Solar Maverick Podcast

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, I speak with Lee Keshishian, the Founder & CEO of Civic Renewables. We dive into his 18+ year journey in residential solar—from founding Clean Currents to scaling Tesla/SolarCity’s East Coast operations and now building a national network of trusted local solar installers. Lee shares insights on what it takes to grow resilient clean energy businesses and how Civic is raising the bar for solar quality and local impact.

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Leon “Lee” Keshishian

Experienced solar executive and entrepreneur with 18+ years leading growth in clean energy. Founder of Civic Renewables, building a national network of trusted local solar providers with centralized support for operations, procurement, training, and long-term service.

Previously led East Coast operations at SolarCity/Tesla, scaling to 40+ locations and 4,000+ employees. As COO of Palmetto Solar, helped drive 400% growth and partnerships with 50+ local companies. Former CEO of Autosled and co-founder of Clean Currents Solar.

Passionate about empowering local businesses, delivering long-term value to homeowners, and accelerating the energy transition through quality, service, and trust.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Lee Keshishian

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

Website: https://civicrenewables.com

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Robb Jetty, CEO of REC Solar.  Rob shares insights from his 23-year journey in renewable energy, REC’s behind-the-meter and utility-scale development strategy, and the company’s active role in greenfield projects, energy storage, and asset repowering.

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Robb Jetty

Rob Jetty is the Chief Executive Officer of REC Solar, a leading independent power producer (IPP) and clean energy developer focused on delivering innovative behind-the-meter and small utility-scale solar and storage solutions across the U.S.

With over 23 years of experience in the renewable energy industry, Rob has built a career spanning the full lifecycle of clean energy development—from founding a regional EPC firm in 2002 to holding senior leadership roles at some of the industry's most influential organizations, including Recurrent Energy, General Electric, and EDF Renewables.

As CEO of REC Solar, Rob is steering the company’s strategic growth following its 2023 acquisition by ArcLight Capital Partners. Under his leadership, REC is focused on expanding its operating fleet through greenfield development, M&A, and repowering of aging solar assets. The company operates more than 150 solar projects totaling approximately 300 MW across 16 states.

Rob’s deep understanding of project development, corporate procurement, and grid-scale renewables enables REC to serve diverse sectors including food & beverage, cold storage, special districts (MUSH market), and fleet electrification. Notably, the company led the development of a solar-powered EV bus charging hub for the Anaheim Transportation Network, and a microgrid at Kona Village Resort in Hawaii, supporting resilience and clean energy access.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Robb Jetty

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

Website: https://recsolar.com/

REC Solar Case Studies:  https://recsolar.com/resources/case-studies/

Episode Overview

Benoy Thanjan welcomes back Dan French, Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit on the Solar Maverick Podcast and they dive deep into the emerging world of agrivoltaics—solar projects that co-exist with agriculture—and the role it will play in the energy and agricultural renaissance.

Dan shares details about the upcoming Solar Farm Summit (Aug 4–7 at McCormick Place, Chicago), the largest agrivoltaics event in North America. They explore U.S. state-level leadership, global innovation, project economics, and transformative benefits such as water conservation, improved crop yields, and rural revitalization.

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Dan French – Executive Producer, Solar Farm Summit

Dan French is a nationally recognized leader in renewable energy land use and the Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit, the largest agrivoltaics development conference in North America. With a career spanning law, brownfield redevelopment, and clean energy consulting, Dan has become a catalyst for innovation at the intersection of solar energy, agriculture, and sustainable land transformation.

A former environmental and energy attorney, Dan has transitioned into a visionary market maker—organizing events that drive collaboration among farmers, solar developers, policymakers, and conservationists. His work has helped pioneer the concept of “multifunctional PV”—solar projects that generate clean energy while supporting agricultural yields, biodiversity, and rural economic development.

Dan also leads the Virginia Solar Summit and has played a key role in revitalizing polluted and underutilized land through the Brightfields and brownfields-to-solar movements. A passionate advocate for community-based innovation, Dan’s events are known for mixing technical expertise with grassroots accessibility, always striving to "put farming first."

Through the Solar Farm Summit, Dan is helping define the future of land use—where solar power coexists with food production, ecological restoration, and energy resilience on a global scale.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Dan French

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-french-4354047/

Website: https://solarfarmsummit.com/

Dan’s previous interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast

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

https://podtail.com/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/smp-140-agrivoltaics-one-of-the-next-frontiers-in-/

Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends.

Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!

 Episode #30 Briefing Highlights:

-The OBBB is signed: A summary of the high-level impacts

-New executive order intends to tighten 'commencement of construction' rules; details in 45 days

-SPP updates process for faster connection of large 10MW+ loads

If you have any questions or comments, our email is [email protected].

Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!

