Solar Maverick Podcast

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Russell Laplante, Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States.

Russ shares his nearly two-decade journey in renewable energy from his Goldman Sachs training program to becoming the first employee at wind startup Own Energy in 2007, through utility-scale solar at Tradewind Energy and Savion, and now leading the financial strategy at Convergent's distributed and utility-scale battery storage platform.

The conversation covers Convergent's business model working with commercial and industrial customers on behind-the-meter battery and solar-plus-storage projects, how they save C&I customers up to 40% on their energy bills, and how batteries help utilities defer costly transmission and distribution upgrades.

The episode dives deep into the financing of battery storage, including tax equity, portfolio debt financing, partnership flip structures, and why distributed generation requires a fundamentally different capital strategy than utility-scale projects. Russ also shares his perspective on the massive opportunity around data centers, AI-driven load growth, speed to grid, the Big Beautiful Bill, ITC extension for storage, and what Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) compliance means for the battery supply chain.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Guest Information

Russell Laplante

Russell Laplante is the Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States, with over $1 billion deployed and 800 megawatts of projects operational, under construction, or in development.

Russ has nearly two decades of experience in renewable energy. He began his career at Goldman Sachs before joining Own Energy in 2007 as its first employee, where he worked hands-on in utility-scale wind development across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He later joined Tradewind Energy in an origination role before leading M&A for the solar platform that eventually became Savion. After Shell acquired Savion in 2021, Russ served as Chief Investment Officer before joining Convergent in 2025 as CFO.

At Convergent, Russ oversees capital markets strategy, debt and tax equity financing, and the company's portfolio approach to distributed energy storage across commercial, industrial, and utility customers.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-laplante-cfa-42353510

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/

Convergent Energy and Power 

Website: https://www.convergentep.com

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergent-energy-power/

Summer Solstice Fundraiser

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with members of the Solar Sisters about their organization, their partnership with Let’s Share the Sun Foundation, and their recent delegation to Puerto Rico around International Women’s Day.

The conversation features Abby Hopper, Noelle Paige, Yejdie Olutosin, Addie Momyer, and Erin Greeson, who share how the Solar Sisters came together, why women’s leadership matters in clean energy, and how solar and battery storage can create life-changing impact for communities facing energy insecurity.

The group discusses their experience visiting La Casa de Bondad, a domestic violence shelter in Puerto Rico supported by Let’s Share the Sun, and participating in a residential solar installation for a homeowner who relies on reliable electricity for medical needs. 

The episode also touches on the challenges facing Puerto Rico's grid, the role of solar and storage in energy resilience, the ongoing work of Let's Share the Sun to bring energy access to underserved communities, and a fundraiser Benoy is organizing on June 4th in Jersey City to support that mission.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar plus storage developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Guests Information

Abby Hopper

Abby Hopper is the founder of Solar Sisters and former President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). A passionate advocate for clean energy and women's leadership in the industry, Abby created Solar Sisters as a community built around three pillars: service, growth, and connection. She has been a driving force behind the Solar Sisters delegation to Puerto Rico, partnering with Let's Share the Sun to bring energy equity to domestic violence shelters on the island. Abby is widely recognized for opening doors for women across the clean energy sector and building a culture of collaboration over competition.

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

Noelle Paige

Noelle Paige is Vice President of Project Development at Aspen Power, where she manages a large team and leads project development efforts. She is deeply passionate about workforce development, women in business, and the clean energy transition. 

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

Yejdie Olutosin

Yejdie Olutosin is the Director of the Accelerate Program at ACORE, based in Washington, D.C., where she manages a market access platform supporting clean energy founders scaling solutions across the value chain. Since 2020, the program has grown to support over 60 companies across more than 30 states. A former Peace Corps volunteer originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Yejide brought a deeply personal connection to the Puerto Rico delegation, drawing on her own experience with energy insecurity in island communities.

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

Addie Momyer

Addie Momyer is Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal Operations at the Solar Energy Industries Association, a role she has held since 2023. Prior to SEIA, she spent her career in public interest representation and litigation at Maryland Legal Aid. Addie is passionate about ensuring the clean energy transition happens equitably and that all communities are included. 

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/addie-momyer-bb3752262/

Erin Greeson

Erin Greeson is the founder and principal consultant of ClimateLine, a communications and marketing firm focused exclusively on companies committed to the clean energy transition. 

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

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/

Solar Sisters

Website:  https://solar-sisters.org

Let’s Share the Foundation

Website:  https://www.letssharethesun.org/

Summer Solstice Fundraiser

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

Episode Summary

In this special episode of Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Russell Laplante, Flavia Cabral, and Stephen Jordan to reflect on the November 2025 Puerto Rico delegation with Let’s Share the Sun.

