Solar Maverick Podcast (Benoy Thanjan)
Explore every episode of Solar Maverick Podcast
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Nov 2021 | SMP 112: Developer/Owner Discusses Great States in the US to Develop Solar | 00:36:09 | |
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)
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| 28 Sep 2021 | SMP 109: Expert‘s Insights on the Texas Renewable Energy Market | 00:51:26 | |
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)
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| 17 Oct 2023 | SMP 145: US Community Solar Market Analysis | 00:55:34 | |
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.
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| 11 May 2021 | SMP 99: Why the 1970s was the most important decade for the United State's energy future? | 00:47:36 | |
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 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 Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 29 Sep 2020 | SMP 83: NJ Solar Market Overview | 00:20:13 | |
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
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)
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| 04 Feb 2020 | SMP 66: How Relationships Allow an Investor to Scale Ownership of Solar Projects | 00:37:51 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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) | |||
| 26 Apr 2022 | SMP 124: Landgate is innovating how solar developers and investors acquire land for solar projects | 00:41:44 | |
| 26 Nov 2024 | SMP 184: How Catalyze is scaling solar & storage project ownership for C&I and Distributed Solar Projects? | 00:36:58 | |
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:
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
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| 22 Dec 2020 | SMP 89: Solar Expert is the First Person to Drive Cross Country in Solar Electric Vehicle. | 00:46:08 | |
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)
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| 21 Jul 2020 | SMP 78: Social Dynamic Selling System For Solar Energy | 00:45:55 | |
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)
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| 22 Jun 2021 | SMP 102: Renewable Energy Job Trends and Outlook | 00:34:50 | |
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/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 16 May 2023 | SMP 133: An Update on the IRA and current trade policy issues in renewables by Greg Wetstone who is head of ACORE | 00:22:11 | |
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:
ACORE Finance Forum June 7-8, 2023 in New York https://acorefinanceforum.org/
ACORE Accelerate Program https://acore.org/accelerate/ | |||
| 30 Mar 2021 | SMP 96: Solar Finance Expert discusses what makes project financeable and future solar trends | 00:51:35 | |
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 Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 12 Jun 2023 | SMP 135: A Perfect Fit-Solar and Bitcoin | 00:40:06 | |
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/
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.
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| 20 Jul 2021 | SMP 104: CEO of Leading Residential Solar and Home Improvement Loan Provider Discusses Innovations in Distributed Energy and Storage | 00:42:07 | |
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)
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| 28 Mar 2024 | SMP 155: Capital Solutions for Real Estate for Solar and Battery Storage with SolaREIT | 00:33:14 | |
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
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| 11 Apr 2024 | SMP 156: How to develop Solar and Storage on Disturbed Land with AC Power? | 00:42:07 | |
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/
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| 12 Oct 2023 | SMP 144: Luxpower: Introduces its Innovative Inverter Technology to the US Market | 00:26:00 | |
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.
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| 15 Feb 2022 | SMP 119: How Enerflo’s software solution is innovating residential solar and lowering soft costs? | 01:04:38 | |
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.
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)
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| 28 Jan 2020 | SMP 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market | 00:33:28 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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) | |||
| 14 Aug 2023 | SMP 140: Agrivoltaics: One of the Next Frontiers in Solar | 00:47:29 | |
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.
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| 18 Aug 2020 | SMP 80: Deep Insights and Predictions on Solar and Energy Storage Technology and Quality Trends | 00:57:53 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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) | |||
| 21 Nov 2024 | SMP 183: Viridi: The World’s First Fail-Safe Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System | 00:37:27 | |
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:
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
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| 12 Dec 2023 | SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing? | 00:37:04 | |
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
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.
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| 15 Mar 2022 | SMP 121: DroneBase inspects solar projects at scale to increase energy output and mitigate risk. | 00:41:42 | |
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)
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| 21 Sep 2023 | SMP 143: Insights on the US Solar and Storage Market | 00:37:49 | |
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.
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| 03 Aug 2021 | SMP 105: CEO of ConnectDER discusses how the Electricity Grid can be more efficient and reliable with Distributed Energy Resources | 00:41:49 | |
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)
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| 09 Jun 2020 | SMP 75: Mid-Year Solar Trends 2020 | 00:21:04 | |
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)
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| 30 Jan 2025 | SMP 194: 2025 Solar Outlook | 00:39:19 | |
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
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
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| 04 Mar 2025 | SMP 200: From Episode 1 to 200: The Solar Maverick Podcast Journey | 00:52:59 | |
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 Jones
How to Start Worry and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime by MJ DeMarco
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/
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| 12 May 2020 | SMP 73: Policy Discussion on the NJ and NY Solar Market | 00:34:52 | |
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)
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| 10 Nov 2020 | SMP 86: How Renewable Energy is Partnering with Crypto Mining? | 00:41:59 | |
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 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)
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| 14 Jun 2022 | SMP 125: Solar Expert Discusses Bitcoin and the Great Opportunity for Solar! | 00:29:19 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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. | |||
| 05 Jan 2021 | SMP 90: How Sage Energy Consulting lowers operating costs for their clients through the incorporation of different renewable energy technologies? | 00:57:48 | |
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: 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)
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| 29 Nov 2022 | SMP 130: A Pilot Episode for a New Podcast from Spencer and Benoy where they speak about topics of interest | 00:34:20 | |
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
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| 07 Jul 2020 | SMP 77: Expert Insights: Driving Growth in the Energy Storage Industry | 00:38:57 | |
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)
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| 16 Feb 2021 | SMP 93: Solar Trends and 2020 Year in Review | 00:21:44 | |
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. 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://about.bnef.com/blog/energy-transport-sustainability-10-predictions-for-2021/ 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)
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| 03 Oct 2024 | SMP 176: REplus Takeaways | 00:41:13 | |
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
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| 14 Feb 2025 | SMP 196: Scaling Solar with Smart Racking: A Conversation with Vishal Lala | 00:35:38 | |
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!
