Solar Maverick Podcast

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: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Sarah Moon

Website: https://fieldworkspower.com/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmoon93/

Email:  [email protected]

Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Benoy and his co-host, Andy Daniels, Head of Tech Support for the Americas at LuxpowerTek, delve into the fascinating journey of their Shenzhen-based solar and storage inverter manufacturing company as they establish a local team and services to 'back up the backup' in the competitive US market. Join them as they explore the unique aspects of the US market, including its stringent regulations, solar production bankability, and policy incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which set it apart from other markets worldwide.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

LuxpowerTek

In today's world, an increasing number of people recognize distributed energy storage systems as the ultimate solution for achieving energy independence. These cutting-edge systems empower users with energy freedom and help alleviate imbalanced energy transmission for power grids. 

At LuxpowerTek, they stand at the forefront of this transformative industry. Backed by an experienced R&D team boasting over two decades of expertise, their unwavering commitment is to provide high-quality energy storage solutions tailored explicitly for residential users.

They take pride in excelling in key areas, including intelligence, affordability, ease of installation, safety, and adaptability to diverse scenarios. These attributes position them as one of the most attractive choices available in the global solar and energy storage market today.

In 2023, LuxpowerTek has gone the extra mile by establishing a local service and technology team in Chino Chill, California. This strategic move ensures that they offer “always accessible locally” service to clients and users. It reflects their commitment to maintaining a strong local presence, achieved through the establishment of dedicated teams and valuable partnerships with local experts, distributors, and installers.

HQ Website: https://luxpowertek.com

US Website:  http://www.luxpowertek.us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LUXPOWERTEK

Andy Daniels

Andy is the Head of Tech Support and training in the USA/North America and South Africa for Luxpower. His responsibility is to manage and set up a network of Tech Support for Luxpower in these regions using various communication channels.

He is also the MD of Aspergo Energy Pty Ltd in South Africa, where we import and distribute Luxpower in southern Africa.

Andy studied Mechanical Engineering and Design and started out as a designer. In 2001, Andy completed a Bachelor of Technology in Business Management and started Aspergo in 2008.

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

 Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

Benoy and his co-host David Magid, who is the founder and managing member of YSG Solar which is solar plus storage developer, discuss current major news and insights on the US Solar and Storage Market.  They are calling it the League which will be a weekly update of the major news in the Renewable Energy Industry.  

In the first episode of the League, David and Benoy discuss the great opportunity with the Inflation Reduction Action(“IRA”),   US community solar update, and the difference between developing solar on rooftops compared to land.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

David Magid

David Magid is the founder and managing member at YSG Solar which is a solar plus storage developer primarily based in New York City. In 2018, Forbes recognized David’s leadership and listed him on the “30 under 30” list in the energy sector.   YSG has executed power purchase agreements with clients such as the New York Military Academy, the New York Botanical Garden, The City of New York and many other local municipalities ,counties and towns.

David’s interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-09-how-david-started-his-solar-company-with-david/id1441876259?i=1000426815949

Episode 114

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-114-solar-developer-provides-insights-on-what-us-states-are-good-markets-to-develop-solar/

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

David Magid

Website: https://www.ysgsolar.com

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/

Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

Benoy interviews Robin Dutta who is the Campaign Director at Local Solar for All.   Local Solar for All’s mission is to create safer, more affordable and equitable ways to supply power to our communities.  Robin speaks about the benefits of Local Solar, the best states for Community Solar, and how the solar industry can improve our lobby and advocacy efforts.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Robin Dutta

Robin Dutta is Campaign Director for Local Solar for All.  He has worked in Market Development & Policy to SunPower Corporation and Nextiity and Board of Directors for the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association.

Robin’s Objectives:

To create and maintain renewable energy markets across the country that promote healthy competition across industries and opportunities for residents, businesses, and industry to adopt environmentally sustainable practices that lower direct costs for them and indirect costs for society at-large;

To facilitate the evolution of the free market where environmentally sustainable outcomes are aligned with efficient and profitable business practices.

