Solar Maverick Podcast

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 info@reneuenergy.com 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: info@reneuenergy.com

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 http://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 info@reneuenergy.com 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 http://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: info@reneuenergy.com

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 http://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 info@reneuenergy.com 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: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Marek Kubik

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

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 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 http://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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Zainab Gilani and Diana Rasner from the Cleantech Group to break down the biggest trends shaping the energy transition in 2026.

From AI-driven energy demand and data centers to shifting investor sentiment and evolving policy dynamics, this conversation dives deep into where cleantech capital is flowing and what it takes to scale in today’s market.

The discussion also explores the growing role of corporates, the challenges startups face working with utilities, and why resilience, grid infrastructure, and distributed energy resources are becoming critical themes across 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.

Zainab Gilani
Energy & Power Associate at Cleantech Group
Focuses on grid technologies, nuclear, storage, and emerging energy systems

Diana Rasner
Group Lead, Materials, Chemicals, Waste & Recycling at Cleantech Group
Specializes in industrial decarbonization, materials innovation, and sustainability

About Cleantech Group

Cleantech Group is a leading research and advisory firm focused on global cleantech innovation. They bring together startups, investors, and corporates to drive collaboration and provide market intelligence across energy, materials, transportation, and more.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Zainab Gilani

Website: https://cleantech.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-g-204965172/

Diana Rasner

Website: https://cleantech.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-rasner-63101a16a/

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 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 http://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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal from Spark AI and Patrick Chandler from Standard Solar about how artificial intelligence is transforming solar project development, diligence, and acquisition.

They explore how AI powered tools are enabling developers and asset owners to move significantly faster, reduce manual work, and improve decision making. The conversation also highlights a real world case study of how Standard Solar is using Spark AI to streamline project acquisition and diligence processes.

The discussion expands into the broader impact of AI on energy demand, data centers, and the future of solar and storage development.

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.

About the Guests

Julia Wu is the CEO of Spark AI, an AI powered platform helping developers and asset owners accelerate project development and diligence. She previously worked at Microsoft and Apple, building large scale data systems.

Anuj Saigal is the cofounder of Spark AI with a background in startups, energy, and AI. He previously worked at the Department of Energy, SunEdison, and EVgo, and founded a Y Combinator backed AI company.

Patrick Chandler is a senior project manager at Standard Solar, a Brookfield company that owns and operates distributed generation solar assets across the United States. He leads project acquisition, diligence, and execution efforts.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Julie Wu

Website: https://www.spark.ai/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wu-julia/

Anuj Saigal

Website: https://www.spark.ai/

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

Patrick Chandler

Website: https://standardsolar.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-chandler-ii-1b6b47206/

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 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 http://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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dorian Hunt from Leo Berwick to break down the Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) rules and what the February 2026 guidance means for solar and storage projects. They unpack how FEOC is reshaping supply chains, tax credits, and project finance, and why uncertainty is currently the biggest risk to development.

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.

Dorrian Hunt

Dorian leads Leo Berwick’s Energy & Renewables tax practice.

Dorian has 20 years of experience in tax credit monetization, with clients including renewable energy project developers, tax equity investors, project lenders, insurers and syndicators.

Prior to joining Leo Berwick, he was a leader in the Power and Utilities and Energy Transition practices of a Big 4 firm, where he focused on providing tax consulting services with respect to tax credit-driven project finance across, with a focus on renewable energy.

Dorian is a thought leader in the tax credit space and has authored articles on topics including the potential implications for “direct pay” of renewable energy tax incentives and on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the US renewable energy industry. He has also presented on these and other similar topics for organizations such as IPED, NARUC, and the Boston Bar Association.

Dorian has experience with myriad energy incentive programs including Treasury 1603 grants, 48C advanced energy manufacturing studies, and the rapidly-developing field of 45Q carbon capture credits.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Dorian Hunt

Website: https://www.leoberwick.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorian-hunt/

Dorian Hunt on Episode 231 of the Solar Maverick Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000723865682

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Nobel Chang, Co-Founder & CEO of Palladium Energy, to discuss how AI is transforming solar and infrastructure development.

