive to system owners.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #39
“The cost of panels have decreased. The efficiency of the panels are going up. It makes the whole situation a win-win” Suzanne Waters, Episode #39
“The federal incentives make up 50-60% of the cost of the project and that doesn’t include the state level incentives. If you have strong state level incentives it really helps” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #39
“In states that have better incentives the land owners are going to benefit from that” Suzanne Waters, Episode #39
Upcoming Event discussed on the podcast:
Summer Solar Special: How Solar Technology is Changing the World
Reneu Energy is partnering with JC TechMeetup. It is on Tuesday, July 30 from 6:30 to 9 at Surf City in Jersey City.
Benoy Thanjan who is the CEO and Founder of Reneu Energy will be moderating. The other panelists are Suzanne Waters from Reneu Energy, Chris Grablutz from PV Pros, Steve Schwerd from Schwerd Consulting, and Juan Truyol from Strata Solar.
The event is free to attend and you can RSVP in the link below.
https://www.meetup.com/Jersey-City-Tech-Meetup/events/262598987/
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Episode Summary
Suzanne Waters, Vice President of Business Development at Reneu Energy, returns to the show to talk with Benoy about why commercial and industrial building owners should go solar. This episode serves as an excellent primer for building owners who are potentially looking to go solar as Benoy and Suzanne cover topics such as the benefits of solar, types of systems, and financial opportunities for building owners.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this episode:
- The benefits of going solar.
- Different types of systems, their pros and cons, and who they’re best suited for.
- Three major financing methods and tax incentives for solar.
- The rise of offsite solar, how it is structured, and opportunities it’s creating.
- Community solar as a potential revenue opportunity for building owners.
Quotes from the show:
“If You’re going to go solar, you’re definitely going to reduce your electrical cost.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #38
“Most solar systems can live between 20 and 30 years so you’re going to have a relatively short return on your investment for an asset that you’re going to have for a really long time.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #38
“The fixed electric pricing definitely makes is easier to forecast and budget plan so you can hedge against electricity price volatility and inflation.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #38
“Customers and employees are looking for companies that can say that they’re sustainable and they’re making sustainable efforts.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #38
“As solar becomes more acceptable as an asset to finance, the returns are getting lower and lower.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #38
“Last year there was 6.53 gigawatts of corporate renewable deals, both wind and solar, and it was actually the highest ever.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #38
Resources mentioned:
Solar + Roofing Episode #11
For more detailed information or questions about topics from this episode email info@reneuenergy.com
Upcoming Event discussed on the podcast:
Summer Solar Special: How Solar Technology is Changing the World
Reneu Energy is partnering with JC TechMeetup. It is on Tuesday, July 30 from 6:30 to 9 at Surf City in Jersey City.
Benoy Thanjan who is the CEO and Founder of Reneu Energy will be moderating. The other panelists are Suzanne Waters from Reneu Energy, Chris Grablutz from PV Pros, and Steve Schwerd from Schwerd Consulting.
The event is free to attend and you can RSVP in the link below.
https://www.meetup.com/Jersey-City-Tech-Meetup/events/262598987/
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
About our Guest:
As the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, Benoy Thanjan took his passion for sustainability and renewable energy and turned it into a company that has traded $27 billion in solar renewable energy credits (SREC). He attributes his success to his time working as a SREC trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, a company that merged with Tesla in 2016. With a BS in finance and economics from the Stern School of Business and an MBA in finance from Rutgers University, Benoy has an extensive financial background. Having previously worked as the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. In addition, Benoy used his financial expertise while working for Ridgewood Renewable Power, Deloitte and Touche, Ernst & Young, and D.E. Shaw and Co. His current company Reneu Energy provides consultation for other companies looking to save money, modernize their energy use, and implement solar energy practices.
Episode Summary
Alternative energy sources have been gaining in popularity over the past several decades. However, public knowledge still lags behind when it comes to clean energy such as solar. Many people are unaware of the substantial benefits, including a reduction in financial burden, that result from switching to renewable energy. Benoy Thanjan, a juggernaut in the solar energy world, explains how he decided to make the leap to entrepreneurship, creating a company that combines his passion, his knowledge of finances, and his goal of making an impact in the world.
Insight from this episode:
- How to build passive income streams while succeeding at your primary job.
- Strategies for continuing to evolve as an entrepreneur.
- How to add additional value to your company.
- Strategies for strengthening relationships with clients.
- Why giving back and community are so important for entrepreneurs.
- How to take a more proactive approach to goal setting.
- Benoy’s strategies for deciding what projects demand his time and attention.
Quotes from the show:
“Not getting overconfident. Continue to be humble. Continue to develop myself. Continue to add value to our clients.” - Benoy Thanjan, on being successful as an entrepreneur, Episode 134
“If I never tried starting my business, there would always be a regret in my life. Even if I failed, there would always be the regret of never trying.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 134
“I feel like entrepreneurship’s a lot about instincts and gut feel.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 134
“When you wait on people, you give your power away.” - Kevin Y. Brown, Episode 134
“They’re not willing to make the sacrifice and the discipline and put the work and take the failure. They don’t realize how much failure. They see the outside and they don’t see behind the scenes.” - Benoy Thanjan, on the misconception about starting a business, Episode 134
“A lot of times in entrepreneurship, you can’t control a lot of things that are happening. It’s a journey and it’s mentally controlling yourself. And mentally realizing what you can control and what you can make the difference. And there’s a lot of things you can’t control. And that makes a huge difference on being successful or not in life.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 134
“We’re focused on progression, not perfection.” - Kevin Y. Brown, Episode 134
Resources Mentioned:
- Apple hardware
- Google apps
- Google Voice
- Google Calendar
- Gmail
- Headspace app
Favorite Book:
-
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
-
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Favorite Quote:
- “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” - Reinhold Niebuhr
- “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” - Vince Lombardi
3 keys to Create Your Best Life:
-
Do what you’re passionate about, because that’s your true self
-
Accept failure
-
Never give up
Stay Connected:
Create Your Life Series:
https://www.facebook.com/cylseries/
https://www.instagram.com/cylseries/
Kevin:
www.kevinybrown.com
www.instagram.com/kevinybrown
www.twitter.com/kevinybrown
www.facebook.com/kevbrown001
Benoy Thanjan:
www.reneuenergy.com
www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
info@reneuenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, google play, stitcher and www.createyourlifeseries.com/podcast
Episode Summary
Li Wang returns to the podcast as co-host for this week’s episode. Li is the Director of Marketing at Reneu Energy, founder of MJ Wang Marketing, and also Benoy’s publicist. The two of them catch up with a chat about branding and marketing practices and then go on to discuss in depth the current state of solar. Also, included are recommended resources for anyone interested in solar energy.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insight from this episode:
- The importance of branding and ways Reneu Energy is working to establish their brand identity and recognition.
- Why you absolutely must be using video in your marketing efforts.
- Podcast sponsorship opportunities.
- The state of the solar industry in Q1 including current trends and the implications of recently imposed tariffs on solar.
- Detailed explanation of the solar investment tax credit and how to qualify.
- Investment incentives for renewable energy relative to fossil fuel incentives.
Quotes from the show:
“If you do create content for your company or brand, video packs a huge punch. not only with engagement you’re actually speaking to an audience literally, but also in search.” Li Wang, Episode #36
“Always remember that YouTube is the #2 search engine behind Google” Li Wang, Episode #36
“If you’re going to put your effort into one thing, and you can and you feel comfortable, I encourage you to do video.” Li Wang, Episode #36
On the value of podcast sponsorships: “One of keys to why our sponsorships are effective is because of the distinct audience that our podcast reaches.” Li Wang, Episode #36
“Solar keeps growing exponentially. We keep seeing the cost of solar going down and the efficiencies of panels increasing.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
“What we’re seeing is that solar companies are trying to build as quickly as possible to qualify for this 30% because it’s a huge part of the economics of the project.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
“The issue with the incentives going down is that potentially solar might not be as cost effective.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
“There was a time when there were a lot of good projects but not a lot of financing.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
“A lot of real estate developers are telling me, ‘Hey, we’re developing projects in opportunity zones can we pull solar in it?’” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
“The rise of the corporate PPAs has allowed a lot of development of renewable energy.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #36
Resources Mentioned:
Podcast Laundry
Create Your Life Series Podcast
PV Magazine
Renewable Energy World
UtilityDive.com
Book:
Relentless by Tim S. Grover
Sponsors for Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Event
Infiniti Energy Services
Spano Partners
Schwerd Consulting
CBL Markets
To request a media kit send an email to info@reneuenergy.com
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Li Wang
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Episode Summary
DG Energy Partners founder Michael DellaGala joins Benoy to talk about his path to being a provider of development capital. They cover a lot of ground including what DGEP does, his partnership with Metropolis Capital, his experience in project development, and how the market is in need of this type of capital.
About our Guest:
Mike DellaGala, is the Founder and Managing Partner of DG Energy Partners (DGEP) and leads the firm's Project Finance and Advisory Groups. Mike has been financing and advising on projects in the clean and renewable energy space since 2008. Areas of expertise include solar, wind, biomass and carbon/emission technologies.
During his career, Mike has structured, advised on and financed more than 35MW of distributed generation solar, totaling more than $200MM. He has 5 years of experience in fixed income and interest rate derivatives sales,trading and risk management.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Insight from this episode:
- How to make investors comfortable in the early stage with a binary risk and how to protect the project.
- DGEP’s practical and thoughtful approach to the investment cycle.
- How Mike vets and builds relationships with developers.
- The methodology for determining the sharing of the development fee and what goes into that process.
- How to scale development capital in early stage projects.
- Mike’s experience and the decisions and conditions that led to him pivoting from being an advisory firm, then to a principal position, and now providing development capital.
- Reasons why Mike became interested in solar over other renewable energy assets.
- Current trends in financing in the solar industry.
Quotes from the show:
“Not every project will work, especially that early, which creates an opportunity in the marketplace.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #35
“There’s not a lot of people that are providing development capital that early which gives you an advantage, meaning seeing a lot of projects.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #35
“Solar is almost like the Wild Wild West. Even as the market gets more sophisticated and mature, there are a lot of players coming into the market and everyone says they are a developer.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #35
“We’ve talked about the merits of the project but the merits of the developer are probably just as important, if not more so.” Mike DellaGala, Episode #35
“When it comes to development capital the dollar stretches pretty far. So, we feel like we’ll run out of deals before we run out of capital.” Mike DellaGala, Episode #35
“It’s a really good thing that there’s more capital here and that it’s moving early on. It just goes to show that the risk and the macro assumption of this asset within the overall investment community is something meaningful.” Mike DellaGala, Episode #35
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Michael DellaGala
mike@dgepm.com
http://www.dgenergypartners.com/
www.metromezz.com/
Episode Summary
Juan Truyol is a former co-worker of Benoy and Suzanne’s and they reunite on this week’s episode to discuss Juan’s current role as project estimator at Strata Solar, one of the top 5 turnkey EPC solar contractors in the US. They get into what exactly a project cost estimator does and why they are important to the solar industry.
