The Solar Maverick Podcast is the insiders guide to where the solar and energy markets meet entrepreneurship and trailblazing. Hosted by Benoy Thanjan - a serial entrepreneur and founder of Reneu Energy
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 04, 2020
Tuesday Aug 04, 2020
SMP 79: Building the Solar Future Through Solar Forecasting
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Dr. Nick Engerer who is the CTO and co-founder of Solcast speaks about how new advancements in cloud computing and satellites has allowed Solcast to create comprehensive models for solar forecasting. He also speaks about how solar forecasting is extremely important regarding profitability of solar projects and its importance when you combine storage with a solar project.
Solcast is dedicated to developing the data and tools through solar modeling and forecasting needed to plan, construct, operate and manage solar power systems across the world helping boost solar profits for projects across the world.
Our Host
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Our Guest
Dr. Nick Engerer
Nick is an expert in the field of solar radiation and distributed solar PV modelling, and has co-founded Solcast in 2016 out of a sincere desire to enable others to build the solar-powered future. Nick displays an unusual level of passion for developing applied research projects and collaborating with industry to make BIG ideas a reality.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Dr. Nick Engerer
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-nick-engerer/
Website: www.solcast.com
Nick’s Biohacking Longevity Blog
Nick’s Longevity Book Recommendations
Lifespan by Dr. David Sinclair
Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/Lifespan-Why-Age_and-Dont-Have/dp/1501191977/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=lifespan&qid=1596301737&sr=8-2
Why we sleep? by Dr. Matthew Walker
Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Matthew-Walker-audiobook/dp/B0752XRB5F/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Why+we+sleep%3F&qid=1596301816&sr=8-3
Sponsor:
Thank you to our sponsor Solar Energy Systems LLC who sponsored this episode of the podcast. Solar Energy Systems, LLC (SES) is a solar energy photovoltaic design/build firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and serving the Northeast U.S. Founded in 1998, the company designs, builds, and maintains solar photovoltaic (PV) systems within the public and private domain. I interviewed David Buckner who is the Founder and CEO of SES on Episode 65: 20 Year Solar Veteran and Entrepreneur Provides Perspective on the Solar Market.
To learn more about Solar Energy Systems, check out their website which is www.solaresystems.com. Email SES at info@solaresystems.com or Call 718-389-1545.
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and YouTube.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
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)
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
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)
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
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)
Tuesday Jun 09, 2020
Tuesday Jun 09, 2020
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)
Tuesday May 26, 2020
Tuesday May 26, 2020
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)
Tuesday May 12, 2020
Tuesday May 12, 2020
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)
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
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)
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
Episode Summary
This episode of Create Your Life Series will motivate you to make and keep your resolutions this year. Kevin talks with Benoy Thanjan, owner of Reneu Energy, about his path to entrepreneurship in the solar energy industry and his passion project, the Solar Maverick podcast. Benoy and Kevin look back on their journeys over the past year and discuss what it takes to be successful in entrepreneurship, podcasting, and life.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Kevin Y. Brown
Kevin Y. Brown is a National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Center For Public Trust (CPT) “Being A Difference” award recipient, international speaker, entrepreneur, and author. The former MTV Networks host and NYC fashion marketer has created an international following as a speaker on personal excellence, effective communication, and leadership. Kevin has been featured by Black Enterprise magazine as a “Modern Man of Distinction” and highlighted in various publications for his self-help speaking work and helping students graduate college debt-free. Recognized for his commitment to empowering foster care youth and as a foster care system alumnus, he has also delivered the keynote address at the International Foster Care Organizations Conference in Sydney, Australia, and Osaka, Japan. Kevin is currently the creator/host of Sirius XM’s “Create Your Life” series, a fellow in the New York Chapter of the Startup Leadership Program, and an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on Reneu Energy, how the company became involved with Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and how states are employing them to incentivize solar development.
- How to create a more eco-friendly lifestyle on a daily basis and incorporate renewable energy into any household.
- Strategies on goal-setting, forming a work plan, and taking action steps to attain those goals.
- How to create a successful podcast in a niche market, facing challenges, and making your own opportunities.
- Details on how Benoy and Kevin became podcasters and what that process has taught them.