Nobel shares how Palladium built Scout IQ, an AI-driven development engine that has enabled a 3-person team to originate 2.7 GW of projects and dramatically compressing timelines, reducing costs, and redefining scalability in solar development.

The conversation explores the future of AI in renewables, the convergence of solar, storage, and data centers, and what it takes to become a “10x developer” in today’s market.

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.

Nobel Chang

Nobel Chang is the Chief Commercial Officer at Palladium Energy. Nobel leads business development, market strategy, and commercial execution. Starting his solar career in 2009, Nobel has originated and developed DG and utility-scale projects in CAISO, Northwest, MISO, ISO-NE, PJM, and Southeast markets in the United States. He also has developed and financed projects in Mexico, Chile, and Japan. Prior to co-founding Palladium Energy, Nobel was the VP of Development at US Topco Energy, started a greenfield development company, then joined Pine Gate Renewables as the VP of New Markets and Capital Strategy. He earned his BS in Business and MBA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Nobel Chang

Website: https://www.pd46energy.com/

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

ScoutIQ Press Release:

https://www.scoutiq.dev/news/scoutiq-opens-to-power-infrastructure-developers

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Peter Pongratz, host of the Soliverse Podcast, about the current state of the European solar market and how it compares with the U.S.

Peter shares insights on the slowdown in European solar installations, the growing importance of battery storage, curtailment, negative pricing, permitting delays, and the need for better grid integration. They also discuss trends in hybrid solar-plus-storage projects, the rise of recycling as a major future opportunity, and how podcasting has become a powerful platform for learning and connecting across the renewable energy 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.

Peter Pongracz

Peter Pongratz is the host of the Soliverse Podcast and works in solar consulting, SaaS sales, and business development. His podcast focuses on the B2B side of solar and features conversations with leaders across solar, storage, policy, and the broader energy transition.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Peter Pongracz

Website: https://www.soliverse.energy/

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

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Hervé Billet, CEO and co-founder of Sunvoy, the first white-label customer portal and fleet management app built by solar installers for solar installers.

Hervé shares his entrepreneurial journey, from helping design Belgium’s first solar car to building and selling a solar installation company in the U.S., and now leading Sunvoy. The conversation covers what solar companies need to do to create long-term enterprise value, how branding and systems drive successful exits, and why clean accounting, process, and operational discipline matter if you want to sell a business.

Benoy and Hervé also discuss how Sunvoy helps installers improve operations by bringing critical project and O&M data into one place, reducing time spent hunting for information and improving the customer experience. They also explore current solar industry trends, including the shift toward Third Party Ownership (“TPOs”) and leases, rising electricity prices as a driver of solar adoption, technology improvements in solar hardware and storage, and why installer-built software creates a real competitive advantage.

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.

Hervé Billet

As the CEO of Sunvoy, I'm committed to empowering solar businesses with innovative technology that streamlines operations and enhances customer experience.

Sunvoy is the first white-label customer portal and fleet management app, built by solar installers for solar installers. Our platform simplifies the complexities of running a solar business, enabling companies to scale efficiently with seamless integration and effortless results.

Sunvoy offers powerful tools to manage solar fleets, automate communication, and deliver an exceptional customer journey, helping companies thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

Previously, I served as the CEO of Ipsun Solar, where we revolutionized the residential and commercial solar market by enabling customers to own their power, reduce their utility bills, and add value to their properties through clean, renewable energy. Ipsun Solar, a B-Corporation, was known for its commitment to sustainability, being part of the Amicus and Amicus O&M networks, and serving as a certified Tesla Powerwall installer.

Before venturing into the solar industry, I worked at Accenture, where I consulted with Fortune 500 companies, U.S. Federal agencies, and large non-profits. My projects included:

Calculating Greenhouse Gas emissions for the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters.