The group reflects on their time in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, where they helped install solar and storage systems, spent time with beneficiary families, and saw firsthand why energy resilience can be life-changing. 

The episode also touches on the importance of energy independence, the challenges facing Puerto Rico’s grid, the role of solar and storage in building resilience, and why service-based experiences can create deeper relationships than traditional networking or industry events.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credit transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla's Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating renewable energy projects and maximizing the performance of the assets. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm's renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Russell Laplante

Russell Laplante is the Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, a leading energy storage solutions provider in North America. He has spent more than 17 years in the renewable energy industry, with experience across finance, project development, M&A, and energy storage. In this episode, Russell reflects on his November 2025 Let’s Share the Sun delegation to Puerto Rico, where he installed a solar panel for the first time despite nearly two decades in clean energy. His perspective brings together project finance, energy resilience, and the personal impact of seeing solar and storage deployed directly for families in need.

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-laplante-cfa-42353510/

Stephen Jordan

Stephen Jordan is Director of Marketing for Jordan Energy and is closely involved with Let’s Share the Sun Foundation. He is passionate about storytelling, community, clean energy, and using solar as a tool to empower people. Stephen has experience on the installation side of solar and helps share the mission of Let’s Share the Sun through writing, video, voice, and community engagement. He is also a published author and has worked in music therapy, including with Voices of Our City Choir, which received the Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent. In this episode, Stephen reflects on the November 2025 Puerto Rico delegation, the next generation of Let’s Share the Sun leadership, and why solar, storage, and community-building are deeply connected.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-jordan-062413159/

Flavia Cabrel

Flavia Cabral is a singer and vocal coach originally from Argentina and joined the November 2025 Let's Share The Sun delegation alongside her husband Russell.  She brings a deeply human perspective to this conversation about service, community, and energy access. During the November 2025 Let’s Share the Sun delegation to Puerto Rico, Flavia formed powerful connections with beneficiary families, especially the women she met during the trip. She shares how listening, empathy, and making people feel heard can create meaningful bonds across cultures and backgrounds. In this episode, Flavia reflects on the importance of showing up, giving back, and understanding the real-life impact of reliable electricity for families facing outages, medical needs, and hardship. 

Instagram:  @flavia.111

Stay Connected

Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

 Podcast: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com

Let's Share The Sun Website: https://www.letsSharethesun.org

Summer Solstice Fundraiser — Jersey City, NJ

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

Please Leave a 5-Star Review

If you got value out of this episode, please take a minute to rate, review, and share the Solar Maverick Podcast. Every review helps more people in the clean energy community find the show and stay ahead of what is happening in solar, storage, and the energy transition.

About Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, commercial and industrial solar, utility-scale solar, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Victoria Stulgis, President of Black Bear Energy, to explore one of the most underrated opportunities in the solar industry: commercial real estate.

Black Bear Energy acts as an owner’s representative for institutional property owners, helping them deploy on-site solar and battery storage across their portfolios at scale.

Victoria discusses Black Bear’s recently published 2025 Real Estate Solar Leaderboards Report, a first-of-its-kind dataset tracking energized on-site solar across major U.S. real estate owners and managers.

The numbers are eye-opening. Prologis leads with 309 MW deployed in the U.S. alone and more than 1 GW globally. Public Storage has quietly completed more than 1,100 projects totaling 111 MW. According to Morgan Stanley, there is still 326 GW of untapped solar capacity sitting on commercial rooftops across the country.

The conversation gets into the real mechanics of how large REITs and institutional landlords are approaching solar today, why most deals are front-of-meter rooftop leases, what is driving community solar adoption in Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland, and what the ITC phase-out means for lease rates and deal economics going forward.

Victoria also makes the case for why battery storage is the next major frontier for commercial real estate and what it will take for the capital markets to catch up.

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MW of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credit transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MW of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Victoria Stulgis is the President of Black Bear Energy, where she oversees the company’s growth and day-to-day operations following the departure of founder Drew Torbin at the end of 2025. She has been with Black Bear for more than nine years, joining in the company’s early days and working her way up through client-facing roles.

Before Black Bear, Victoria built her career at two nonprofits focused on market-based solutions to climate change. She started at The Carbon War Room, Sir Richard Branson’s climate NGO, where she worked on decarbonizing the maritime shipping industry.