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| 21 Jan 2020 | SMP 64: How Solar is Powering Extra Space Storage. | 00:35:15 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
Resources Mentioned: Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) 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) | |||
| 02 Feb 2021 | SMP 92: Expert’s Insights and Predications on Solar and Energy Storage | 00:43:03 | |
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)
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| 01 Sep 2020 | SMP 81: Keys to Entrepreneurship Success from John Lee Dumas, Creator of a Multi-Million Dollar Podcast Empire | 00:13:46 | |
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.
Insights from this episode:
Quotes from the show:
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) | |||
| 14 Sep 2021 | SMP 108: How RatedPower is lowering technology costs and innovating with their engineering design software? | 00:34:20 | |
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)
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| 12 Apr 2022 | SMP 123: How Extensible Energy is changing how Solar Sales sells to Commercial Customers? | 00:43:49 | |
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)
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| 04 Dec 2024 | SMP 186: Concentro: Innovative Platform for Clean Energy Tax Credits | 00:47:45 | |
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:
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
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| 13 Apr 2021 | SMP 97: Innovative Strategies in Acquiring Customers for Community Solar | 00:43:41 | |
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)
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| 02 Dec 2023 | SMP 149: Jigar Shah, Director of the LPO of the DOE, Discusses How the Solar Industry Has to Innovate | 00:34:03 | |
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
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.
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.
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| 28 Sep 2022 | SMP 129: Learn About a Great Non-Profit Called Let’s Share the Sun Foundation | 00:19:59 | |
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/
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| 01 Dec 2023 | SMP 148: How Summit Ridge Energy is dominating the Virginia Community Solar Market? | 00:39:44 | |
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
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?
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.
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.
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| 06 Jul 2021 | SMP 103: LG’s Business Development Executive Discusses Trends in Residential Solar Customer Acquisition | 00:45:37 | |
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 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)
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| 10 Jul 2024 | SMP 164 : Utility Scale Solar and Storage Development Discussion | 00:35:37 | |
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/
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| 14 Apr 2020 | SMP 71: Guest Episode - Renewable Energy Goals - Benoy Thanjan on the Create Your Life Series | 00:33:53 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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:
Kevin Y. Brown:
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) | |||
| 30 May 2024 | SMP 160: New Clean Energy Technology Potentially Offering 24/7 Clean Energy | 00:53:16 | |
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.
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
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
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| 23 Jun 2020 | SMP 76: How CS Energy has grown rapidly and differentiated itself from other solar installers? | 00:48:38 | |
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)
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| 27 Apr 2021 | SMP 98: Innovative Financing Options for Land on Solar Projects | 00:27:08 | |
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/ Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 24 Jan 2024 | SMP 152: How Anza Renewables is innovating solar module & energy storage procurement? | 00:41:39 | |
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.
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| 16 Mar 2021 | SMP 95: Solar Practitioner and Influencer discusses Midwest Solar Market and Energy Storage | 00:48:06 | |
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)
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| 19 Jan 2021 | SMP 91: Residential Solar Manufacturer innovates with their design, higher capacity panel, and strategic partnerships | 00:48:27 | |
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)
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| 27 Aug 2024 | SMP 171: Beyond Boundaries : Benoy Thanjan on Success, Family, and the Jersey Shore | 00:30:43 | |
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
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/
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| 26 May 2020 | SMP 74: Impacts of COVID-19 on Residential Solar | 00:56:59 | |
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)
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| 09 Mar 2023 | SMP 132: Update on the Great Progress of Let’s Share The Sun Foundation | 00:31:44 | |
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/
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| 02 Nov 2023 | SMP 146: How Erthos is revolutionizing Utility Scale Solar Construction? | 00:34:09 | |
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.
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.
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| 08 Jun 2021 | SMP 101: Leader of the Largest US Solar Installer Discusses Current Innovations and Future Trends in Solar and Storage | 00:40:09 | |
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/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 08 Feb 2025 | SMP 195: Unlocking Peak Solar Performance with O&M Services | 00:55:40 | |
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 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
Solargrade
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!