About our Guest:
Juan Truyol’s experience includes the role of Director of System Design and Turnkey Estimating for Vanguard Energy Partners. Mr. Truyol received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Master of Science in Infrastructure and Construction Management from NJIT, Newark New Jersey. Juan has over 12 years of experience in heavy construction, primarily as field level site civil (five years) and his last seven years in solar design and estimating. Juan represents the C&I department of Strata Solar, one of the top 5 turnkey solar EPC contractors in the US.
Through his years at The Conti Group and Cruz Construction, his site civil experience includes utility projects, concrete dam reconstruction, micro-tunneling, airport runway, environmental remediation sites, and demolition in subways. In the early days of Vanguard’s history, Juan’s comprehensive knowledge of construction means and methods and pre-construction procurement enhanced Vanguard’s professionalism in regards to construction practices and protocols. His latter responsibilities at Vanguard had required him to interact daily with a wide assortment of subcontractors and equipment suppliers. Such interaction has allowed Juan to become a very familiar player in the Mid-Atlantic regional territory.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this episode:
- What a project estimator is and what they do exactly
- How volatility and fluxuations in pricing of materials is handled in cost estimating
- What types of projects Strata Solar works on and what services they offer
- How the job of project estimator for the solar industry has changed over the last 10 years
- How to vet subcontractors and equipment suppliers
- How working for smaller companies helped Juan with his role at the larger Strata Solar
- What got Juan interested in solar after a long career in construction
- Some of the solar industry trends Juan is seeing right now
Quotes from the show:
-
“We have to build the jobs in our head, do our due diligence go through the RFP (request for proposal), make sure everything protects the company as far a requirements, and put a budget together that’s going to be a qualified budget, that wins the project but also protects the company and the owner from any hiccups.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“When you put your budget together, you say the budget is based on the couple of services that the owner required the contractor to bid, and you have qualifiers (inclusions/exclusions) that protect the owner and the contractor from unpleasant exchanges in the future. So, the tarifs would be qualifiers.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“Some countries will pick the middle bidder to avoid the chance for change orders. In the US it’s more popularly the lowest qualified bidder. It’s not just the cheapest guy but its the lowest qualified guy” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“Ultimately the owner wants to make sure the contractor will do a seamless project with no change orders, in time, and in budget. That’s the goal. And that’s the goal of the contractor as well, a good contractor.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“A lot of the utilities, as hard as they’re pushing, they can’t get to every single site. So some of the larger EPCs will develop a site and act as a developer and provide the site as they develop it and potentially the EPC contract.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“One of the main factors for cost estimates is wages” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“You want to protect your company by asking all the tough questions to the potential subcontractor upfront.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“For all the cost estimators and anybody that prices any job in construction make sure you have a safety budget.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“Safety first. Safely always. Safety budget.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
-
“Some CEO’s and CFO’s role up their sleeves and they execute, but getting the full spectrum of views from everybody can give you a better perception of the solar industry truly is.” Juan Truyol, Episode #34
- Suzanne, Juan, and I actually worked at Vanguard Energy Partners and spent late nights doing these public RFP’s, printing out 5-10 copies, racing to the public bid.
- On the changes in technology for communicating (email, etc) in the last 10 years: “You’re saving trees but it’s more efficient and saves time for all of the parties.” “...and as you know, on the public RFP’s, it’s like a race. Basically the lowest bid usually tends to win.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #34
- On working with Juan: “Juan was very educational in explaining it which was great because I think that’s not very typical for estimators to do.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #34
- When you spend time with Juan you will see his passion for solar. He gets very excited about it.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #34
- “We try to get all facets of the industry. When we thought of estimating, we thought of Juan.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #34
Resources Mentioned - Episode 30 of Solar Mavericks
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Juan Truyol
https://stratasolar.com/
LinkedIn: Juan Truyol
jtruyol@stratasolar.com
Episode Summary
Benoy and Suzanne discuss past and upcoming shows and the top downloaded episodes of the Solar Maverick Podcast! Where New York is in their renewable energy initiative and where their future plans are heading.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this Episode
- Where New York is ranked among other states for solar.
- Updates on how state and company renewable energy goals are progressing.
- The importance of consumer understanding.
- What solar contracts are available to New York consumers.
- The challenges of solar in New York City.
Quotes from the show:
- On solar for consumers "There has to be an education within the community.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #33.
- When she came to work with Benoy: "It had been a while since I had had that same passion about my job" Suzanne Waters, Episode #33
- “I love going the down to the fundamentals, the basics.” Suzanne Waters Episode #33.
- “Companies and both states are having these 100% renewable energy goals." Benoy Thanjan, Episode #33
- On New York Solar " The development hasn't been as much as people initially thought” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #33
- "New York you are not getting as high incentive levels.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 33
Resources:
Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters:
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Episode Summary
Benoy and Suzanne discuss upcoming shows, how they came to work together at Reneu Energy, and discuss the NJ Solar Market in detail.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this Episode
- Where New Jersey is ranked among the states for solar.
- Strategies to stay ranked where they are.
- What Governor Christie did to fix the over supply of SRECS in the state in 2012x.
- What changes are coming to the New Jersey market.
- How these changes will affect the market as we know it today.
Quotes from the show:
- On coincidences "Life is, I don't think it's very randon.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #32.
- New Jersey changes in the market "It will be a great transition into the community solar pilot” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #32
- “Perception is that only the wealthy can afford solar but there should be an opportunity with community solar where it's open to everyone.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #32.
- “The state tells companies that are generating in that state that a certain amount of it has to be in renewables and a certain amount has to actually be in solar” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29.
- "There's a race to build projects in NJ to get to that 5.1%” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #32
- On finding balance "Balance is very difficult and it's something I'm still working on.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 32.
- Her favorite hashtag "#Carpe Solem it means seize the sun.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #32
Resources:
Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters:
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Episode Summary
Benoy and Amanda discuss the importance of operations & maintenance in the solar industry. Why Amanda started the cooperative? How she ensures that each company in the cooperative is bringing something to the table to elevate the cooperative? And the future of the cooperative in the solar industries and trends she is seeing in solar operations & maintenance.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Amanda Bybee
Amanda has worked in the solar industry since 2003. Her entrée was promoting renewable energy policy in Austin, TX at Public Citizen, where she served as the coordinator of the Solar Austin Campaign. The campaign worked closely with Austin Energy to establish the first solar rebate program in Texas in 2004. Amanda then went on to work at Meridian Energy Systems, a solar EPC company.
Amanda joined Namasté Solar in January 2006 as an early member of the team. She held numerous roles over her 11 years there, from technical sales & design to business development. While there, she worked to obtain a federal charter for a unique financial institution that funds clean energy products and services: Clean Energy Credit Union (www.cleanenergycu.org). This was only the 17th federal charter issued since 2010, and the first in the state of Colorado for over 30 years. She continues to serve as a volunteer on the Supervisory Committee of the credit union.
In 2016, she helped earn an award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to found the Amicus O&M Cooperative (www.AmicusOM.com). The O&M Cooperative brings together a network of providers across the country to provide coordinated services for geographically distributed portfolios. She now serves as its CEO, and is committed to the mission "to ensure that solar PV fulfills its promise as a responsible and reliable energy source, for generations to come." She obtained a BA in English and French from the University of Texas at Austin, and through solar, has found her "inner engineer."
Insight from this Episode
- What the intention of the cooperative is.
- How Clean Energy CU is helping make solar accessible to everyone.
- What makes the cooperative successful.
- The importance of each role within the cooperative.
- The 4 core values of Amicus O & M Cooperative.
- Benoy’s thoughts on why there have been changes on the investment side of the solar market.
Quotes from the show:
-
- On making repairs: “A big part of keeping O&M cost effective is trying to reduce travel time.” Amanda Bybee, Episode #31.
-
“When we work together through the cooperative to elevate everyone’s game we all win.” Amanda Bybee, Episode #31
-
“The name of the game is efficiency” Amanda Bybee, Episode #31.
- “The real heros of O&M are the technicians” Amanda Bybee, Episode #31.
- “O&M and solar is relatively new, we don’t have a lot of experience of long life assets” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #31.
- On working with installers and asset owners: “At the end of the day those services are being sold to the asset owner” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #31.
- About discussing O&M with clients ‘It’s really about adding value to our client” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #31.
- On O&M price differences: “People really didn’t understand what the true cost was.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #31.
- Why there are lower ROIs now: “We’ve seen a lot of investors come into the market that have a lower investment requirement.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #31.
Resources
Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
Clean Energy Credit Union
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Amanda Bybee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandabybee
abybee@amicusOM.com
Amicus O&M Cooperative
Tags: solar energy, renewable energy, reneu energy, Benoy Thanjan, Operations & Maintenance, Namaste, Amicus O&M Cooperative, Clean Energy CU, quality, elevate
Episode Summary
Benoy and Dominick discuss safety guidelines in solar and how Pro Circuit Electrical ensures safety for all of it’s employees. What got Dominick originally interested in working with solar, trends they are seeing in the market and advice for any new entrepreneurs. Also, Dominick talks about how to construct a great solar project.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Dominick Matinelli:
Dominick is a founding partner at Pro Circuit Electrical. He and his partner started the company back in 2011 but Dominick’s interest in solar started back when he was working with a company that didn’t actually do any solar. From there he went to Vanguard Energy Partners LLC where he was the Director of Electrical Services and then started Pro Circuit Electrical in 2011 with his partner Josh Nierman.
Insight from this Episode
- Strategies to make safety a number one priority of a solar company.
- What hazards are unique to the solar projects from other construction projects.
- What Dominick really thought solar was when he first learned about it.
- Keys to success and how to implement them.
- Advice to new entrepreneurs.
- Benoy’s take on upcoming changes in the market
Quotes from the show:
-
- On his partnership with Josh “ Our strengths and weaknesses definitely counter balance each other and it was just inevitable that this was going to happen.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
-
“Everybody gets to come home safely no matter what.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30
-
On successful partnerships: “It’s all about people that are honest and transparent” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #30.