After The Carbon War Room was acquired by Rocky Mountain Institute, Victoria shifted her focus to corporate virtual PPAs, working directly with Fortune 500 companies that were early adopters of large-scale clean energy procurement. RMI was also an original seed funder of Black Bear Energy, which is how she connected with Drew Torbin and eventually joined the team.

Black Bear Energy is now owned by Legence, a Blackstone portfolio company that went public through an IPO in September 2025.

Benoy Thanjan

Victoria Stulgis

If you got value out of this episode, please take a minute to rate, review, and share the Solar Maverick Podcast. Every review helps more people in the clean energy community find the show and stay ahead of what is happening in solar, storage, and the energy transition.

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, commercial and industrial solar, utility-scale solar, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

The League Episode #49 – Show Notes

In this episode of The League, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid break down the latest clean energy trends. Benoy discusses why policy certainty matters for solar and storage, how clean energy tax credits impact project economics, and why commercial real estate owners are increasingly treating behind-the-meter solar as a profit center. David covers solar module cost trends, FEOC-compliant versus non-FEOC-compliant equipment, inverter and racking costs, and Brookfield’s joint venture with The Nuclear Company.

Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

 As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/

Learn more: 

https://reneuenergy.com

https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com

Host Bio: David Magid

David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/

 If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Kellie MacPherson, Executive Vice President of Compliance and Security at Radian Generation and a board member of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Kellie is one of the leading experts in NERC compliance and cybersecurity for renewable energy assets. In this timely conversation, she explains why the May 15, 2026 NERC deadline matters for solar, storage, and wind projects, especially inverter-based resources around 20 MW and above.

Kellie breaks down what NERC is, why the registration threshold is changing, and why simply filling out a registration form is not enough. She explains that projects brought into scope need to be audit-ready, with policies, procedures, equipment settings, cybersecurity controls, and compliance programs in place.

The conversation also covers cybersecurity risks facing renewable energy assets, the importance of basic cyber hygiene, the role of inverter settings and SCADA systems, and why renewable energy projects must be treated as critical infrastructure as they become a larger part of the electric grid.

Benoy and Kellie also discuss her background, her work at Radian Generation, her role on the SEIA board, entrepreneurship, building a compliance business, and how she uses LinkedIn and podcasting to educate the industry.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Guest Information

Kellie MacPherson

Kellie MacPherson is Executive Vice President of Compliance and Security at Radian Generation and a board member of the Solar Energy Industries Association. She has deep experience in NERC compliance, cybersecurity, renewable energy operations, and grid reliability. At Radian Generation, Kellie leads compliance and risk services for renewable energy owners, developers, and operators.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/

Kellie MacPherson

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliemacpherson/

Website: https://www.radiangen.com


Radian Generation podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-the-grid/id1697573026

Solar Maverick Podcast Updates

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.

https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

In this special live episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan moderates a panel discussion from the MSSIA(“Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association”) Solar and Storage Conference focused on one of the most important topics in renewable energy today: how AI is accelerating solar development, asset management, and O&M.  The panel explores how AI is both creating new energy challenges through data center-driven load growth and helping solve some of the industry’s biggest bottlenecks, including permitting, local opposition, distributed energy resource coordination, asset management, O&M, and post-COD performance.

Benoy is joined by Anuj Saigal from Spark AI, Anna Gusel from enSights.ai, and Joel Santisteban from EcoSuite. Together, they discuss where AI is actually delivering value today, where the hype still exists, and how renewable energy companies can use AI-enabled tools to move faster, reduce risk, and make better decisions.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Guest Information

Anuj Saigal, Spark AI

Anuj Saigal is the co-founder of Spark AI, a permitting intelligence platform for energy infrastructure and data centers. Spark AI uses AI agents to read millions of documents across jurisdictions, including zoning ordinances, meeting minutes, agendas, and local news, to help developers understand permitting friction and local opposition risk.  

Anuj was on episode 274 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. The episode was called “From Weeks to Seconds:  How AI is Transforming Solar Diligence with Spark AI and Standard Solar”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000760451713

Anna Gusel, enSights.ai

Anna Gusel is with enSights.ai, an AI-powered energy business management platform. In the discussion, Anna explains how enSights.ai helps asset owners and operators bring together telemetry, financial data, operational data, technician logs, contracts, warranties, and site information to improve visibility and decision-making across renewable energy portfolios.

Joel Santisteban, EcoSuite

Joel Santisteban is with EcoSuite, an asset management and edge compute platform designed for distributed energy. EcoSuite works with developers, IPPs, and grid operators to deploy software and hardware solutions, including DER gateways and edge compute nodes, that help accelerate deployment and integration into the distribution grid.