Business development for Accenture's Sustainability Services.

Leading digital implementation teams for organizations like Goodwill Industries International.

Providing strategic support to global institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, UNICEF, United Nations, and U.S. Department of Labor.

At 21, I co-founded my first company, Solar Team, an initiative to showcase the power of solar energy through solar-powered vehicles. This early venture sparked my enduring passion for renewable energy and continues to inspire my work today.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Hervé Billet

Website: https://sunvoy.com/

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

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with H.G. Chissell, Founder and CEO of AEG ("Advanced Energy Group"), live from DistribuTech 2026 in San Diego. H.G. shares how AEG convenes utilities, regulators, agencies, corporates, and community leaders to turn urgent climate and grid challenges into action through a “competitive collaboration” model built around 12-month goals and 90-day sprints. They discuss why trust and affordability are emerging as defining issues of the energy transition, how human-centered outcomes can accelerate adoption, and what it takes to drive real progress across complex stakeholder groups.

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.

H.G. Chissell

H.G. Chissell is the Founder and CEO of Advanced Energy Group (AEG), a stakeholder engagement and action platform that convenes utilities, regulators, policymakers, corporations, and community leaders to accelerate the energy transition. Over the past decade, he has built AEG into a nationally recognized forum for collaborative problem-solving, using a unique “competitive collaboration” model that transforms urgent climate, grid, and infrastructure challenges into 12-month action plans supported by 90-day implementation sprints.

Before founding AEG, H.G. worked in leadership consulting and architecture, experiences that shaped his focus on designing human-centered frameworks that inspire accountability, trust, and measurable outcomes. His work has helped catalyze cross-sector initiatives in cities across the United States, advancing solutions in areas such as infrastructure resilience, affordability, grid optimization, and community-centered decarbonization.

H.G. is also the founder of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CarbonLEAP) fellowship program, which connects emerging professionals with industry leaders to support real-world climate action projects while developing the next generation of energy transition leaders.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

H.G. Chissell

Website: https://aeg.team/

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

AEG events: https://luma.com/aeg

The Carbon League: https://thecarbonleague.org/

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

Robots Are Building Solar Farms

Robots Are Building Solar Farms: How Cosmic Robotics Is Transforming Utility-Scale Construction

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with James Emerick, Co-Founder and CEO of Cosmic Robotics, to explore how autonomous robotics are changing the way utility-scale solar is built. Cosmic Robotics is developing an autonomous vehicle with an industrial robotic arm that installs PV modules on to racking, reducing labor intensity while improving safety and predictability on job sites. James shares why module installation is one of the most labor-intensive and OSHA recordable injury-prone tasks in solar construction and how robotics can help crews work faster and safer. They also discuss the company’s approach to deploying robots in the field, using real-world data to improve performance, and expanding into adjacent tasks like QA/QC and other construction applications over time. The conversation also touches on the broader drivers accelerating automation, including labor constraints, tighter project economics, and the surge in behind-the-meter power needs from data centers and AI infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• Robotics can reduce crew size while maintaining or improving daily module install throughput
• Safety is a primary driver, not just cost, since module install has high injury exposure
• Well-scoped tasks like module placement are a practical path to field-ready autonomy
• The long-term opportunity is a broader robotics platform for solar and adjacent infrastructure

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.

James Emerick

James Emerick is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cosmic Robotics, a construction equipment company building autonomous equipment for utility-scale solar. Cosmic’s first product is an autonomous vehicle with an industrial robotic arm that installs PV modules on racking to make solar construction faster, safer, and more predictable.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

James Emerick

Website: https://www.cosmicrobotics.com/

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

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th

https://luma.com/7v50llsn

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Peter Davidson, CEO of Aligned Climate Capital, to discuss how private capital is driving the deployment of solar projects and climate technologies.

Aligned Climate Capital manages approximately $2.1 billion in assets and invests in companies and projects accelerating the clean energy transition.