- On Dominick and Josh’s working relationship “I’m good at spreadsheets and Josh is good at everything else” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
- “Safety is paramount in a successful operation.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
- “Don’t underestimate the power of your own integrity” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
- “Reputation is everything and if you can’t make it by doing the right thing and doing right by all of your business associates then don’t even bother.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
- “Make sure every deal you cut, that both sides are a winner.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
- “Community solar is one of the fastest growing areas of solar” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #30.
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Dominick Matinelli:
Pro Circuit Electrical Contracting
operations@procircuitec.com
LinkedIn: Pro Circuit Electrical Contracting
LinkedIn: Dominick Matinelli
Facebook: Pro Circuit Electrical Contracting
Episode summary: Benoy and Li talk about Benoy’s meeting with former President Barack Obama. Benoy talks about the Virginia’s solar market and how companies goals of 100% percent renewables is leading to a lot of development of utility scale projects in Virginia. Benoy talks about the benefits of having solar on brownfield and landfills. Li and Benoy discuss what podcasts motivate them and books to purchase and live by.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- Conversations between Benoy and former President Barack Obama
- The possibility of Benoy running for President in 2020?
- Industry updates on the Virginia Solar.
- How and why large companies have adopted the 100% renewable goals and how that is leading to solar development in Virginia.
- Upcoming speaking engagements of our hosts.
Quotes from the show:
- “I’m all about diversification and passive income.” -Benoy Thanjan, Episode 28
- “Focus on right now.” - Li Wang, Episode 28
- “You create your own luck” - Li Wang, Episode 28
- “It’s all about building your network and building strong, genuine, transparent relationships.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 28
- On implementing what you learn “It’s huge to put it into practice” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 28
- On utilizing what you learn : “It’s one thing to read it but to put it into practice” - Li Wang, Episode 28
- On going after what you want: “If there’s something you want, what is the worst that can happen?” - Li Wang, Episode 28
Resources Mentioned:
Reneu Energy Resources
Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
Toastmasters International
Podcasts:
Kwik Brain with Jim Kwik
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Chasing Excellence
Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu
Books:
Chasing Excellence by Ben Bergeron
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan www.reneuenergy.com info@reneuenergy.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
Li Wang: MJWangMedia.com Instagram: @liwang22
Episode Summary
Benoy and Suzanne discuss Reneu’s Energy’s Summer Solstice Party and Benoy moderating a community solar panel at the NY Solar Summit while giving a SRECs 101 tutorial. SRECs is an environmental commodity that different states have created to incent development of renewable energy. Reneu Energy has brokered $28 million in SREC transactions and manage 12MWs of solar project with SREC asset management. Reneu Energy also has created SREC research on different states.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this Episode
- What SRECs are and how they work.
- How SRECs are a volatile market and fluctuate in value.
- Where and how SRECs are traded.
- What states are currently using the SREC incentive.
- Future of SRECs
Quotes from the show:
- “At Reneu Energy we have a lot of experience in SREC’s and we have brokered about 28 million.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29.
- On the decrease in value: “NJ had the Solar Energy Act in 2012 where they increased the demand” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29
- “The demand is created by the state.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29.
- “The state tells companies that are generating in that state that a certain amount of it has to be in renewables and a certain amount has to actually be in solar” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29.
- “It’s not a tradeable commodity where you can go on an exchange” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #29.
- “If you sign a long term contract and then you might be able to sell the SRECs on the spot market for much more than you signed that long term contract for.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #29.
- “The SACP is almost like a fine they have to pay if the renewable portfolio standard isn’t met.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #29.
Resources:
CBL Markets is connecting buyers and sellers to trade multiple environmental products on one screen. CBL Markets Exchange is spot marketplace for RECs. If you are interested in learning more about CBL Markets, contact Sean Barwin Phone (US): +1 212 520 2935 and Email: sean.barwin@cblmarkets.com. Let Sean from CBL know that you heard about them through the Solar Maverick Podcast.
http://www.cbourses.com
Intercontinental Exchange builds, operates and advances global markets through information, technology and expertise. An exchange that you can buy and sell SRECs.
https://www.theice.com/index
Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters:
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Episode summary:
Benoy and Li reflect on the Pacific Gas & Electric bankruptcy and its effect on the solar industry. The reason why PG&E is in bankruptcy due primarily to the liability from California wildfires. Benoy talks about current projects on the horizon, Colombia’s failed renewable energy auction, and the upcoming Summer Solstice party. Benoy also discusses passive income and what he looks at when he invests in different opportunities.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insights from this episode:
- How the climate is affecting the economy
- How wildfires have a large effect on California utilities
- Why the Colombian Renewable Energy Auction Failed?
- Tips for young people getting into solar energy.
Important Links:
Reneu Energy’s Summer Solstice Party
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reneu-energys-summer-solstice-party-tickets-60983558465
Why did the Colombian Renewable Energy Auction fail? By Francisco Sanclemente, CFA-Energy and Infrastructure Investment Banking Associate at Bancapital S.A. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/way-forward-francisco-sanclemente-cfa/ Quotes from the show:
- Advice to young people in solar: “I think working at a solar company will be a huge opportunity.” -Benoy Thanjan, Episode 27
- Advice to young people in solar:“It’s all about getting real world experience” -Benoy Thanjan, Episode 27
- “It’s very important to build different passive income streams” -Benoy Thanjan, Episode 27
- “Luck is a creations, you create your own luck.” - Li Wang, Episode 27
- “You never know where a connection could come from” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 27
- “Open your mind, open your eyes, listen to people and never judge people” - Li Wang, Episode 27
- “For opportunity to come your way you must ask” - Li Wang, Episode 27
- “It’s all about living life to it’s fullest.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 27
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Episode summary:
In this episode, Steve Raeder sits down to talk about the opportunities and challenges of solar over the past 10 years. Steve also discusses Summit Ridge’s focus on community solar and offering solar to the residential community and their initiatives throughout multiple states. Also, Summit Ridge is working to overcome the financing through the lenders to bring the solar option to more residential customers. Steve talks about the next phase of the company which is to own all the projects that they develop and co-develop.
About our Guests:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Steve Raeder
Steve Raeder CEO and Founder of Summit Ridge. In the beginning, the company’s focus was commercial customers, cities and federal agencies that Steve had worked with for years, but over time, Summit Ridge Energy changed to working with communities and developing community solar. They developed a nearly 7-megawatt community solar project in Maryland, and the company is heavily invested across Illinois. He was previously the managing director of Northeast Business Development a Sun Edison.
Insights from this episode:
- Challenges of using solar power
- Bringing solar power to the residential customer
- Initiatives throughout the states
- How trends are changing toward the future in solar power.
- How to survive a competitive market.
Quotes from the show:
- “There is a time, call it in the next 10 years where this will be the cheapest resource.” - Steve Raeder
- “I’m a believer in the inevitability of what we’re doing.” - Steve Raeder Episode 26
- “Know your space, I think timing is somewhat natural” - Steve Raeder Episode 26
- “I knew what I wanted to do and I thought I knew how to do it.” - Steve Raeder Episode 26
- “Stay small, you can do a lot in the space. You don’t need 95 bodies” - Steve Raeder Episode 26
- “It became a very lucrative incentive and people at that time weren't sure” - Benoy Thanjan Episode 26
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
https://www.reneuenergy.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/
info@renewenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Summit Ridge
linkedin.com/company/summitridgeenergy/
http://www.srenergy.com/
Steve Raeder
linkedin.com/in/steve-raeder-5283a0?trk=org-employees_mini-profile_cta
Episode Summary
Benoy goes deep into Kumar’s experience of evolving from his finance background into developing distributive energy projects in the U.S. and the new innovations in customer acquisition and financing that have allowed Kumar to become successful with his company. In addition, Kumar share strategies to investing and why Kumar likes to invest during the seed round of companies that he believes in Cleantech.
About Our Guests:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Kumar Aiyer
Kumar is the founder and Managing Partner of Blue Flame Energy Finance LLC, a start-up company in Carlsbad, CA focused on the commercial and industrial energy sector. Since 2011 he has served as the Managing Partner of CleanFin LLC., a structured-finance advisory firm focused on the sustainability sector. Prior to his career in clean energy finance, he was a portfolio manager and strategist on Wall Street in the residential mortgage and asset backed securities industry. He was a senior portfolio manager at ZAIS Group, a structured credit asset management firm in Red Bank, NJ from 2006 to 2011, working on residential mortgage securities and whole loans. He has also served in senior research strategy roles at Banc of America Securities, Credit Suisse, and Paine Webber.
PhD, Electrical Engineering from University of Rochester
MS, Renewable Energy Systems from Loughborough University
Insight from this episode:
- The challenges related to developing small scale solar projects
- BlueFlame’s technology platform called Hyperqual to assist developers and installers with financing their projects
- Tips on how to procure and scale businesses
- Strategies to streamline and finance a distributed energy portfolio
- How to recognize needs in a market
- Tips to use prior knowledge in other industries on our current endeavors
- In depth explanation of C-Pace- Commercial Property as a Solar Energy
- Strategies to finding product market fit
- Secrets to recruiting great team members
Kumars suggestions for being an entrepreneur
- Be passionate about what you do
- Do research to make sure there is adequate funding for your business to grow
Quotes from the show:
- “What we found is practice is very different from theory.”- Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
- “I am very passionate about climate change and renewables at a high level. ”- Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
- “We are working with a lot of greenhouses that grow organic lettuce and things like that, that are also big energy consumers and they need innovative financing” - Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
- “Right now C-Pace is limited to certain states and jurisdictions” - Benoy Thanjan Episode 25
- “I put money where my mouth is” - Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
- “Our focus is very simple, we want to bring in the cheapest cost of financing to these projects for our customers” - Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
- “Identify the segment that you are looking to finance make sure there is adequate funding for your business plan to go 1-3 years and grow” - Kumar Aiyer Episode 25
Resources Mentioned:
https://apifortress.com/
Stay Connected:
Solar Maverick Podcast:
solarmaverickpodcast.com
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Kumar Aiyer:
info@bfef.biz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumaraiyer/
Episode Summary
Benoy and Li reflect on the success of the Solar Maverick Podcast and share their expertise. Li explains the importance of branding through website design, providing key tips for converting observers to clients. Benoy explains the economics behind solar energy and he discusses trends that he is seeing in the solar and energy storage industry. Benoy talks about opportunity zone investment in the new tax code and how it can be an opportunity for solar.
About Our Guests:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Insight from this episode:
- Li shares his three questions for evaluating a marketing strategy:
- So what?
- Who cares?
- Why you?
- How to revamp your website by eliminating stock photos
- Strategies for improving your business by prioritizing your website
- Benoy talks about Massachusetts solar incentive program.
- Discussion on Federal Solar Incentives.