Quotes from the show:
- “My first background in energy was at Deloitte & Touch and then I knew that renewable energy sustainability was my passion.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- “There’s a lot of exciting things that are happening with the (renewable energy) industry, specifically related to solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On having a renewable lifestyle: “There’s the Three R’s that we could all incorporate into our whole lifestyle, which is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On what it takes to become an entrepreneur: “A lot of time, in pursuit of running your own company, it takes a while.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On entrepreneurship: “It’s not easy to just go (out) and then suddenly start a company and take that leap, it definitely takes time.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On attaining goals: “Every day I come up with a task list… of what are the biggest things that are going to move the needle to get me closer to my goals.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On making Solar Maverick: “It’s important to take the feedback that you get from the podcast but it’s also important to be what you wanted the show to be about.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #172
- On listening to Solar Maverick: “Solar is here to stay and it is something that is becoming bigger and bigger and more a part of our daily lives and with that, we need to be informed and that’s why I tune in to the Solar Maverick podcast” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On Kevin creating the Create Your Life Series: “It was being a professional speaker and I wanted a way to engage with my listeners and audience members on a continuous basis.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
- On what Kevin has learned through his guests on the Create Your Life Series: “You have to be bold and authentic and actually be doing what it is that aligns with you.” – Kevin Y. Brown, Episode #172
Resources mentioned
Solar Maverick with Benoy Thanjan
Create Your Life Series: Episode 134 with Kevin Y. Brown
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan:
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)
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick, Manish Nayar, the founder and managing partner of OYA Solar, shares his entrepreneurial experience and perspective with Benoy and discusses how a Canadian company made its home in the United States solar market. Whether you are in the research stage or a veteran business owner, this episode is a ray of light for solar entrepreneurs.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.
Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.
Manish Nayar
Manish Nayar is the founder and Managing Partner of OYA Solar. Manish has led the growth of the company and its resulting 1000MW+ North American development pipeline. Manish has developed, constructed or transacted on over 500MW of solar assets in the last 10 years. Prior to OYA, Manish was with the investment banking group at Merrill Lynch & Co. where he focused on corporate finance, M&A and restructuring of companies in the diversified industrials group. Prior to Merrill, he was CEO of Judricks Enterprises Ltd, a global tier 1 supplier of powertrain and transmission components to the automotive and heavy equipment industries. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management with majors in Analytical Finance and Strategy as well as a B.E.Sc in Computer Engineering and a B.Sc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Western Ontario. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.
Insights from this episode:
- Details on OYA Solar, the reason Manish founded the company, and what their plans are for future growth.
- Benefits of not having a government-sponsored Investment Tax Credit.
- Strategies for finding solar markets to focus on in the United States and where OYA Solar is developing projects.
- How development in community solar and utility-scale projects have matured.
- Benefits of extending access to the solar market to include low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities.
- How OYA Solar approaches different solar trends, including storage and electrification targets.
- Details on what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the solar industry and key traits that will help you succeed.
Quotes from the show:
- On switching from Canada to a United States solar market: “We foreshadowed that the market would slow down and ultimately close as the government incentives were starting to step down pretty drastically. That’s when we pivoted to the US [United States].” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On the Investment Tax Credit: “If we’re putting the economics aside, I think it would be more beneficial for us, as developers and owners, but perhaps less-attractive for tax-equity investors.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On OYA Solar’s projects in New York: “For us, we felt that size and the scale of the market were really attractive and we felt that we had a good differentiating factor in our development process.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “I think developers have gotten much better at anticipating the needs of the community and the stakeholders.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “It’s pretty amazing how the tenure [of solar contracts] has changed so quickly in such a short amount of time.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- On increasing solar access to the LMI [low-to-moderate income] community: “This is really democratizing solar for all of us and LMI [low-to-moderate income] is a key component to that so we think that we have to be part of the solution to solve it.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “You pretty much do everything.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- “Community solar projects represent more near-term development for us and we think we can add a lot of value on the utility side, as well.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- On current trends in the solar market: “The biggest that we are seeing right now is storage. I really believe that storage prices are going to follow the same trend as module prices.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
- “This is all exciting stuff. It’s basically disruption of the traditional electricity industry and it sounds like you guys are in the forefront with doing solar and storage.” 一 Benoy Thanjan, Episode #70
- “As an entrepreneur, you have a vision for what you want your company to be and for what you want to do and I think, regardless of what you hear from other people, if you’re really committed and dedicated to it, you’ll make it happen.” 一 Manish Nayar, Episode #70
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Manish Nayar
Email: manish.nayar@oyaventures.com
LinkedIn: Manish Nayar
Twitter: OYA Solar
Facebook: OYA Solar, Inc.
Website: https://oyaventures.com
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.
At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.
In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.
Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.
If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.com.
Steve Schwerd who is the Owner of Schwerd Consulting was interviewed on Episode 17 and Episode 48 of the Solar Maverick Podcast and Episode 42 of which he was on panel discussion on How Solar Technology is Changing the World.
They are involved with the trends, technologies, vendors, policies, utilities, codes, and financial considerations for the industry. Therefore, value add for them is not just a slogan, it’s what they practice in order to have loyal customers and gain trust.
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