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| 31 Aug 2021 | SMP 107: Expert in ESG and Traceability discusses how it impacts the Solar Supply Chain | 00:31:07 | |
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)
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| 01 Mar 2022 | SMP 120: Developer/Investor discusses scaling solar development and how to determine a new solar market | 00:38:46 | |
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)
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| 13 Sep 2022 | SMP 128: How Enerflo is revolutionizing the residential sales process? | 00:37:31 | |
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 | |||
| 24 Nov 2020 | SMP 87: How Summit Ridge Energy became one of the largest owners of community solar projects in the US? | 00:46:17 | |
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)
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| 27 Nov 2024 | SMP 185: Anker Solix Providing Anytime Power with Energy Storage | 00:28:25 | |
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:
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
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| 16 Aug 2022 | SMP 127: An Investor differentiates itself by assisting with project development. | 00:52:12 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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. | |||
| 08 Dec 2020 | SMP 88: The New Paradigm in Clean Energy Marketing | 00:41:26 | |
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)
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| 07 Jan 2025 | SMP 191: The Early Stages of the US Agrivoltaics Industry | 00:40:58 | |
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/
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| 10 Jan 2023 | SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry? | 00:41:20 | |
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.
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
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| 29 Mar 2022 | SMP 122: The author of the Freeing Energy Book Discusses How Local-Scale Solar and Batteries are Disrupting the Energy Industry! | 00:53:06 | |
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:
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)
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| 25 May 2021 | SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends | 00:52:07 | |
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
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
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| 02 Mar 2021 | SMP 94: How GAF ENERGY is innovating the solar and roofing industries? | 00:21:35 | |
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)
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| 19 Nov 2024 | SMP 182: How the US Presidential Election Will Impact Renewables? | 00:42:18 | |
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
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:
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/
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| 07 Sep 2023 | SMP 142: The Benefits of Local Solar | 00:32:43 | |
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.
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| 15 Sep 2020 | SMP 82: Startup Focuses on Technology Innovations for Solar Panels | 00:50:43 | |
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)
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| 19 Feb 2025 | SMP 197: Revolutionizing Solar Panel Recycling with Adam Saghei | 00:33:52 | |
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!
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| 30 Nov 2023 | SMP 147: RE+ Conference Takeaways | 00:49:17 | |
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
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.
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/.
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| 17 Mar 2020 | SMP 69: Solar/Roof Integrated Funding Program | 00:33:06 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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) | |||
| 21 Dec 2021 | SMP 115: How solar projects produce EMF radiation and how this can be cleaned and filtered? | 00:56:24 | |
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)
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| 14 Mar 2025 | SMP 201: Insights from Ampion on Scaling Community Solar | 00:28:59 | |
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
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| 04 Jan 2022 | SMP 116: Innovative Financing Solutions for Developers to Own Solar Projects | 01:06:10 | |
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)
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| 26 Oct 2021 | SMP 111: Innovative Data Driven Solar Insurance Solutions | 00:40:39 | |
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)
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| 23 Nov 2021 | SMP 113: How Clean Choice Energy is the easiest way for a customer to procure renewable energy? | 00:44:38 | |
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
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)
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| 30 Dec 2024 | SMP 190: Tom Weirich Discusses His Book About The Original Risk Takers in Renewable Energy | 00:37:03 | |
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
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| 14 Jan 2020 | SMP 63: 2020 Solar Predictions and Trends | 00:28:59 | |
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:
Quotes from the show:
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
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) | |||
| 07 Dec 2021 | SMP 114: Developer discusses how to develop a great solar project and what solar markets in the US to focus on. | 00:50:28 | |
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 The Firm: The Story of McKinsey and Its Secret Influence on American Business
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York 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)
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| 27 Feb 2024 | SMP 154: How Aurora Solar is innovating the residential and commercial sales experience through software? | 00:33:20 | |
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/
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| 20 Dec 2023 | SMP 151: Proliferation of Flexible Solar in Space | 00:17:11 | |
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.
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| 11 Aug 2023 | SMP 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market | 01:04:57 | |
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.
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| 20 Mar 2025 | SMP 202: Unlocking Capital: Financing Solar, Storage & Repowering Legacy Assets | 00:35:18 | |
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
RIC Energy and Rosemawr Announce Financing Partnership to Deploy Solar and Energy Storage Projects in New York
Book Recommendations from Rich Volt Rush
The War Below
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| 01 Feb 2022 | SMP 118: REACTIVATE: The New Innovative Solar Platform, Powered by Invenergy and Lafayette Square | 00:38:25 | |
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. 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)
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| 11 Jun 2024 | SMP 161: How Sunvoy's Software Helps Solar Installers? | 00:40:23 | |
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/
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
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| 28 Apr 2020 | SMP 72: COVID-19 Impacts on the Solar Industry | 00:33:53 | |
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
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)
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| 07 Feb 2024 | 153: How Sunstone Credit is providing debt financing for an underserved market in solar? | 00:35:34 | |
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.
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| 18 Jan 2022 | SMP 117: European Commercial Solar Discussion with the Pioneer of PPA Financing in Europe | 00:50:59 | |
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.
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)
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| 26 Jul 2024 | SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends | 00:57:30 | |
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.
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