Episode #29 Briefing Highlights:  

-Heat wave impacts, up to $1000/MWhr, and NYC came very close to its all time peak

-June 19th Brattle report: by 2035, 60-90GW additional peak capacity will be needed

-NY Governor Hochul issues NYPA with mandate for 1GW of nuclear to be built

-Latest details on the OBBB and the 'poison pill' for BESS: the foreign entity of concern (FEOC) conditions

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

Welcome to our weekly Renewable Energy Briefing on 6/11/25! Stay informed on the latest industry trends. Join us for a comprehensive analysis that combines expert commentary with up-to-the-minute news, offering you a strategic overview of the renewable energy market. Don't miss out on the crucial details that can impact your investment decisions. Tune in weekly for your essential dose of Renewable Energy insights!

Solar Maverick Podcast

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

Episode Overview

In this episode, SEIA CEO Abby Hopper discusses the current state of solar policy amid Congress's reconciliation efforts, emphasizing critical priorities like preserving the “commenced construction” timeline, extending and smoothing the ITC phase‑down. Though recognizing short-term uncertainty and potential industry turbulence, Abby remains optimistic about long-term demand, technological innovation, and the growing role of solar+storage in a reliable, affordable energy future.

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Abby Hopper

Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade organization for America's solar and storage industry. Ms. Hopper is a visionary leader who has transformed SEIA into an advocacy powerhouse and the leading voice for the U.S. solar and storage industry, a $64 billion force in our nation’s economy.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Abby Hopper

Website: Follow SEIA at seia.org and solarpowersamerica.org

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-hopper-a3415527/

Call to Action for Mavericks

Make your voice heard—CALL or WRITE your member(s) and senators  urging support for:

Commenced construction carve-outs

FEOC practical solutions

Extended ITC phase-out schedules

Share real-life impacts—highlight project/job delays, supply chain headaches, business planning peril.

Participate in grassroots campaigns — sign up for Save Main Street Solar, engage in local/regional advocacy.

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan speaks with João Barreto, CEO of EDPR NA Distributed Generation, at the ACORE Finance Forum. They explore the rapid evolution of distributed generation (DG) in the U.S., community solar market trends, and how EDPR is deploying capital to meet growing clean energy demand.

Topics Covered:

The origin and growth of EDPR NA DG and its 12 GW+ installed capacity in North America

Why distributed generation is a key complement to utility-scale solar and wind

EDPR’s strategic focus on Northeast and California DG markets

Insights on the impact of the House tax bill on renewable investment timelines

The policy-driven nature of community solar, and why California’s program rollback was a missed opportunity

EDPR’s balanced strategy between greenfield development and co-development partnerships

The challenge of navigating interconnection and permitting inconsistency across the U.S.

How EDPR differentiates in the DG space through experience, local presence, and global customer relationships

Perspectives on integrating storage with DG, and current limitations in markets like New York

Key Quote:

“Distributed generation is policy-driven—and understanding how to position in the right markets at the right time is what creates long-term value.” – João Barreto

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

João Salvação Barreto

Chief Executive Officer, EDPR NA Distributed Generation

João Salvação Barreto is the CEO of EDPR North America Distributed Generation, the distributed solar and storage business unit of EDP Renewables NA. Promoted to this role in June 2024, Barreto leads a fast-growing platform that manages over 280 MW AC of solar and storage assets across 25 U.S. states—with substantial expansions in key markets like New York, Maine, and Illinois. 

He joined EDP in 2014 as part of its Global M&A and Corporate Development group. Over the next decade, he held leadership roles including Chief Commercial Officer, during which he oversaw major acquisitions such as Sunseap (now EDPR APAC) and C2 (now EDPR NA DG). He also chaired EDP’s Investment Committee from 2020 to 2023, guiding the company’s strategic investment priorities

João’s professional experience spans 23 years in real estate, 13 years in medical investments, and work in the defense industry, where he built relationships with international governments and organizations

He holds a degree from the Nova School of Business and Economics and is fluent in leveraging his multidisciplinary background to advance distributed solar finance, partnerships, and grid resilience 

Under his leadership, EDPR NA DG is focused on expanding its community solar, C&I, and behind-the-meter portfolios while emphasizing partnerships, innovation, and operational excellence. João is a frequent participant and speaker at industry finance events, including the Financial Times/Nikkei Investing in America Summit and Infocast Solar Power Finance & Investment forums, where he highlights the importance of distributed generation in the energy transition

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

João Salvação Barreto

Website:  https://www.edp.com/en

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joão-salvação-barreto-90929a3b/

Date & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Location: Gotham Hall, New York City

Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector 

Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones 

The link to register is below.

https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX

Episode Overview

In this episode, recorded live at the ACORE Finance Forum in NYC, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Ray Long, President & CEO of ACORE. They discuss the evolving clean energy finance landscape, grid permitting challenges, policy battles around the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the exponential demand for power driven by AI and electrification.

Ray also shares the history and mission of ACORE—from its origins connecting Wall Street to developers in 2001, to its current role as a leading voice in renewable energy policy and finance.

Key Themes & Takeaways

Explosive Growth in Power Demand

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Ray Long

Ray Long leads the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) as President and Chief Executive Officer.  