- Benoy talks about how returns on solar projects are getting lower due to increased competition from investors.
- Benoy talk about the tax code changes with opportunity zones and it could be a great opportunity with solar power.
Quotes from the show:
“The biggest mistake that people make is adding stock photos.” - Li Wang Episode 24, on website branding and marketing
“The biggest takeaway about your website is to simplify, use high quality images, and make your messaging succinct.” - Li Wang Episode 24
“Even if you are a business that’s referral-based, some of those referrals may not be converting as easily or as quickly.” - Li Wang Episode 24, on the importance of having a well-constructed website
“Building a marketing presence and branding are huge differentiators especially with people in the same marketplace.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode 24
“The solar economy is one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy.” - Benoy Thanjan Episode 24
“Energy storage is a game changer and once energy storage become economically it is going to be huge.”-Benoy Thanjan Episode 24
“Some Investors are taking development risk to get higher return on solar projects.”-Benoy Thanjan Episode 24
Resources Mentioned:
2019 is going to be a great year for Solar and the 2018 Year in Review! by Benoy Thanjan
Stay Connected:
Solar Maverick Podcast:
solarmaverickpodcast.com
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
li@reneuenergy.com
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, and solarmaverickpodcast.com
Episode Summary
Benoy and Suzanne discuss Community Solar and why this is an exciting area for renewable energy. From the challenges of contract tenure to providing access for low to moderate income housing, this is an area you should expect to see significant expansion. Expect to gain real insight and understanding of community solar.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Suzanne Waters
Suzanne Waters is an experienced solar professional with a broad knowledge of the industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy, and team leadership. Before joining Reneu Energy, Suzanne worked as the Business Development Manager and Proposal Team Leader at Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar developer, and their affiliate firm, Vanguard Energy Capital. She oversaw proposal development and contract execution, and collaborated on structured finance for large scale, multimillion-dollar projects. In addition, Suzanne has extensive experience in many aspects of the PV industry, with unmatched enthusiasm for its capabilities and a BA in Economics from Rutgers College at Rutgers University.
Insight from this Episode
- How to share in the benefits of community solar projects without owning or developing your own project.
- Why community solar should get everyone excited about solar.
- How community solar is becoming more readily available for low to moderate income households.
- How community solar has been affected by different challenges.
- How community solar, net metering and credits work together.
Quotes from the show:
- ·In regard to 100% renewable energy goals, “I think what we’ve seen are the challenges related to policy that’s able to move as quickly as the goals of the state.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #23.
- “Community Solar is one of the fastest growing sectors of the industry.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #23.
- “Community solar allows you to buy credits through virtual net metering from a solar project…it’s definitely access to provide solar in a way that hasn’t been there before.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #23.
- “The challenge for community solar has been finding financing parties that are comfortable with the lesser tenure of a contract.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #23.
- In regard to different structures of community solar: “The most popular structure is the subscription-based model, which is easier to structure and less expensive.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #23.
- “Virtual net metering is what allows a household or business to receive the net metering credits associated with a net metering project that they don’t actually share an electricity meter.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #23.
- “You don’t have to own the project to share in the credits.” Suzanne Waters, Episode #23.
- “Community Solar is taking solar to the next level, where it really should be available to the masses. So if community solar doesn’t get everyone excited about solar, I don’t know what will!” Suzanne Waters, Episode #23.
- “Carpe Solem (Seize the Sun)” Suzanne Waters, Episode #23.
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Suzanne Waters:
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
suzanne@reneuenergy.com
Linkedin: Suzanne Waters
Episode Summary
Lauren and Benoy share knowledge on topics from how the industry has seen new trends take effect because of the increase and decrease in tariffs, how the solar market continues to grow and create openings for niche companies, and how to approach not just becoming an entrepreneur but also being a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Lauren Carson
Lauren Carson, with over 8 years of experience in the solar industry, is the CEO of Kinect Solar, the leader of liquidation and wholesale business for electrical components and power generation equipment, transformers, electrical cable, and generators. They work with local installers and manufacturers to move excess inventory to their customers that span the globe from local installers in Austin to farmers in Belize and hotels in Fiji.
Insight from this episode:
- How the business market is affected by tariffs.
- How businesses can be impacted by local, state and federal policy.
- How supply and demand can affect the import market, pricing and drive new trends.
- Why tariffs affect where businesses start to pop up or move to.
- How to approach being a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry.
- Strategies for finding a niche in the market.
- Reasons to start small and slowly scale as an entrepreneur.
Quotes from the show:
- “Our mantra is ‘We solve inventory problems’” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- “The solar panel market really is a commodity so supply demand dynamic impacts by local, state and federal policy are very very apparent.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- “I’m seeing as well in the development cycle, everyone is adjusting their engineering to take advantage of these more efficient panels to get higher production from their solar systems to get a higher return.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #22.
- “There’s been a massive jump in efficiency, I think there’s still a lot of people sitting on the older wattage panels and I think we’re going to continue to see those prices go down for the more legacy wattage panels.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- “It’s extremely stressful at times; there are financial stresses and there are personnel stresses but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think my favorite thing about having my own company is getting choose the people I work with.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- Tips for entrepreneurs: “Staying scrappy and focusing on one little piece of what you do and also finding one customer that’s willing to pay you for something, and then growing off of that success, and just being patient.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- “I think you mentioned a great point; everyone feels like they need to have this structure set up but obviously business is about generating revenue and adding value to your clients. Sometimes people get lost in all that other stuff rather than focusing on what’s important.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #22.
- “People are willing to help, and it’s all about adding value. It’s almost like mentorship in a sense…mentorship has been very important for me and developing my business.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #22.
- “In regard to being a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry: “You have to let it roll off your back; if you hold onto that and think about how it’s setting you back then I think it starts to become a reality.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
- In regard to being a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry: “In general, we have a great industry with great people and I have looked at it as a positive.” Lauren Carson, Episode #22.
Recommended Books:
- “The Grid” by Gretchen Bakke
- “Ego is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday
- “Traction” by Gino Wickman
- “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Lauren Carson:
www.kinectsolar.com
Linkedin: Kinect Solar
info@kinectsolar.com
Episode Summary
Benoy and John discuss the how the exciting industry of solar and renewable resources has been impacted by large utility projects becoming smaller and more distributed. John emphasizes the importance of people to any industry and how vital the trust between business partners and clients is to the success of any project, relationship or business.
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
John Chaimanis
Mr. Chaimanis co-founded Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI) in 2012. KSI is an innovative private finance company with over $150M AUM, that owns and operates distributed renewable energy and other sustainable infrastructure projects. He is a well respected leader in the industry with over 15 years of experience and innovation. Prior to Kendall, he worked with a subsidiary of Edison International in California where he was part of a team that developed and acquired over $500M of energy projects and installed 250MW of utility scale wind assets. Prior to working in infrastructure, Mr. Chaimanis was a founding member of an inner-city charter school. Mr. Chaimanis holds an M.B.A. from Babson College (where he currently is an adjunct professor), a B.S. in Finance from Villanova University and has earned the Sustainable and Responsible Certification from US SIF.
Insight from this episode:
- Why solar plus storage is such an important and positive trend.
- How to add value as a partner.
- Why trusting your clients and partners is vital to your business.
- How to build a successful future with a partner during the first deal.
- Why it’s vital to compare the duration of an incentive to the duration of the asset
- The importance of working side by side with clients during the developmental process
- The importance of perseverance in entrepreneurship
- How personal experience can be more important to your success than education
Quotes from the show:
- “We are seeing that more common in the industry as well, where developers are looking for help from financial providers to provide value in the development process and life cycle” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #21.
-
“As an investor you need to look at the industry you’re investing in and figure out how are you going to have an edge; what are you going to do better than any other financier in the industry?” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
-
“What I learned is that number one has to be respect and trust” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “What I found is that it’s really great when you’re sitting in the boardroom figuring it out (contracts and agreement details) but almost every deal I’ve been a part of; within 5 days of signing that paper something comes up that you didn’t think of in that contract and that’s when you find out who people really are.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “In the long run, we want to treat people with dignity and respect, and we want the same on our side” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “Development in my opinion – it’s very difficult to be a great developer all over the nation. It is a very regional game.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “It’s very common for the local developers acquisition costs for customers to be a lot lower than the national provider because they have that relationship and they’re in that area so people know who they are” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #21.
- “I love solar, I love being part of this industry. It is one of the most exciting and quickly evolving. People are motivated and energized and so many folks in the industry really believe in what we’re doing” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “As an industry, I think it would be good for us to have a more mature understanding of the way power prices are actually established.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21.
- “It’s going to be a huge opportunity that’s going to go for years and years...the next 50-75 years especially when we reach grid parity in most states and you’re not dependent on incentives will be a gamechanger.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #21.
- In regard to starting a business; “It was slow, very slow like any entrepreneur will tell you. There were bits in the beginning where I had to fill with consulting work and other things.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21
- In regard to recommendations for other entrepreneurs; “My path was that I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur and I knew what industry I wanted to be in but I didn’t have the knowledge so I worked for a while first. And I think that’s not a bad idea for somebody that - to go out and start an advertising company cold might be a little hard but if you work in the ad space for a while and learn as much as you can, there is incredible value in that. There’s even more value in that than going to school.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21
- In regard to recommendations for other entrepreneurs; “The second thing is perseverance. You really need to - every day - put your hardest work in, and everyday be a better you as you’re going through it.” John Chaimanis, Episode #21
- “You need dreamers and people who are willing to push the envelope.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #21.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
John Chaimanis:
http://kendallinvestments.com
Twitter: @Ksienergy
Linkedin: Kendall-Investments
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is a thought leader with IGS Solar, a third party gas and electric provider in most deregulated markets. As an intrapreneur, Nate assisted with launching IGS Solar, offering services to both residential and commercial customers. Receiving a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Delaware, Nathan has pivoted in his business experience to become a well-rounded expert in the industry.
Episode Summary
Nathan and Benoy talk at length regarding the natural gas market and the varying aspects to being a third party energy supplier such as customer acquisition costs and simplifying complex contracts, as well as current trends in the solar industry. In addition, Nathan shares key thoughts on being an entrepreneur and how to successfully find your place your desired market.
Insight from this episode:
- How being an intrapreneur and entrepreneur differ
- How natural gas affects the solar and electric markets
- The benefits of on site distribution generation as opposed to providing off site solar
- How customer acquisition costs vary by area of the industry
- How to make customers more comfortable and understanding of solar
- How simplifying a process adds high levels of value
- How to determine what is bankable and financeable for your business
- How to successfully build relationships in your market
Quotes from the show:
-
- “Solar is something that people want, they can understand, it’s very eloquent with no moving parts. You don’t have to worry about all this heat recapture, vibration and noise or where to put it.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- “It’s very scalable (solar compared to CHP (combined Heat and Power). For the development of a CHP project, the complexity and time it takes vs solar that is a lot easier and you don’t have to worry about hedging natural gas.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #20.