Peter explains how climate-focused investors evaluate opportunities, where capital is flowing today, and what separates bankable projects.

What We Covered

• How Aligned Climate Capital approaches solar and climate investing
• What makes a project or company fundable in today’s market
• The real impact of IRA incentives on capital deployment
• How investors think about risk, returns, and execution
• The difference between investing in operating assets versus early-stage climate tech
• Where the next wave of opportunity lies in clean 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.

Peter W. Davidson

Peter Davidson is Chief Executive Officer at Aligned Climate Capital, an asset manager investing in companies and real assets driving the clean energy transition. He leads Aligned’s overall strategy and investment direction, building on a career at the intersection of finance, infrastructure, and public policy.

Previously, Peter was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO), where he oversaw a $32 billion portfolio in renewable energy, energy storage, advanced automotive technologies, and other low-carbon technologies.

Prior to leading the LPO, Peter was Senior Advisor for Energy and Economic Development at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Executive Director of New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation.

Before his government service, Peter was an entrepreneur who founded and managed six companies and held leadership roles in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley & Co.

He serves on several boards, including Summit Ridge Energy, Nyle Water Heating Systems, and BrightNight. He is also the chairman of two nonprofit organizations, the J.M. Kaplan Fund and Green-Wood Cemetery. Additionally, he is a member of the CFTC’s Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee.

Peter holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School. He is based in the New York office.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Peter Davidson

Website: https://alignedclimatecapital.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-davidson-4b652318/

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th

https://luma.com/7v50llsn

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Joel Santisteban, Co-Founder & CEO of Ecosuite, to explore how AI, edge computing, and interoperable infrastructure are transforming the way solar and storage assets are managed.

Joel shares his journey from solar development to building one of the most advanced distributed energy resource (“DER”) platforms in the industry, and explains how Ecosuite is helping developers, IPPs, utilities, and corporates unlock better performance, reliability, and efficiency across the full asset lifecycle.

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.

Joel Santisteban

Joel Santisteban is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ecosuite, an AI-powered asset management platform for distributed energy resources. Joel is a seasoned entrepreneur and clean energy leader with deep experience in solar, storage, and energy software. At Ecosuite, he is focused on helping asset owners, operators, and developers optimize performance, reduce operational risk, and unlock more value from their energy assets through data and automation.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Joel Santisteban

Website: https://ecosuite.io/

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

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Solar Maverick Happy Hour During Intersolar San Diego on Feb 18th

https://luma.com/7v50llsn

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Abu Riaz, CEO and Founder of AMS Renewables, to discuss what it takes to scale a solar and storage EPC in today’s rapidly evolving clean energy market.

Abu shares how AMS Renewables grew out of a traditional construction background into a fast-scaling EPC platform, executing projects across commercial, community solar, and utility-scale segments. The conversation highlights why construction discipline, capital planning, and execution are critical differentiators in solar and storage development.

Key topics include:

• How AMS Renewables evolved from C&I rooftop projects to large-scale community solar
• Why solar is fundamentally a construction-driven business
• The front-loaded capital and procurement challenges EPCs face at NTP
• Scaling without outside investors and maintaining operational flexibility
• Navigating industry disruption, EPC bankruptcies, and talent shifts
• The growing opportunity in solar + storage and standalone storage projects
• Managing risk, due diligence, and vendor compliance in a changing regulatory environment
• Leadership lessons from building a resilient EPC through market cycles

This episode is a must-listen for developers, EPCs, and clean energy entrepreneurs looking to build durable, execution-focused businesses in the solar and storage industry.

About the Solar Maverick Podcast

The Solar Maverick Podcast is a leading clean energy podcast hosted by Benoy Thanjan, Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy. The show features in-depth conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of solar, storage, and the global energy transition.

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.