ACORE is the oldest nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to expanding the use of renewable energy technologies for American homes and businesses. This mission is as important and relevant today as it was back in 2001. As CEO, Long is privileged to lead a team of dedicated professionals and an equally passionate group of members and contributors who enable ACORE’s strategic initiatives.  

ACORE’s members operate in all 50 states, and in 2022, they financed, developed, built and owned over 90% of new, utility-scale renewable energy projects. Under Long’s leadership, ACORE continues to expand the framework that has enabled the industry’s growth through bipartisan outreach, accurate and compelling analysis, and effective collaboration. 

Long is a respected energy executive, having spent over 25 years representing and growing conventional and renewable energy companies in the United States. Most recently, Long was Senior Vice President of External Affairs and a member of the management team at Clearway Energy. Throughout his career, Long helped to build successful government, regulatory and communications teams, utilizing a campaign management approach to policy and project development challenges.  

Long earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy and Administration from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife.  

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Ray Long

Website:  https://acore.org/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-long-a89a816/

Date & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Location: Gotham Hall, New York City

Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector 

Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones 

The link to register is below.

https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the evolving solar landscape—covering key state-level policy battles, rising resistance to distributed solar, the latest federal tax package in Congress, and the long term trends in the solar industry. Fox Swim, Senior Solar Industry Researcher at Aurora Solar, shares expertise on policy, utility rates, and resiliency-minded markets.

Key Themes & Highlights

Aurora provides industry-leading solar design and sales software globally.

Utilities favor centralized generation, clashing with distributed energy advocates.

California’s AB 942 aims to end grandfathered NEM/NEM 2 contracts when homes are sold, pushing owners into less favorable NEM 3 tariffs—effectively breaking existing contracts.

Extreme weather, aging grid infrastructure, and power instability are driving demand for solar + storage.

Distributed generation is seen as a smarter, faster, and more resilient solution than central utility models.

Virtual battery programs in states like Connecticut are emerging as positive examples.

The recent House tax bill introduces critical threats:

Elimination of IRA incentives (including ITC, storage, and battery credits).

“Fiat” sourcing restrictions targeting Chinese-manufactured solar components, potentially nullifying battery and panel subsidies.

Fox warns of an unplanned “solar winter” where many small players may fold, though core demand won’t vanish.

Emphasis is shifting toward resilience and independence—not just ROI.

(Backed by Aurora’s data on ~12.5 million projects, surveys of 1,000+ homeowners, 1,000 professionals, and 500+ businesses)

Resilience over ROI: 76% of homeowners view solar as a good investment (up from 43% in 2023) 

Financing shifts: Third‑party ownership (leases/PPAs) are growing; battery demand surges with 78% installers seeing increased interest 

Bipartisan appeal: Solar cuts across party lines—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all value solar and IRA 

Trust challenges: Installer mistrust doubled—44% of homeowners find trustworthy companies hard to identify 

Motivations revealed:

Top drivers: bill savings, energy independence, environmental impact (>50% cite environment as a top-3 reason) 

Tactical Takeaways for Mavericks

Strengthen Trust – Improve transparency and contract clarity; be proactive about ethical sales practices.

Refocus Messaging – Highlight solar + storage for resilience and independence—especially in disaster-prone regions.

Engage Politically – Contact local/state reps, especially around bills like North Carolina’s ITC reinstatement.

Diversify Revenue – Build resilience offerings or pivots like community solar and virtual battery programs.

Advocacy & Data – Join efforts with industry groups (SEIA, ACORE), and use Aurora’s regional data in policymaker discussions.

Quotes from the Interview

“76% of homeowners now say solar is a smart investment—it used to be 43%!”

“Installer trust has tanked: 44% of homeowners find it hard to pick a dependable provider.”

“Solar isn’t just about ROI anymore—it’s energy independence and resilience.”

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

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

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

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

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

Fox Swim

Fox Swim is a data-driven activist with a passion for solving complex social and environmental challenges. With expertise in alternative energy, and urban sustainability, she leverages technical research and leadership skills to drive impactful change. Currently a Senior Industry Researcher at Aurora Solar, Fox focuses on advancing renewable energy solutions while advocating for social justice and sustainability.

Related Links

https://solarbuildermag.com/news/california-committee-passes-bill-that-would-break-net-metering-contracts/

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/solar-panel-types

https://www.eenews.net/articles/california-bill-would-slash-solar-benefits/ 

Aurora Solar’s 2025 Snapshot Report

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

Fox Swim

Website:  https://aurorasolar.com/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/fox-swim-6919061a/

Date & Time: Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Location: Gotham Hall, New York City

Occasion: Celebrating 20 years of championing women and underrepresented groups in the renewable & sustainable energy sector 

Host & Highlight: Presented by Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE); evening includes networking, recognition of community leaders, and celebration of industry milestones 

The link to register is below.

https://wrise20thanniversarygala.rsvpify.com/?mc_cid=2c22b50623&mc_eid=0dfa02be45&securityToken=qZn8wqQI1mC1uMRPyb08kNwbscQ23wtX