- “Natural gas has kept prices relatively low for a long time which basically impacts the electricity price because most generation now is through natural gas.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #20.
- In regards to bridging and growing in your career: “You really need to pivot in business.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- “Being an intrapreneur is maybe less risk than an entrepreneur but still you have to wake up with that grind mentality.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- “Being an entrepreneur; you’re going to stub your toe and you have to learn from your mistakes.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- “You always have to ask the value statement, ‘What is the market missing and how can we fill that gap?’” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- “I think solar plus storage is going to be a game changer; where you take intermittent power and now you’re able to store it and use it at different times to support the grid.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #20.
- “I feel like in the battery space, scale is really going to matter.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- As quoted from a friend, one of the most important things in business is being customer friendly; “It’s got to be something your mom can read.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
- In regards to customer acquisition, “We haven’t cracked the code on digital marketing yet.”Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
-
Every project is not as cookie cutter as people probably think.” Nathan Jovanelly, Episode #20.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
Nathan Jovanelly
www.IGS.com
LinkedIn: Nathan Jovanelly
Twitter: @natejov
nathan.jovanelly@igs.com
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Eric Dahnke
Eric Dahnke is the Founder and CEO of Power Market; utilizing his experience in the utility and software industries to provide solutions for community solar. With an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University, he is always working towards improving the delivery of clean energy programs.
Episode Summary
Eric dissects and explains not only the need and benefits of customer acquisition, onboarding and management for community solar, but also how the process of customer billing is conducted. This crucial aspect of bringing financial structure to community solar is not only expanding the market but also taught him many key lessons in entrepreneurship that he shares with Benoy.
Insight from this episode:
- Ways to use technology to decrease the cost of customer acquisition
- The importance of focus as an entrepreneur
- How commissions can affect the locals of community solar growth
- The importance of the name and branding for a startup company
- Strategies for financing and funding a new company
- How to prepare for entrepreneurship
Quotes from the show:
- In regards to financing terms for community solar: “We see a wide range but 3-5 years is the standard contract length, with fairly minimal exit fees.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- “Billing in these markets has always been the strength of what we’re doing. We consider ourselves a software company.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- “I am happy to say that we have billed in excess of one million dollars in community solar transactions and we’ve never had a mistake.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- In regards to realizing the need for Power Market: “This industry (the utility industry) needs the software architectures and techniques that we had in the financial services industry where the risk system is talking to the accounting system which is talking to the P&L system, to the settlement system and all of that works together and works well. ....I realized there ought to be an opportunity to build out some systems for this clean energy industry.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- “...One of the other crucial things that I learned and had to be taught -which is part of the process of being an entrepreneur - is that you have to offer something very specific when you’re starting a company.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- “It’s really focusing on one thing and being the expert on it, as opposed to doing multiple things." Benoy Thanjan, Episode #19.
- In regards to community solar trends: “Governments are starting to require a low-income component to it.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #19.
- “(a customer acquisition agent) can sell 5 individual apartment owners or go up into a much wealthier neighborhood and get one individual sale. The credit requirements and things that community solar was supposed to solve in terms of allowing low-income subscribers and participants to take advantage of that product have been thwarted a little bit by the fact that it’s more lucrative for the customer acquisition agents to go after bigger, wealthier customers.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- “It’s been a struggle, let’s be honest, but it has been pretty exciting. I’ve heard other entrepreneurs say it doesn’t really feel like work when the challenge in front of you is as big as it is so there is an upside to it.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
- In regards to preparing for entrepreneurship: “The thing that makes a successful entrepreneur more than anything is just experience; experience, know-how, contacts, all of that. So the extent that you can put that together in your career as it exists before you step out will be a good way to go about it.” Eric Dahnke, Episode #19.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
info@reneuenergy.com
Eric Dahnke
Power Market Website
info@powermarket.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-dahnke-397b702/
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Graham Smith
As the Founder and CEO of Open Energy Group, Graham Smith was able to combine his experience and passion for renewable energy and finance. Open Energy Group is the lending tree of renewable energy assets, providing easier access to capital markets. With over 5.5 years in business, they have become the marketplace and financial solution provider for the U.S. commercial energy sector, underwriting nearly $1 billion dollars.
Episode Summary
Graham shares with Benoy the lessons he learned as an Olympic athlete and how those lessons prepared himself for the hard work, persistence and patience to becoming a successful entrepreneur. This hard work, combined with his passion for renewable energy and experience in the financial world helped him successfully recognize and fill a need in the industry. Benoy and Graham discuss how other entrepreneurs can learn from that experience as well as how those interested in the solar market can benefit from not only the services Graham offers but how he is shaping the industry as a whole.
Insight from this episode:
- How to access different financial solutions for the solar market
- Reasons it’s easier to fund builds greater than $1 million
- Strategies for finding consumer and commercial choices for solar builds and financing
- How current financial trends are affecting the solar industry
- Strategies for surviving the first year in business
- Why growing a business is not always a linear path
- How passion can affect your success as an entrepreneur
Quotes from the show:
-
”The sector is still in it’s infancy; there is no entrenched method (in regards to accessing solar and financial provisions). If you want a new roof you might just go to your bank and they will understand that, with solar there is still a lack of awareness" Graham Smith, Episode #18.
-
In regards to financial transactions under $1million, “It can get expensive with the legal costs and outside legal counsel looking at the agreement.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #18.
-
- “There is no and shouldn’t be one solution to allow solar and renewable energy to flourish at this lower complex level; there needs to be a proliferation - a choice - there needs to be consumer/commercial choices about the products and that’s what we aim to provide.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
-
“I think a necessary trend that is needing to happen is simplifying the process.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
-
“There is an appetite to look at the recycling of waste; producing both energy and products that can be reused into the cycle.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- “In terms of our story, I think it’s important for people to know, especially the entrepreneurs, that it hasn’t been a straight path for Open Energy.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- In regards to Open Energy Group: “You have made this so that it makes it easy and speeds up the whole process of investors analyzing different opportunities to finance projects.“ Benoy Thanjan, Episode #18.
- “We find ourselves almost like a translator, taking developer-speak and taking it to the bank so they can recognize it.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- “We facilitate access to capital; to build, to own, or to sell these assets. What that allows is the best price capital to come in and ultimately that means more capital to come in (to the renewable energy market).” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- “When you have the opportunity to make money from your passion - it is a great thing.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- ”There are a lot of European developers and investors aggressively developing in the United States because there is a lot of opportunity.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #18.
- In regards to becoming an entrepreneur: “You need a particular commitment, drive and self-belief. Because ultimately if you’re starting something, its possibly because it hasn’t been done before or done that way and your slants or ideas are different from others; so it requires that belief and persistence knowing that you can see forward enough past initial failure or initial non-acceptance that there will be. The ways to sustain that are your enthusiasm and passion.“ Graham Smith, Episode #18.
- “Frankly I don’t know any other way to success; it is only the product of extremely hard, committed work.” Graham Smith, Episode #18.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
info@reneuenergy.com
Graham Smith
www.openenergygroup.com
Linkedin.com/in/grahamsmith11
info@openenergygroup.com
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Steve Schwerd
With over 25 years in Consulting Engineering, Mr. Schwerd has proven accomplishments in engineering design; project, client, staff and financial management; business development; engineering operations; and firm leadership. Experience ranges from creating small MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) departments to a Principal/Shareholder role as the engineering leader for a large multi-office, international full-service Architectural & Engineering firm. Upon establishing Schwerd Consulting, Steve now follows his passion for renewable energy and is fully committed to and active in the Solar industry. He has worked with many of the leading solar companies and vendors across the country and is the driving force on his firm’s projects and industry endeavors.
Episode Summary
Benoy and Steve discuss how to not only utilize the value of your experience but to also expand and grow on that to become an industry expert and successful entrepreneur. Through personal business experiences and involvement in renewable energy, Steve shares what helped him stay on the leading edge of solar, differentiate himself among his peers and develop a reputation as that of a valuable resource.
Insight from this episode:
- How to become fully engaged in your industry and become an expert
- The importance of being well-rounded in your industry
- Why being truly passionate about your idea is key for the entrepreneur
- How to plan properly for business ownership
- The proper level of importance to assign your infrastructure
- Strategies for gaining referrals
- Why and when to say no to an opportunity
- How to gauge if a solar project is good or not
- How to stay on the cutting edge of your industry
Quotes from the show:
- “Solar is good. It’s still a growing industry even with the “solar-coasters” that have happened over the years” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “Experience is key.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “There might be a lot of companies that DO solar, but we KNOW solar.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- In regards to how Steve approaches business: “You look at the whole picture which makes it unique.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #17.
- “The timing was right and timing is often everything.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “As a business leader, you have to trust in yourself but also surround yourself with good people and relationships and build on those relationships.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “You really need to learn to say no and through your experience and confidence, trust that you can spot a bad project or a client that’s not a fit for you; because the worst thing you can do is pursue something that seems like it has a great gross revenue potential and it’s such a drag that you have a negative net income from it.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “Being transparent in general; people appreciate it.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #17.
- “‘Check your ego at the door”. It’s not about creating a complex engineering design if you don’t have to; it’s the benefit to the end-user, the owner of the system.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “Go where the trends are. Stay cutting edge but avoid the bleeding age.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “Understand that effective systems are more important than efficient systems.” Steve Schwerd, Episode #17.
- “There’s a big market now for in-service assets, so this will definitely be something that will be big in the future.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #17.
- In regards to project implementation: “It takes time from a technical perspective. Just because a program is approved based on policy, still there is a lot of work that needs to be done on the backend to make it happen.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #17.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Steve Schwerd:
Linkedin.com/in/steveschwerd
www.schwerdconsulting.com
sschwerd@schwerdconsulting.com
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode Summary
In light of the New Year, Li and Benoy discuss the effects of proper goal setting in your personal life as well as in your business. In the solar market, aggressive goal setting is creating foundations for high levels of growth, specifically in community solar and solar plus storage incentives. From his own travels to Southeast Asia and South America, Benoy shares key tips for cultivating relationships, maximizing value and realizing opportunities locally and abroad.