Abu Riaz, Founder & CEO of AMS Renewable Energy

Abu Riaz is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AMS Renewable Energy, a solar and energy storage EPC (“Engineering, Procurement, and Construction”) firm based in New York focused on delivering large-scale distributed solar and storage solutions across the United States. Under his leadership, AMS has grown into a nationally respected solar EPC with deep expertise in project execution, from pre-construction planning through engineering, procurement, and construction management.

Abu holds a degree in Mathematics and Finance from Columbia University and continually expands his industry knowledge through ongoing education in energy and finance, grounding his business strategy in both technical rigor and financial insight.

Throughout his tenure, he has guided AMS Renewable Energy in completing numerous solar projects and scaling its capabilities, including strategic initiatives to expand the company’s portfolio and service footprint. AMS is known for its commitment to quality, integrity, and delivering high-performance renewable energy assets for developers, independent power producers, and community solar stakeholders.

Under Abu’s leadership, AMS has also pursued industry growth through strategic moves such as its acquisition of Collective Solar, enhancing AMS’s construction capacity and positioning the firm to meet rising demand for distributed solar solutions across the Northeast and beyond.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Abu Riaz

Website: https://www.amsepc.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abu-riaz-5a442663/

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan is joined by returning guest and co-host Nate Jovanelly, CEO and Founder of Sunraise Capital, for a deep dive into the US Residential Solar Outlook for 2026.

With major policy changes, the elimination of Section 25D for homeowners, and a rapid shift back to third-party ownership models, the residential solar market is undergoing one of the biggest transformations in its history. Benoy and Nate break down what changed in 2025, how the Big Beautiful Bill reshaped the market, and what installers, investors, and homeowners need to understand heading into 2026.

They explore the return of leases and PPAs, the growing importance of energy storage, the impact of FEOC and domestic content requirements, rising equipment complexity, and how customer acquisition is evolving. Nate also shares candid insights from building Sunraise Capital over the past two and a half years and offers advice for clean energy entrepreneurs navigating turbulent times.

Notable Quotes

* “The only constant in solar is change.”

* “Leases are back, and they’re back for a reason.”

* “Complexity is becoming the moat in residential solar.”

* “Solar is still sold, not bought, and that has to change.”

* “The companies that survive this period are going to thrive.”

Why This Episode Matters

The residential solar industry is entering a new era. With homeowner tax credits gone, equipment rules tightening, and storage becoming mainstream, 2026 will separate the adaptable companies from the rest. This conversation provides real-world perspective from the front lines and cuts through the noise to explain what is actually happening in the market.

About the Solar Maverick Podcast

The Solar Maverick Podcast is a leading clean energy podcast hosted by Benoy Thanjan, Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy. The show features in-depth conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of solar, storage, and the global energy transition.

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.

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

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

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

Nathan Jovanelly

SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/

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

Email: nate@sunraise.com

Nate’s other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast

SMP 228: After the Big Beautiful Bill: What’s Next for US Residential Solar?

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-228-after-the-big-beautiful-bill-what-s-next-for-us-residential-solar/

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

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/

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/

Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ 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

Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions

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/

SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends

https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/

SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259

SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics

https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910

SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US

https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Notes

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Jarand Rystad, Founder and CEO of Rystad Energy, one of the world’s leading energy intelligence and data advisory firms.

Jarand explains why solar has dramatically outperformed historical forecasts, how rapid cost declines have reshaped global power markets, and why many regions are now facing a new challenge: too much solar at the wrong times. As grids become saturated with midday generation, energy storage has emerged as the critical missing link.

The conversation explores why the next five years will belong to energy storage, how batteries enable higher renewable penetration, and what this shift means for pricing, grid stability, and project economics. Jarand also shares insights on powering the AI and data center boom, the evolving role of gas and nuclear, long-duration storage innovations, and why electrification is fundamentally transforming the global energy system.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand where the energy transition is headed, how markets are behaving beneath the headlines, and where the biggest opportunities will emerge over the next decade.

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.