Joel was on episode 260 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. The episode was called “Ecosuite:  AI-Powered Management for Distributed Energy”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000747120162

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/

Anuj Saigal

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujsaigal/ 

 Website: https://www.spark.ai

Anna Gusel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annagusel/

Website: https://ensights.ai

Joel Santisteban

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-santisteban/

Website: https://ecosuite.io

Solar Maverick Podcast Updates

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.

https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

The League Episode #49 – Show Notes

David Magid and Benoy Thanjan break down major clean energy market updates, including New York’s ASAP Act, rising MISO interconnection costs, Virginia’s storage and shared solar expansion, and Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy. 

Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

 As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/

Learn more: 

https://reneuenergy.com

https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com

Host Bio: David Magid

David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/

 If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.

https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Marek Kubik, energy storage expert and former Fluence founder, to break down the rapid evolution of battery storage and its critical role in the energy transition.

Marek shares insights from nearly two decades in the industry, explaining how declining costs, technological advancements, and new use cases are pushing energy storage to the center of the modern grid.

From lithium-ion dominance to emerging technologies like sodium-ion, and from grid stability to long-duration storage, this conversation covers the trends shaping the future of energy.

Biographies

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Marek Kubik

Marek builds and scales deeptech businesses that accelerate the clean energy transition. Over the past 17+ years he has helped take grid‑scale energy storage from first‑of‑a‑kind projects to multi‑billion‑dollar platforms, and enabled giga‑scale renewable systems.

As part of the founding team at Fluence, now one of the world’s largest energy storage technology providers, he helped to establish the business and drive scale-up - through to unicorn, a $4.7bn IPO and beyond. As Managing Director, he led the Western Europe & Middle East sales organisation, cultivating strategic partnerships, building high-performing teams and transacting over $1bn in energy storage solutions.

Today, Marek serves as a flexibility leadership team member at ENOWA, the clean energy and water company of NEOM, where he leads all efforts related to energy storage - a cornerstone of NEOM's ambition to achieve the world's first at-scale 100% renewable power grid.

Earlier in my career, he helped develop Europe’s first commercial utility‑scale battery project, building directly on my doctoral research and giving me a front‑row seat to the rise of modern battery storage. That mix of technical grounding and commercial execution still shapes how Marek works with teams, investors and policymakers today.

He is also a recognised voice in the sector: a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree that's delivered ~500 speaking engagements (TEDx, UN, COP, One Young World, Oxford University), grown a 50,000+ (top 0.002%) following on LinkedIn and authored the seminal Volta Foundation Battery Report (100,000+ downloads). Marek uses my platform to demystify energy storage, highlight emerging technologies and explore how AI and data can reshape clean energy systems.

Alongside his corporate roles, Marek advises governments, infrastructure investors and technology startups on strategy, commercialisation and scale‑up execution - helping bridge the gap between promising innovation and bankable, real‑world projects.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/

Marek Kubik

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

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here: 

https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/

On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.

https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.

The League Episode #48 – Show Notes

Solar is scaling at a record pace in the U.S., but grid infrastructure, policy decisions, and permitting challenges are becoming the biggest bottlenecks. From interconnection costs in New York to stalled community solar in California and rising data center demand, the gap between generation and infrastructure is widening.

Host Bio: Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions.

Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market.

 As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable portfolio.

Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund.

Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.

Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/

Learn more: 

https://reneuenergy.com

https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com

Host Bio: David Magid

David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/

 If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan shares key updates with the Solar Maverick community, including upcoming events, speaking engagements, and ways to stay connected.

Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let’s Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let’s Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors. 

This will be Benoy’s third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here: 

https://luma.com/jl734ggi

On April 28, Benoy will be at the MSSIA Insight Conference in New Jersey, where he will be participating in discussions alongside some of the greatest minds in AI. He will also be recording a live Solar Maverick Podcast interview at the event. More details can be found here: 

https://whova.com/web/9I7SOtGH70LucVmeo0%40vp6bW2LE6IfIeHa%40QWl72RaE%3D/

On May 14, Benoy will be speaking at the ACORE Finance Forum 2026 in New York City on a panel focused on scaling behind the meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial and digital infrastructure. The discussion will explore the growing demand for energy driven by AI and data centers.

https://acore.org/events/finance-forum/

Listeners can also visit www.solarmaverickpodcast.com to explore recent episodes and insights from leaders across the solar, storage, and energy industries.

Please provide 5 star reviews     

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Reneu Energy

Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets.

Email us at [email protected] to learn more.