Insight from this episode:
- How to cultivate new business relationships
- Strategies for balancing your time as a small business owner
- How to connect to potential clients and build meaningful relationships
- How to bring value to your clients
- Strategies for growing international markets
- Strategies for effective goal setting
- Methods for increasing community solar
Quotes from the show:
-
- “Business in the US and Asia are totally different; even south america. People want to really get to know you before there is any discussion about business, whereas in the U.S. it’s very upfront with what they can offer and what value they can offer you.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
- “People are people at the end of the day, and they prefer to work with people they like and trust.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
- “Community solar is one of the fastest growing segments in solar in the US.“ Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
“The great thing about community solar is it allows people who can’t get solar, due to, let’s say their house has shading issues, the roof is not good,they don’t have the capital expenditures, if they live in an apartment or have low to moderate income, they are able to now purchase solar....It gives everyone the ability to have solar” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
- “California has always been ahead of the curve and trying to incentivize it (solar).” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
In regards to California solar goals; “Part of being aggressive is that even if they don’t reach complete fulfillment of their goals, they’ll have gained a lot just by setting those targets.” Li Wang, Episode #16.
-
- “It’s all about setting high goals. We talk about this in our own life and in entrepreneurship; everyone sets too low goals and we should all come up with higher goals. I know I’m trying to push myself to do bigger and better things. it might sound unrealistic but you never know you might achieve it but at least you’ll be at a much higher place than if you didn’t have those goals in place.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
“I feel like with a little bit of help, and without much effort tor outsourcing, business owners can really improve their market.” Li Wang, Episode #16.
-
“2019 is going to be a great year for solar.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
“‘I’d rather see you do one or a few things very well, than spread yourself too thin, because that’s very difficult for a small business.” Li Wang, Episode #16.
-
“If you’re not truly listening and asking good questions, how can you really add the value they (your customer) need?” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #16.
-
“The power of saying no to things - that sometimes is hard to do when starting up your business but learning to say no to the wrong opportunities will gain you more time and gain you more business over time.” Li Wang, Episode #16.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
li@reneuenergy.com
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode Summary
Li and Benoy discuss Benoy’s recent trip to Colombia and attendance of the El Futuro Solar de Colombia conference. While reviewing the current changes of renewable energy in Colombia and what is driving those, they also review how cultural differences can impact international business. From an entrepreneurial perspective, they provide strategies on maximizing the time spent at industry conferences, how to gain recognition and become known as an expert in your industry.
Insight from this episode:
- How foreign languages can benefit an entrepreneur.
- How investment returns are driving American capital to international markets.
- How cultural expectations can vary when working in international markets.
- Strategies for maximizing your time at industry conferences.
- Ways to become known as an expert in your field.
- Strategies to improve your network.
- How to improve your personal brand and recognition through consistent social media posts and website updates.
Quotes from the show:
-
In regards to the renewable energy market in Colombia: “It sounds like there is a lot of opportunity with some hard work to put in there, to gain some traction there.” Li Wang, Episode #15.
-
“Colombia is going to be a great market.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #15.
-
It’s never easy and especially in a new market that nothing has been done yet, so it’s really about coming up with creative solutions.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #15.
- “Having a working knowledge of the language makes a huge difference because you are able to communicate with people directly instead of through a translator.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #15.
- In regards to industry conferences: “Obviously the content is very important...but it’s really about getting in front of people, building that relationship which takes time. It’s not just about picking up business cards and emailing.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #15.
- “The point being, the internet is wide open and you should claim your little piece of real estate on the internet if you haven’t already.” Li Wang, Episode #15.
- “If you can stand out a little bit in your personal brand, it’s going to pay off usually, because you’ll get noticed.”Li Wang, Episode #15.
Resources Mentioned:
- El Futuro Solar de Colombia
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Thom Byrne
Thom Byrne is the Founder and CEO of Clean Capital; a financial technology company that makes it easy to invest in clean energy. Clean Capital has built a proprietary technology platform that identifies, screens, and manages clean energy projects enabling project owners an opportunity to exit their portfolios while providing accredited investors, including institutional investors, family offices, and investment funds, unique access to the clean energy investment market.
Thom received his start in environmental projects with Waterkeeper Alliance, where he helped launch local environmental organizations. After graduating from Berkeley Law school, he received extensive experience in the renewable energy finance arena through the law firms, Chadbourne and Parke, and then Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld. Using his experience, Thom dove deeper into renewable energy asset with True Green Capital, before founding Clean Capital.
Episode Summary
Thom Byrne shares how as an entrepreneur, he addressed calculated risks to create Clean Capital, a company now providing investment opportunities in the tens of millions of dollars for solar energy. As opposed to smaller investments in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, what was once just a vision, is now injecting tremendous amounts of capital into the solar energy market not just domestically, but internationally as well.
Insight from this episode:
- How increasing larger institutional capital is vital for growing the renewable energy space.
- How technology plays a key role in efficient investments.
- What to look for in a potential market for investment.
- Strategies for finding solutions to getting capital into new markets.
- What macro drivers are affecting the Solar market today.
- How to determine if being an entrepreneur is right for you and if your idea should go to market.
Quotes from the show:
-
- “We always wanted to be mission oriented.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
-
In regards to the renewable energy market: “Yes you can make money doing it, but it’s an important challenge to be trying to solve.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
-
In regards to being an entrepreneur: “Life’s too short and the risk you perceive is not as big a risk as it really is. It’s more fearful when you look out at the risk than when you’re actually living in it.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
-
In regards to being an entrepreneur: “There is a risk tolerance that you have to find acceptable. I think most people don’t find it acceptable and they don’t get into entrepreneurship but I would encourage people to evaluate the risk in the grand scheme of things and if you do that, you may find that it’s much more tolerable.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
-
In regards to being an entrepreneur: “It’s better to try than to have regret.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 14
-
“If you have the appetite to do it, to be an entrepreneur, you have to do it. That bug is not going to go away and you don’t want to wake up with grandchildren and just a story about something you were going to do, rather than having actually tried to do it.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
-
“Everyone is talking about storage and how in the market, tariffs and costs continue to go down.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 14
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“A statistic the World Economic Forum put out, is that .5% of any institutional capital being put out is for clean energy.” Thom Byrne, Episode 14
Resources Mentioned:
- “Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet” by Varun Sivaram
- “The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future” by Gretchen Bakke
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Thom Byrne
www.cleancapital.com
Experts Only Podcast
Linkedin: CleanCapital
Facebook: @CleanCapitalCo
Twitter: @CleanCapital_
tbyrne@cleancapital.com
About our Guest:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Jim Spano
Founder and Managing Director of Spano Partners, Jim Spano retired from his own financial planning firm and has since spent over 30 years in the Real Estate and Solar space. Using his lengthy experience, he was able to recover from the negative effects of the real estate market crash by paving the way for solar developments. From Vice-President of the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association, a participant of the International Battery and Energy Storage Alliance, and the creator of Spano Partners and Radiant REIT, Jim is an accomplished entrepreneur and industry influencer.
Episode Summary
Benoy and Jim discuss how utility scale and community solar are leading changes in the solar industry, in addition to the unprecedented shift in the cost of solar finance, as hard costs in building solar have little room to decrease. From policy involvement to networking, Jim shares invaluable insights into the solar industry, a successful career as an entrepreneur, and the incredible benefits and importance of philanthropic work.
Insight from this episode:
- How to use your previous experience to hone your entrepreneurial skills.
- Strategies for developing a successful solar development company.
- How networking can differentiate you in your industry.
- Strategies to not only promote your industry but also add more value to it.
- Ways to make solar energy more affordable for those with lower incomes.
- Why community solar power is becoming the latest trend in the solar industry.
- Why understanding policy can create value in your business.
- Ways to decrease hard and soft solar energy costs.
- Why philanthropy is one area of business you don’t want to forget.
Quotes from the show:
-
In regards to the lack of access to solar options due to cost: “That was a huge need in the market that’s not there, obviously, lowering the cost of financing. We find it (financing) is one of the highest expenses.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #13.
-
- “We are now where we know that the hard costs cannot continue to be reduced so now we are looking at ways to reduce soft costs, and that’s the direction that the industry should be going.” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
- “The key to successful solar development is understanding how the impact that the manner in which the project is developed, is viewed from a lender’s perspective.” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
- “Having as much at the highest incentive levels that you can, when you develop a project, means that you’ve added more value into that project. That means the investor and yourself will do better and have a far more likelihood of achieving the financial goals that the investment was based upon.”Jim Spano, Episode #13.
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“I think a lot of people look at things from (only) one perspective, but there are many people that are affected by this decision and there are a lot of variables that are changing within solar energy, that will impact costs to develop and build these projects.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #13.
-
“That’s why there’s so much debate within the industry. You have different stakeholders with conflicting interests.”Jim Spano, Episode #13.
-
“One of the fastest growing sectors of solar is community solar.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #13.
- “We have to open these markets for lower income people.” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
- “I think the most successful wealthy business people come to a point in their life that they realize that true happiness doesn’t come from self-gratification and having the biggest or fastest car, or the biggest home and all this nonsense. It really comes from putting a smile on someone’s face.” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
- “I think the true key to happiness in this life...what really satisfies us...is knowing that we made someone else’s life better, easier.” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
- “The most successful people actually fail the most, learn from that experience and then adapt.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #13.
- “Some of your best experiences and education comes from your failures; although I’d suggest you try to learn from other people’s failures first if you can!” Jim Spano, Episode #13.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Jim Spano
www.radiantreit.com
www.spanopartners.com
www.spanosolarenterprises.com
jimspano@spanopartners.com
About our Guest:
Rik Teeuwen is the Project Manager of Emerging Markets and Finance for Solarplaza, “Solarplaza organizes international high-level conferences and exploratory trade missions in both established and emerging markets across the globe. With a track-record spanning five continents, over thirty countries, fifty cities and a total of over one hundred events, Solarplaza is a pioneering industry inspirer.” a company focused on “accelerating the transition to solar energy across the world.” Rik is responsible for organizing and developing conferences in Latin America. He has made a career passionately working toward renewable energy growth.
Episode Summary
While hosting the El Futuro Solar Colombia, the first large scale conference in Colombia on solar resources, Rik sits down with Benoy to discuss the development of solar PV (the technology that converts sunlight into electricity) and renewable energy in up and coming markets. They discuss how these conferences aid in the renewable resource movement, help overcome obstacles and what Rik sees as notable trends in this industry.
Insight from this episode:
- How environmental factors have directed Colombia towards a more renewable energy focus.
- How Solar PV is gaining steam compared to other renewable resource alternatives.
- Strategies on making renewable energy a more appealing market for developers in individual countries.
- How emerging countries are responding to growth in the renewable resources market.
- Ways that countries and developers are able to push through existing obstacles and barriers to renewable resources.
- How current trends are affecting the renewable resource market.