Jarand Rystad

Jarand Rystad founded Rystad Energy in 2004 and has, since its inception, managed the company. Jarand has extensive experience in the energy strategy advisory business and his areas of expertise include energy system analysis, energy scenarios, renewables, supply chains, emissions, asset and company valuations and transactions, macro analysis, and all aspects of the energy transition. As an established thought leader in these and other fields, Jarand is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences related to energy. He is, according to the Financial Times, “one of the most cited petroleum analysts in the industry”.

Prior to founding Rystad Energy, Jarand worked for McKinsey & Company. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, where he majored with a thesis in asteroseismology. Jarand also has an academic background in philosophy and has been the leader and founder of various organizations.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Jarand Rystad

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarand-rystad/

Email: jarand@rystadenergy.com

Website: https://www.rystadenergy.com/

Rystad Energy’s Podcast: https://www.rystadenergy.com/podcasts?s=

https://www.ubiqd.com/

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Notes

On this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Jing Tian, Chief Growth & Revenue Officer at Tigo Energy, to explore how smarter electronics, AI, and energy intelligence are reshaping the solar industry.

Jing shares her journey from a PhD in chemistry to becoming a global solar executive, including leadership roles across Asia and the U.S. She breaks down how module-level power electronics (MLPE) improve safety, flexibility, and performance in residential, C&I, and utility-scale solar and why MLPE is becoming foundational as solar converges with storage, software, and grid services.

The conversation also dives into rapid shutdown requirements, AI-powered monitoring, and how predictive analytics can reduce O&M costs while improving system reliability. Jing closes with thoughtful advice for emerging leaders, women in clean energy, and anyone navigating the “solar coaster.”

Notable Takeaways

* MLPE enables safer, smarter, and more flexible solar system design

* Small performance gains at the module level can create massive impact at scale

* AI-driven monitoring turns raw data into actionable insights

* Innovation must solve real customer pain points, not just advance technology

* Strong leadership requires adaptability, clear communication, and cultural awareness

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.

Jing Tian

CHIEF GROWTH AND REVENUE OFFICER

Jing is responsible for leading Tigo's strategic growth initiatives, driving revenue generation, and scaling the business worldwide. Jing has a 25+ years of proven track record of technical and business success at companies like Credence, Solfocus, Shift Energy, and Trina Solar. For the past decades, she has focused on the profitable growth of equipment manufacturers across the solar ecosystem as well as solar project financing and development. While serving as Head of Global Marketing and President of Trina Solar USA, she launched the TrinaSmart Module in collaboration with Tigo.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Jing Tian

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jing-tian/

Tigo Energy: https://www.tigoenergy.com/https://www.ubiqd.com/

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dr. Hunter McDaniel, CEO of UbiQD, a quantum materials company redefining how light interacts with solar technology.

Hunter breaks down quantum dots and explains how this nanotechnology can dramatically improve solar performance by optimizing the light spectrum. The conversation dives deep into UbiQD’s landmark supply agreement with First Solar, including how quantum dots can significantly boost bifacial solar efficiency, especially for thin-film modules.

The episode also explores broader applications of quantum dots from building-integrated photovoltaics, solar windows, to agriculture and offers hard earned advice for clean-tech and deep-tech entrepreneurs navigating long commercialization cycles.

Key Topics Covered

• What quantum dots are and why they matter for solar
• How nanotechnology enables light optimization and higher PV efficiency
• Inside UbiQD’s strategic partnership with First Solar
• Improving bifacial performance in thin-film solar modules
• Why materials innovation gives U.S. solar a competitive edge
• Solar windows, BIPV, and the future of net-zero buildings
• Lessons from building a deep-tech energy startup over 10+ years
• Why entrepreneurs should focus on solving pain points, not just technology

Notable Takeaways

• Quantum dots allow precise tuning of light to match a solar cell’s most efficient spectrum
• Small efficiency gains in solar can translate into massive real-world impact at scale
• Bifacial solar performance represents one of the biggest remaining efficiency frontiers
• Building-integrated solar may be essential for dense, urban, high-rise environments
• Deep-tech founders must stay customer-focused and resilient through long timelines

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.

