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
Thursday Sep 07, 2023
Thursday Sep 07, 2023
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.
Monday Aug 28, 2023
Monday Aug 28, 2023
Episode Summary
In this episode, Benoy interviews Jesse Waters who is the Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy - Commercial & Utility Scale Solar Inspections, Testing, & Repair Company. He talks about the importance of operations & maintenance(O&M) for solar projects, how technology is improving the life of solar assets, and the importance of relationships for success in business.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Jesse Waters
Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy
- 14-year PV Industry Veteran
- IBEW Local 375 - Journeyman Inside Wireman
- Northampton Community College – Adjunct Professor, PV Systems
- Vanguard Energy Partners - O&M Manager
- True South Renewables – Sr. Service Technician
- Next Phase Solar / Enphase Energy - Supervisor, East Coast
- PV Pros - Director of Operations
- Omnidian - Director, Commercial Operations
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Jesse Waters
Email: jesse.waters@njsolarservices.com
Website: https://triforceenergy.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-waters/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Monday Aug 14, 2023
Monday Aug 14, 2023
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.
Friday Aug 11, 2023
Friday Aug 11, 2023
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.
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Martin Pochtaruk who is a President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules. Martin speaks primarily about how Heliene has differentiated itself from foreign solar manufacturers, the opportunity for domestic solar panel manufacturing from the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he discusses new solar panel technologies.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Martin Pochtaruk
President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Martin Pochtaruk
Email: mpochtaruk@heliene.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-pochtaruk-5512581/
Website: https://heliene.com
Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar
https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Adam Schurle who is a Tax Partner with Foley & Lardner. Adam speaks primarily about the transferability guidance provided by the IRS on the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he also talks about the IRS guidance on Tax Credit Sales and Direct Cash Payments.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Adam Schurle
Adam Schurle is a Partner and business law attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. Adam is based in the Milwaukee office where he is a member of the Tax Practice Group.
Adam counsels on a wide variety of federal and state tax matters, including issues relating to entity formation, corporate mergers and acquisitions, transactions involving partnerships, S corporations, limited liability companies and other pass-through entities, and tax aspects of compensation arrangements.
A significant portion of Adam’s practice is focused on tax advice for developers and financial institutions in wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass and other renewable energy finance transactions. He helps these clients qualify for federal, state and local tax incentives and implement transaction structures that maximize the value of those incentives. Adam also frequently advises clients with respect to tax incentives related to energy transition projects and investments, including Section 45Q carbon capture and sequestration credits.
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Adam Schurle
Phone: 414.297.5158
Email: aschurle@foley.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamschurle
Website: https://www.foley.com/en
IRS Releases Guidance on Tax Credit Sales and Direct Cash Payments written by Adam
Powered By Foley Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/powered-by-foley/id1629499243
Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar
https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Episode Summary
In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks to Sierra Jackovics who is Government and Energy Policy Specialist for Mana Pacific. Mana Pacific is a social impact company and benefit corporation that develops, finances, and de-risks scalable island resiliency projects in Hawaii and the 22 Pacific Island Territories and Countries. Sierra speaks about developing projects in the Pacific islands, how community engagement is so important when developing a solar project, and the Community Solar Prize that Mana Pacific won.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Sierra Jackovics
Sierra Jackovics is Government Affairs and Energy Policy Specialist and also the UN Energy Policy, and Project Manager for Mana Pacific. Sierra is Accelerating renewable energy development through project management, environmental policy, and community engagement. She is committed to working towards a global reality that prioritizes sustainability, long-term resilience, and equitable access to energy. Sierra speaks about how to develop solar projects in the Pacific Islands, how community buy in is so important when developing projects, and
Stay connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Website: www.reneuenergy.com
Email: info@renewenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Facebook: Reneu Energy
Sierra Jackovics
Email: sierra.jackovics@manapacific.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierra-jackovics/
Mana Pacific’s website: https://www.manapacific.com/
Solar Project Development Book discussed on the podcast.
Project Development in the Solar Industry by Albie Fong (Editor), Jesse Tippett (Editor)
Below is the Amazon Link.
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Development-Solar-Industry-Albie/dp/0367576619/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36MI64HYLEMYV&keywords=solar+project+development&qid=1687177550&sprefix=solar+project+development%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685
Solar Maverick Podcast and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Party
It is almost the Summer Solstice which is the longest day of sunlight of the year!! Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast will be celebrating the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 21rd from 6pm to 10pm in Jersey City. It will be held at Hudson Hall which is a beer hall and Benoy is one of the owners of Hudson Hall. The details are below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-networking-event-tickets-629223292807
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.
This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
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.
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nathan Jovanelly who is the head of business development from Enerflo and the owner of Jovanelly LLC. Enerflo is a platform for Solar Sales and Operations and has processed $2 Billion in solar transactions to date. Nate speaks about his 2023 solar predictions and how technology is going to accelerate solar deployment.
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.
This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating
the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due
diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing
and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy
composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved
in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the
transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive
experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.
Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.
Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.
He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.
Nathan Jovanelly
Nathan Jovanelly is the head of business development at Enerflo. Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.
Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.
They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Nate Jovanelly
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/
Website: https://enerflo.com
Solar Maverick and Reneu Energy Summer Solstice Networking Event
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-solstice-networking-event-tickets-629223292807
Press release regarding Nate joining Enerflo.
Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast
SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry?
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/
SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends
https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/
SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259
SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910
SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US
https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Tuesday May 16, 2023
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/