Quotes from the show:
-
In regards to El Futuro Solar Colombia: “Everyone was being very transparent about the market. Usually when you go to conferences it’s very fluffy but people were really being very transparent.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 12
-
“It’s the appetite that you try to awake with the real picture. You cannot fake it.” Rik Teeuwen, Episode 12
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“They’re (Utility Companies) so focused on the way they’ve made money for years that its hard for them to grasp what’s coming next, and at the end of the day no matter how hard they make it to develop renewable energy products; specifically solar you aren’t going to stop it in the long run.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 12
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“Everyone is becoming more savvy or more capable of controlling their energy demand and use and that’s good. That’s brilliant.” Rik Teeuwen, Episode 12
-
“It’s an exciting time to be in the energy space, specifically solar. Also in the emerging markets because there’s a lot of economic opportunities that’s created based on having renewable resources and you know, most companies and business expenses is energy, and they’re able to lower their cost and use renewables at the same time.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 12
-
“Solar is so scalable compared to other technologies” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 12
-
“The energy market is a very complicated; not for the well being of a whole community kind of energy source while Solar PV can be a very nice community driven or individual driven.” Rik Teeuwen, Episode 12
-
“Countries are saying we want to be energy independent, we want to be green and we want to be cheap”. Rik Teeuwen, Episode 12
-
“I think what’s amazing is that most of the people in this sector are trailblazing. The complexity, they’re are basically building and passionate about renewable energy.... It’s only the beginning of a very long growth cycle.” Benoy Thanjan, Episode 12
-
“Market after market succumbs to the Solar PV revolution.” Rik Teeuwen, Episode 12
Resources Mentioned:
- El Futuro Solar Colombia
- Solarplaza Upcoming Events
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
www.reneuenergy.com
info@renewenergy.com
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Rik Teeuwen
www.solarplaza.com
www.twitter.com/rikteeuwen
LinkedIn: Rik Teeuwen
rik@solarplaza.com
About our Guests:
Daryl Pilon is the director of business development for Standard Solar, a vertically integrated commercial and industrial EPC company, providing superior solar energy solutions since 2004. Their goal is to invest their capital in new projects and drive the solar industry forward. Daryl comes from a background in engineering and worked on roofing systems before joining Standard Solar three years ago.
Bob Burwasser is the Northeast regional manager for Carlisle Construction Materials, a diversified manufacturer and supplier for building products and related materials for commercial construction markets. They prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability, working to lower a building’s carbon footprint and lower its energy consumption and associated costs.
Episode summary:
On the heels of a historic partnership between the solar company, Standard Solar, and the roofing and construction company, Carlisle Construction Materials, a representative from each company sat down with Benoy to talk about how their innovate solutions are changing the viability and longevity of rooftop solar arrays. Bob and Daryl each talk about their side of these innovations and their hopes for the partnership moving forward.
Insights from this episode:
- How Carlisle goes about evaluating a roof
- How Standard Solar and Carlisle Construction Materials have solved solar’s past roofing problems
- How they’re able to offer solar projects and solid roofs at a lower cost
- Strategies for getting your rooftop solar array off the ground
Quotes from the show:
- “For the first time since man has walked upright, we now have a roofing membrane that can parallel the longevity of solar.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- “When we’re done, that building has increased in value.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- “For owners that were interested in solar and just couldn’t pursue it because of the roof cost, we’re going back to them now and it’s becoming a very viable opportunity.” - Bob Burwasser, Episode #11
- On the partnership: “There’s a great match of people and there’s a great match of capability and competency.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- More on the partnership: “We can take opportunities that exist out there and be able to very quickly bring them to a conclusion.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- “We have two great companies that are very like minded in our goals and are very customer focused and I think with those elements, success is just around the corner.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- On their roofing solutions: “I think it’s viable everywhere. I really do believe that.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- “We’re all about mutually beneficial relationships.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
- “I think it’s nice that now we can lead the way. We can spearhead this thing and obviously we’re sharing it with the world, so we hope the world can be apart of it, but we’re going to lead the parade and I think it’s going be a great existence.” - Daryl Pilon, Episode #11
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@renewenergy.com
Daryl Pilon:
daryl.pilon@standardsolar.com
Bob Burwasser:
bburwasser@carlislerfc.com
About our Hosts:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode summary:
Li and Benoy each share their own journeys to entrepreneurship: what drew them in and the challenges they’ve faced along the way. They also share many of their personal hacks for success, drawing on the lessons they’ve learned and the habits they’ve developed over their entrepreneurial careers.
Insights from this episode:
- How to build true, quality networks
- Strategies for taking advantage of your current 9 to 5 if you’re looking to move toward entrepreneurship
- Secrets to the character traits of a successful entrepreneur
- Strategies for increasing the efficiency of your business
- How to leverage good listening skills into closing sales
- How to follow up without being annoying
- Strategies for standing out in an interview
- Strategies for organizing your day to get ahead
Quotes from the show:
- “When he was upset about losing money on a deal, the advice from Li’s friend: “Don’t worry about it, money is a renewable resource.” - Li Wang, Episode #10
- “The hardest part of entrepreneurship is the mental aspect, because you have to come up with a product or service that provides value but then also convince someone and sell that to them.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #10
- “I always wanted to control my own destiny, and I felt like entrepreneurship was the way to get there.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #10
- “I think that entrepreneurship is not for everyone.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #10
- “You don’t have to do it completely your own.” - Li Wang, Episode #10
- “The fortune is in the follow up.” - Li Wang, Episode #10
- “You have to deliver on what you promise.” - Li Wang, Episode #10
- Saying that you don’t have time for something just means you’re not prioritizing it. - Li Wang, Episode #10
Resources mentioned:
- Squarespace
- Mailchimp
- Calendly
- Square
- Google Suite
- Asana
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@renewenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Guest:
David Magid is the founder of YSG Solar, a clean energy technology company based in New York City. They do project development and solar-array installment for residential, commercial and industrial clients with a focus on cost efficiency and promoting innovative generation, distribution and storage technologies. David has worked in a variety of aspects of the energy industry for over 10 years, including geothermal and wind energy, energy storage and energy management systems.
Episode summary:
David talks about how he got involved with the solar energy industry and eventually started his own company. His diverse background in clean energy technologies gives him a broad perspective on the many components at play within the industry. He offers insights on selling solar to residential customers and how that work has changed over the last decade.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies to cultivate your sales skills
- How to approach residential customers about solar arrays
- How New York can overcome the barriers to achieving its lofty energy goals
- Tips on emerging opportunities and trends within solar and energy efficiency
Quotes from the show:
- “It’s a very competitive landscape, which is great because I think it really brings out the innovation in the industry when you have that.” - David Magid, Episode 9
- “Treat every single project like it’s your first project that you’re dealing with, and show it the respect that it deserves.” - David Magid, Episode 9
- “It’s the holy grail. Storage is what we’ve been reading and studying about for years, and it’s finally coming so it’s a really exciting time.” - David Magid, Episode 9
- About entering the solar industry today: “There’s so many places and roles to fill – policy, engineering, dealmaking – there’s a lot to get done and a lot of opportunity.” - David Magid, Episode 9
- “We’re going under an energy revolution with renewables and everything else, it’s just a really exciting time in technology, and so I believe just like you, David, the sky is the limit for opportunity.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 9
- On why he reads so much policy and follows it so closely: “We’re moving at such a fast pace that we need to study this market otherwise we’ll get eaten up.” - David Magid, Episode 9
Resources mentioned:
- Making it in America: The Life and Times of Rocky Aoki, Benihana’s Pioneer
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
David Magid:
ysgsolar.com
LinkedIn.com/in/davidmagid
About our Hosts:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode summary:
Benoy explains what it means when companies say they’re working toward becoming 100% renewable and how they go on to make that happen. He offers his insights on the risks involved in committing to purchasing 100% renewables and how he incorporates energy consciousness into his own every day life.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies for smaller companies to achieve 100% renewable
- Secrets to reduce risk and save money when committing your business to a 100% renewable goal
- How to support renewable energy and energy efficiency in your own life, and how that can translate into living a simpler life altogether
- How decreasing costs of lithium ion batteries will revolutionize access to electric cars and solar storage
- How increasing transparency in your company can improve its success
Quotes from the show:
- On developing the SREC program for Solar City in Silicon Valley: “It was crazy going from having no volume, to basically then having a multimillion dollar portfolio where I was helping them broker those sort of transactions.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “We have these big ideas but then we find reasons why it’s not going to work, but really we should be constantly pushing ourselves and thinking bigger and doing more than we think we can.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “The most successful people or the most successful company is failing more than most and learning from it and adapting.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “I believe every failure is supposed to happen.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “You can’t take the present for granted.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “Success and business and life are about being strategic. It’s about working hard, but it’s also about working smart and doing what you believe you want to do and what is your purpose.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
- “Transparency Promotes Accountability” - Li Wang, Episode 8
- “Talk is cheap, play the game” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 8
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Guest:
Chris Grablutz is the director of business development for PV Pros, Inc., a nationwide solar maintenance company specializing in commercial and utility scale solar PV systems based in New Jersey. He is an owner’s engineer and operations and maintenance professional. He has worked in the industry for over a decade, designing and building solar PV arrays with a focus on quality control and longevity.
Episode Summary:
Chris talks about his background in the solar energy industry, drawing on his decade of experience to highlight what he has learned in terms of growing a successful business and navigating the solar energy world. Looking ahead, he offers insights on the future of energy storage and advice for anyone looking to enter the solar industry.
Insights from this Episode:
- Strategies for navigating the ups and downs of the solar industry
- Tips for designing strong and financially smart solar projects from an operations and maintenance perspective
- Insights on what it will take to move energy storage tech forward
- The secret to achieving those 100% renewable energy goals
- Strategies for getting into the solar energy industry
Quotes from the Show:
- “Smooth seas don’t make for good sailors and that’s what this industry is all about.” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
- “As the industry changed, instead of trying to do new things, we decided to look back at what our core competency was.” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
- On the small size and interconnectedness of the industry: “It’s almost sometimes musical chairs with people changing companies.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 7
- Because of how small and interconnected the industry is: “Do whatever you can to make sure you end things amicably; you don’t ever burn a bridge.” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
- On the importance of quality control while building a project: “There’s solar cells that were made 40 plus years ago that still provide power… We have to make sure that we get to that 25 years [warranty of modules] successfully, and then after that those are still contributing years.” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
- On solar energy storage: “It’s there, it’s ready, it’s just new, and no one wants to make the quick decision, which is good. I think at this point we need to out our foot a little closer to the floor and come up with those financial mechanisms so that we can deploy more storage.” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
- “In all reality, when everyone starts at that entry level position, the things that differentiate you are your knowledge of where you’re going, the things that you’ve done – your experiences, like internships or presenting your own personal research – and being able to differentiate yourself from other people, so that a hiring authority can say, ‘hey this person, they went after it harder than everyone else. They want this job and this is the person that I want on my team.’” - Chris Grablutz, Episode 7
Resources mentioned:
- Clean Capital’s Experts Only podcast
- The Energy Gang podcast
- Suncast podcast
- The Interchange podcast
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Chris Grablutz:
LinkedIn.com/in/cgrablutz
chris@pvpros.com
Visit in person! @ 5 Marine View Plaza #301 Hoboken NJ 07030
About our Guest:
Suzanne Waters is the vice president for business development at Reneu Energy. She has worked in a variety of roles within the solar industry, including project development administration, marketing best practices, financial strategy and team leadership. Suzanne and Benoy also worked together at Vanguard Energy Partners where she worked as the business development manager and proposal team leader. Her enthusiasm for the industry shines through in all her work.