Dr. Hunter McDaniel

Dr. Hunter McDaniel is the CEO and Co-Founder of UbiQD, a quantum dot materials company focused on transforming energy, agriculture, and advanced materials through nanotechnology. He holds a PhD in Materials Science and previously conducted research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Under his leadership, UbiQD has partnered with industry leaders like First Solar and continues to scale next-generation quantum dot manufacturing.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

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

Dr. Hunter McDaniel

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-mcdaniel-4563a735/

UbiQD:https://www.ubiqd.com/https://www.ubiqd.com/

UbiGro (Agriculture): https://www.ubigro.com

https://wendow.us/

TED Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ4whsRZoN4

Press Release

UbiQD and First Solar Establish Long-Term Quantum Dot Supply Agreement

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubiqd-and-first-solar-establish-long-term-quantum-dot-supply-agreement-302500720.html

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Episode Summary:

Benoy sits down with MyWorkerAI founder William Szamosszegi to talk about how an “AI sales team as a service” can automate research, outreach, and lead generation for founders and renewable energy companies. They also dive into AI’s impact on the solar industry, personal branding, and the mindset tools entrepreneurs need to win in an AI-driven world.

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.

William Szamosszegi

William Szamosszegi is the Founder and CEO of MyWorkerAI, an AI-driven platform that functions as an “AI sales team as a service,” helping founders and businesses automate research, personalization, and outreach to scale relationships and accelerate growth.

Before launching MyWorkerAI, William founded Sazmining, a renewable-energy-powered bitcoin mining company where he helped pioneer sustainable mining operations and later brought in a new CEO, thanks to a connection from the Solar Maverick Podcast. With nearly a decade of experience building technology startups, William is deeply focused on leveraging AI to eliminate manual bottlenecks and empower high-agency teams.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: info@reneuenergy.com

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

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

Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com

William Szamosszegi

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

Website: ​​https://myworker.ai/

Email: will@myworker.ai

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 info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Link to book from Dr. Joe Dispenza

https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Dispenza-Collection-Books-Set/dp/B0BZTBGZGZ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=381VQVYGMSGNM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.80KhnQTqcogPSBZQxQ50E7n7V08syIl7xsO8wDofmvU_4CfXWxuwGPSuv4QPoHTYbFvvOokYGp6n7z63utavOn_oKZFfsayDIpPA_yyKBczVoTylNVyiyt8P90gbF_Yra5p9Pqs2T2XJC4Ck6QWO3DurLIIMOHy_Jj-lMgoIVeL9mHT-7mnqGq7RW74zk0RQt5n8xfxyEQ_lvICW0DWL8ud3zBSx0GvOOtDPbulg5Vc.hcbm7lA3_Um0xBY3onTsonVAK-ETARAcDXswMEMldjc&dib_tag=se&keywords=joe+dispenza+becoming+supernatural&qid=1765359099&sprefix=joe+dis%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-3

Mark Divine Unbeatable Seal Fit

https://www.amazon.com/Unbeatable-Mind-Resiliency-Toughness-Succeed/dp/B00UNYMSR6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CJLCBYQWYCHI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ETNhTJRtuMlld8iBTJwAN0ZlIMuBKRgAtqak76FBkGw_GwtvHft-qw9BTJ2rjvFWjeW8xUGlhM3mt1O47ZO3VGtSaYVqLpzWoP37tGowniYq9OvxlcIrsfb0xgOkxl0WWlOupQFcpLUpLU4tz1Gr8q_wLdZWROWNbXWCq70LLGb_uaAJIwg-_sVYHtTRYmCeWHLXnXxHm52uP4RKJ24u2ra2_ZEd2E-267D1vj107TI.FkExeF1IGhEnjb7LUnj8AQzX58HSZuosvN9kuiH-NFg&dib_tag=se&keywords=mark+divine&qid=1765359204&sprefix=mark+divine%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1