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Robin Dutta

Website: https://www.localsolarforall.org

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LocalSolar4All

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LocalSolar4All

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/local-solar-for-all/

DC Energy Happy Hour

https://www.linkedin.com/events/7099887817152937984/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-dutta-84208915/

Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Benoy interviews Jesse Waters who is the  Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy - Commercial & Utility Scale Solar Inspections, Testing, & Repair Company.  He talks about the importance of operations & maintenance(O&M) for solar projects, how technology is improving the life of solar assets, and the importance of relationships for success in business.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Jesse Waters

Co-Founder of Tri-Force Energy

• 14-year PV Industry Veteran

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Jesse Waters

Email:  [email protected] 

Website:  https://triforceenergy.com/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-waters/

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Benoy interviews Dan French, the Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit and Virginia Solar Summit . Dan discusses Agrivoltaics, Virginia Solar Summit on August 31st, and the first annual Solar Farm Summit.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Dan French

Dan French is the Executive Producer of the Virginia Solar Summit and Solar Farm Summit.  Dan is a trained attorney and transaction expert with domestic and international experience. His U.S. practice has focused on real estate transactions, environmental risk transfer and redevelopment. Long a student of the deal, his watchword is ‘due diligence’, which helps explain why Dan has been trusted to lead transaction support initiatives for some of the largest companies in the world. His transactional experience encompasses thousands of properties of all conditions across two dozen states, with more than a billion dollars of property and environmental liability successfully transacted.

 He has received an LL.M. in Business Law from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, a J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law, and a B.A. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dan is leading a redevelopment renaissance within the larger real estate revolution—a technological, civic, social and market-based movement lifting the form and function of humanity’s built-environment to new heights, taking the health and wealth of our communities with it. He believes proactive due diligence is the difference in successful real estate transactions and in life.

SMP 46: Why Brownfields are Ideal Sites for Solar? With Dan French

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-46-why-brownfields-are-ideal-sites-for-solar/

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Dan French

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  https://solarfarmsummit.com

https://dbforesites.com

https://virginiasolarsummit.com

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-french-4354047/

SUMMER SHINDIG on August 31 in Richmond, Virginia

https://virginiasolarsummit.com

SMP 106:  Dual Use the Future of Agriculture Land

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-106-the-future-of-solar-on-agriculture-land-with-dual-use/

Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast,  Benoy is joined by his co-host Nate Jovanelly and they interview Kailtin Savage from Hodson Energy and Stephanie Johnson who is the Executive Director of Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association(“CHESSA”).  There are many interesting topics that were discussed regarding the challenges of the PJM Interconnection Queue, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act(“IRA”), and finding talent for the renewable energy transition.  

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Nathan Jovanelly

Jovanelly LLC is a problem solver in the solar industry.  Nathan, the CEO, has a proven track record of simplifying complex issues and helping solar companies:   

Develop business strategies and tactics to gain a competitive advantage; 

Connect to affiliates, partnerships, and vendors to scale faster; 

Gain access to project and growth capital; 

Increase market share through operational efficiency; and 

Coach and mentor sales leadership.  

We are not just another consulting firm.  Jovanelly LLC works side by side with your team to identify the gaps that are holding you back from reaching your business goals.  We develop an implementable plan structured to optimize your current resources, and stick with you all the way through completion. We become part of your team and are invested in your success.  Jovanelly LLC focuses on helping your company reach its full potential; making your solar business limitless.

Nathan Jovanelly is also the head of business development at Enerflo.  Nate joined Enerflo because he believes everyone should have access to affordable green energy. At Enerflo they are helping their solar partners increase efficiencies and cut costs by creating a seamless customer journey from lead to PTO.

Enerflo gives your reps the most unified solar sales process in the industry. One platform, one login, one seamless experience across the entire solar customer journey.

They’re on a mission to help democratize solar energy and spread it across the globe, one well-executed deal at a time.

Kaitlin Savage

Kaitlin Savage is Senior Vice President of Project Development at Hodson Energy, a leading utility-scale solar and solar plus storage platform with 3 GW of renewable energy assets under development in PJM, MISO, and other US markets. Hodson is a proud partner of Great Bay Renewables.

