Solar Maverick Podcast

Episode Summary: Benoy Thanjan sits down with his co-host Nate Jovanelly, Founder & CEO of SunRaise Capital, to break down how the Big Beautiful Bill is reshaping residential solar. They discuss Section 25D’s removal, the surge in solar + storage, and innovative financing models like prepaid leases.   Biographies Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, and a strategic advisor to multiple solar startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 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 Credits (REC) transactions—demonstrating his ability to drive measurable impact both operationally and financially. Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla’s Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the company’s 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 ventures. 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 floir 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.   Nathan Jovanelly Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates. As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/] Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com [https://www.reneuenergy.com/]   Nathan Jovanelly SunRaise Capital Website:  https://www.sunraisecapital.com/ Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/] Email:  nate@sunraise.com   Thank you to AMS Renewable Energy for Sponsoring this Episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast!  This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor—AMS Renewable Energy. AMS is a top-tier solar EPC that operates with the precision and mindset of a commercial general contractor. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York—and licensed nationwide—AMS has over 30 years of construction experience, tackling even the most complex solar projects with unmatched expertise and craftsmanship. Whether it’s a challenging C&I rooftop, ground mount, or full turnkey solution, AMS is committed to best-in-class service and results that last. If you're looking for a solar EPC partner who understands construction inside and out—AMS Renewable Energy should be at the top of your list. Learn more at [ams-renewable.com [http://ams-renewable.com/]] and tell them the Solar Maverick sent you!   Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast SMP 205: Revolutionizing Solar Finance: How SunRaise Capital Attracts Investors to Residential Solar Projects? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-205-revolutionizing-solar-finance-how-sunraise/id1441876259?i=1000702871242 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-205-revolutionizing-solar-finance-how-sunraise/id1441876259?i=1000702871242]   SMP 194:  2025 Solar Outlook https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-194-2025-solar-outlook/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-194-2025-solar-outlook/]   SMP 176:  REplus takeaways https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-176-replus-takeaways/]   SMP 166: Residential Solar Trends [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/] https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-166-residential-solar-trends/]    SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing? https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/]    Solar Maverick Episode 147:  RE+ Takeaways https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/]    Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo]    Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/]   SMP 131:  How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry? https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/]    SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/ [https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/]    SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259]      SMP 58:  Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910 [https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910]    SMP 20:  The Solar Intrapreneur Story:  How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129 [https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129]

Episode Overview In this episode, Benoy Thanjan interviews Gabe Phillips, CEO of Catalyst Power Holdings, a company revolutionizing how commercial and industrial (C&I) customers access clean energy.  The conversation dives into the future of C&I solar, energy storage, demand response, and how Catalyst Power is empowering mid-sized businesses with creative, cost-saving clean energy solutions. Topics Covered: * Gabe's background and evolution in the energy sector * The unique C&I clean energy niche Catalyst Power serves * The role of DERs (distributed energy resources) and why aggregation matters * Combining solar, storage, and demand response into a single value proposition * The importance of customer acquisition and tech-enabled platforms * Opportunities and challenges in Northeast markets like NYISO and PJM * What’s next for C&I energy solutions as federal and state incentives evolve Key Quotes: “We’re focused on the forgotten middle — C&I customers that are too big for rooftop-only and too small for full-blown utility-scale.” “There’s a convergence of tech and finance in clean energy that’s finally unlocking the C&I market.” “We’re not just selling power — we’re building long-term energy partnerships.”   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.   This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.  Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.   He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  Gabe Phillips: Gabe is the CEO of Catalyst Power Holdings, a fast-growing company providing customized power solutions to C&I customers. With a background in environmental commodities and renewable project finance, Gabe brings deep experience in building businesses that sit at the intersection of sustainability, economics, and customer value. Prior to founding Catalyst, Gabe held leadership roles at energy trading and consulting firms. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/] Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com [https://www.reneuenergy.com/]   Gabe Phillps Website: https://catalystpower.com LinkedIn: Catalyst Power [https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalystpower/] Gabe’s LinkedIn: Gabe Phillips [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabewphillips/]

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 and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.  Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.   He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  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: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/] Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com [https://www.reneuenergy.com/]   Lee Keshishian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonjkeshishian/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonjkeshishian/] Website: https://civicrenewables.com [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 and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.  Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.   He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  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: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/] Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com [https://www.reneuenergy.com/]   Robb Jetty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjetty/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjetty/] Website: https://recsolar.com/ [https://recsolar.com/] REC Solar Case Studies:  https://recsolar.com/resources/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 and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.  Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.   He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.  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: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bthanjan/] Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com [https://www.reneuenergy.com/]   Dan French Email: dan@solarfarmsummit.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-french-4354047/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-french-4354047/] Website: https://solarfarmsummit.com/ [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://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-/ [https://podtail.com/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/smp-140-agrivoltaics-one-of-the-next-frontiers-in-/]