Episode summary:
Suzanne talks about her career path in the solar industry, working in the industry right out of college, taking a hiatus and then finding her way back just a couple months ago. She shares why she’s so excited to be back and why she’s so passionate about solar.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies to get involved in the diversity of opportunities the solar industry offers
- How to succeed in an industry everyone wants to be a part of
- Strategies to build and maintain connections within the industry and why that’s essential to your success
- How to do your work with integrity
- Secrets from the inside – the best parts of working in solar
Quotes from the show:
- “Solar is kind of a hard industry not to fall in love with once you get involved.” - Suzanne Waters, Episode 6
- “After leaving Vanguard, I never quite had the same passion for my work than when I was in solar.” - Suzanne Waters, Episode 6
- “Renewable energy, when you start talking about it, there’s nothing really negative people say about it.” - Suzanne Waters, Episode 6
- “Don’t overlook quality for affordability.” - Suzanne Waters, Episode 6
- “That’s the easiest sale – when people put in a good word or recommend you for a job.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 6
- “Solar is growing exponentially, so there’s so much opportunity. “ - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 6
- Suzanne’s self-invented call to action – “seize the sun” in Latin: “Carpe solem.” - Suzanne Waters, Episode 6
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Hosts:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode Summary:
Benoy unpacks the prevailing myths about solar energy and solar panels. He discusses it all, from the economics, maintenance and operation of solar panels down to the changing public perception of the aesthetic of solar panels on buildings.
Insights from this episode:
- How to pitch solar as a smart economic choice
- Insights on the various federal and state incentive programs that make solar even more economical
- Strategies for businesses looking to purchase a solar array
- How solar could transform electricity acquisition in post-hurricane communities
- Secrets about Benoy’s next projects in solar, including reaching low-income communities with solar energy technologies
Quotes from the show:
- “As long as the sun is shining, no matter whether it’s cold or hot, the panels will be generating energy.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 5
- “One of the great things about solar is the biggest cost is related to the installation and then there’s ongoing operations and maintenance, but it’s pretty low.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 5
- “Before it used to be there were a lot of good projects and not a lot of money, and now there’s a lot of money chasing a very small amount of projects.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 5
- “To see companies, corporations, who are willing to basically buy renewable energy as part of their corporate strategy has been huge.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 5
- “You have to get started somehow.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 5
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Guest:
Alex Rivera is the senior vice president of business development for Vanguard Energy Partners. He is a member of the New Jersey Alliance for Action Energy Committee, the Solar Energy Industry Association and serves on the steering committee for the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy. He has worked in the solar energy industry for over 15 years, working with commercial and industrial clients to retrofit their facilities and support a more renewable energy economy.
Episode Summary:
Alex talks about working with commercial and industrial clients on solar array projects, especially within the context of the changes facing the solar incentive program in New Jersey. He also talks about past growth of solar energy in New Jersey and looks ahead to the industry’s future.
Insights from this episode:
- Strategies to get commercial clients on board with solar
- How to construct a sound proposal for your client
- The secrets behind New Jersey’s solar success
- Thoughts on navigating the changes coming to solar energy in New Jersey
- Why you should be optimistic about the trajectory of solar
- Tips on what to look out for as energy storage technology becomes more common and more necessary
- Why understanding the regulations around solar is paramount to pitching the technology to clients
Quotes from the show:
- “North America chose tax credits, federal tax credits, as the currency to foster investment confidence from the marketplace, and therefore if you’re going to be involved in originating and nurturing in these relationships, you first must understand your client’s tax situation.” - Alex Rivera, Episode #4
- “I would not want to be involved in solar anywhere for the foreseeable future than in the Northeast.” - Alex Rivera, Episode #4
- “I think the first thing a newcomer to the industry should understand is energy itself.” - Alex Rivera, Episode #4
- “Solar energy in New Jersey is very different than solar energy in California in how it is incentivized. You must know that.” - Alex Rivera, Episode #4
- “You need to understand the different programs in order to be able to convey the benefit to your client.” - Alex Rivera, Episode #4
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Alex Rivera:
alex@vanguardenergypartners.com
About our guest:
Abinash Tiwari is the CIO of BlueFlame Energy Finance, a startup company based in California that focuses on financing energy projects for commercial building owners. He has over 15 years of experience in the solar energy industry, including in energy finance, project development, origination and business development. He has worked on projects totalling 250 megawatts of solar energy and invested one billion in solar PV, storage and other Distributed Generation projects. Before he joined BlueFlame, he was the director of renewable business development at Constellation NewEnergy.
Episode summary:
Abinash speaks from 15 years of experience creating innovative ways to finance solar energy projects and navigating the dynamic nature of working in a relatively new industry. He says learning on the job and constantly evolving with the technology makes his job fun.
Insights from this episode:
- Abinash’s secrets to innovating ahead of PACE(“Property Assessed Clean Energy “) financing programs instead of waiting around for those programs to catch up
- How you can be the value added on a project – quality over quantity when building relationships
- His thoughts on the trends to look out for in solar technology (hint: it’s not energy storage)
Quotes from the show:
- “I always thought power has more value than SRECs fundamentally, because power is something people need. SRECs is something which is created by regulators.” - Abinash Tiwari, Episode 3
- On BlueFlame’s financial model versus the national financing initiative PACE: “The beauty of this is we can go to any state, any jurisdiction, and actually still finance fairly small projects.” - Abinash Tiwari, Episode 3
- “As a small business, as a startup, you are always looking at how the market reacts to what you’re trying to do and then change course. And you have to do that super quickly because you don’t have the liberty and the stability of a very large business. Pretty much you learn as you go, and actually that is pretty exciting.” - Abinash Tiwari, Episode 3
- “The tailwinds are there behind solar and energy distribution in general fundamentally, and it is not going to go away.” - Abinash Tiwari, Episode 3
- “The question is do you want stability or do you want to join the fun?” - Abinash Tiwari, Episode 3
- “It’s all about adding value, being honest and transparent.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode 3
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
Abinash Tiwari
- blueflameenergyfinance.com or hyperqual.com
About our Hosts:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode Summary:
Benoy Thanjan and co-host Li Wang are big football fans. Benoy’s team is the New York Giants and Li’s team is the Philadelphia Eagles. In this episode, Benoy and Li and talk about solar power in sports facilities. Benoy’s company is Reneu Energy and they recently opened offices in Los Angeles and San Diego, both in California. Benoy says that California is the number one state for solar energy, and that the governor of California signed legislation to have 100% renewable energy by 2045. Li and Benoy talk at length about the future of solar energy and especially its use in sports stadiums.
Insights from this Episode:
✺ Why Reneu Energy expanded their market to California
✺ The reasons football stadiums in the Northeastern United States use solar panels
✺ Exploring possibilities and advantages for sports facilities to implement solar energy
✺ Information about the panel that Benoy moderated at Solar Power International called “Market Forces: C&I's Role in Transforming Utility-Scale Procurement” in September in Anaheim, California and cutting edge companies who will be on the panel
✺ Tips to navigate tariffs imposed on the solar industry
✺ How Solar Energy in Europe is leading the way for change in the world. Germany has had two days this year where it was powered by 100% renewables.
✺ How “Greenies” as a carbon energy offset are used as solar energy
Quotes from the Show:
✺ “California is the most progressive state in the fifty states, and actually is the number one state for solar, and they recently passed legislation to increase that.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #2
✺“The East Coast doesn’t seem like it’d be the most solar-friendly region of the country, yet, we have our three NFC teams leading in solar.” - Li Wang, Episode #2
✺ “Greenies are a renewable energy carbon offset that’s basically based on stringent consumer
Environmental standards in North America, and it’s certified from a green-powered, renewable energy facility, basically.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #2
✺ “One Greenie equals one MegaWatt hour of energy.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #2
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22
About our Hosts:
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Li Wang
A life-long journalist and communications professional, Li Wang was hooked on the news as an intern at the Philadelphia Daily News during the summer of the O.J. trial. He has been a business reporter, arts editor and film critic. He has shifted his focus to digital marketing and creative services. His company, MJ Wang Media, develops brand messaging and identity through website design and content marketing.
Episode Summary:
In the first episode of the series, Hosts Benoy Thanjan and Li Wang introduce themselves and tells us what we can expect to learn about the Solar industry and how the world around us is changing for the better. Benoy also talks about his background and how he started in the solar industry. He continues to discuss the pros of solar power and the services his company has to offer. At one point in the interview, he talks about his experience as a 9/11 survivor and how that shaped his life as an entrepreneur. This is a podcast community that you definitely want to be apart of.
Insights from this Episode:
- Introducing the Solar Maverick Podcast series which discusses solar energy, renewable energy, energy storage and the role of entrepreneurship within that industry.
- How Benoy’s work experiences led him to start his own company.
- Tips on how to run a business: adding value to customers, building strong relationships, listening and learning from failure.
- Passion is a motivating factor.
- How solar energy helps humanity.
- Reneu Energy is a top solar energy company.
Quotes from the Show:
- “Sales is everything in having a business: you can have a great idea, but if you can’t sell it, then there’s no point.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #1
- “One thing that’s probably helped with your sales is your enthusiasm and confidence for solar energy.” - Li Wang, Episode #1
- “I’m doing something that I’m passionate about, that I love - renewable energy and sustainability.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #1
- “I really try to live each day like it’s the last; I don’t take anything for granted.” - Benoy Thanjan, Episode #1
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
LinkedIn.com/in/bthanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
www.reneuenergy.com
info@reneuenergy.com
Li Wang:
MJWangMedia.com
Instagram: @liwang22