She has a background in GIS and environmental studies/urban planning with 800+ MW project development experience across PJM. Kaitlin also has expertise in site selection, solar land use, stakeholder engagement, permitting, environmental science, local/state energy policy. 

Stephanie Johnson

Stephanie Johnson is the Executive Director at Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association(“CHESSA”)  CHESSA  represents the interests of manufacturers, installers, distributors and component suppliers serving Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware and Virginia.  She is an advocate for Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Nathan Jovanelly

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  https://jovanelly.io/

Limitless Podcast:  https://jovanelly.io/limitless-podcast

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/

Kaitlin Savage

Email:  [email protected] 

Website:  https://hodsonenergy.com

Linkedin:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlinsavage/

Stephanie Johnson 

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  www.chessa.org

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-johnson-484b6017/

Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar

https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/

SMP 106:  Dual Use the Future of Agriculture Land

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-106-the-future-of-solar-on-agriculture-land-with-dual-use/

Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast,  Benoy speaks to Martin Pochtaruk who is a President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules.  Martin speaks primarily about how Heliene has differentiated itself from foreign solar manufacturers,  the opportunity for domestic solar panel manufacturing from the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he discusses new solar panel technologies. 

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Martin Pochtaruk

President at Heliene, US and Canadian manufacturer of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules.

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Martin Pochtaruk

Email:  [email protected]

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-pochtaruk-5512581/

Website:  https://heliene.com

Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar

https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/

 Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast,  Benoy speaks to Adam Schurle who is a Tax Partner with Foley & Lardner.  Adam speaks primarily about the transferability guidance provided by the IRS on the Inflation Reduction(“IRA”) and he also talks about the IRS guidance on Tax Credit Sales and Direct Cash Payments.  

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Adam Schurle

Adam Schurle is a Partner and business law attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. Adam is based in the Milwaukee office where he is a member of the Tax Practice Group.

Adam counsels on a wide variety of federal and state tax matters, including issues relating to entity formation, corporate mergers and acquisitions, transactions involving partnerships, S corporations, limited liability companies and other pass-through entities, and tax aspects of compensation arrangements.

A significant portion of Adam’s practice is focused on tax advice for developers and financial institutions in wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass and other renewable energy finance transactions. He helps these clients qualify for federal, state and local tax incentives and implement transaction structures that maximize the value of those incentives.  Adam also frequently advises clients with respect to tax incentives related to energy transition projects and investments, including Section 45Q carbon capture and sequestration credits.

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Adam Schurle

Phone:  414.297.5158

Email:  [email protected]

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamschurle

Website:  https://www.foley.com/en

https://www.foley.com/en/insights/publications/2023/06/irs-guidance-tax-credit-sales-direct-cash-payments.

Powered By Foley Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/powered-by-foley/id1629499243

Empower Virtual Conference 2023 created by Aurora Solar

https://aurorasolar.com/empower-2023/

 Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and most of the major podcast platforms.

This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Solar Maverick Podcast,  Benoy speaks to Sierra Jackovics who is Government and Energy Policy Specialist for Mana Pacific.  Mana Pacific is a social impact company and benefit corporation that develops, finances, and de-risks scalable island resiliency projects in Hawaii and the 22 Pacific Island Territories and Countries.  Sierra speaks about developing projects in the Pacific islands, how community engagement is so important when developing a solar project, and the Community Solar Prize that Mana Pacific won.

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the Environmental Commodities Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of Tesla to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  

Sierra Jackovics

Sierra Jackovics is Government Affairs and Energy Policy Specialist and also the UN Energy Policy, and Project Manager for Mana Pacific.  Sierra is Accelerating renewable energy development through project management, environmental policy, and community engagement. She is committed to working towards a global reality that prioritizes sustainability, long-term resilience, and equitable access to energy.  Sierra speaks about how to develop solar projects in the Pacific Islands, how community buy in is so important when developing projects, and 

Stay connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Website: www.reneuenergy.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Facebook: Reneu Energy

Sierra Jackovics

Email:  [email protected] 

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.