Solar Maverick Podcast

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Chris Diaz who is co-CEO of Seminole Financial Services has directly funded over $2 billion totaling more than 1 Gigawatt (GW) of Renewable Energy nationwide.  Chris speaks about a lot of interesting topics about what makes a project bankable, potential new Federal incentives for solar, tax equity outlook 2021, and solar trends. Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche. Chris Diaz Chris Diaz is co-CEO of Seminole Financial Services, LLC (“SFS”). In addition to his role as co-CEO, Mr. Diaz oversees the Business Development team as well as Capital and Investor Relations. He is also a corporate shareholder. Seminole is a leading finance provider to small scale (1MW – 40MW) Renewable Energy facilities. The company has directly funded over $2 billion totaling more than 1 Gigawatt ("GW") of Renewable Energy nationwide. Since joining SFS in 2009, Chris has been responsible for the identification, evaluation, and negotiation of renewable energy finance transactions focusing on solar and wind projects between $2 million and $40 million in need of construction/interim financing and permanent debt financing. Prior to SFS, Chris was employed by Credit Suisse, MMA Financial and the Midland Companies where he gained over 15 years of experience with tax credits and financial services. He has had multiple articles published about renewable energy finance and continues to be a frequent speaker on renewable energy finance and energy credits at national industry conferences. Chris is a member of the Board of Directors for the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) as the Vice Chair of the Solar Services & Consumers (SSC) Division, is a board member for the Solar Energy Trade Show (“SETS”) Board of Managers, is a member of SETS Board of Managers Finance Committee, and was Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with an emphasis in urban and regional planning from Florida State University, as well as an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Chris Diaz Website:  https://seminolefinancialservices.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-diaz-61688617/ Phone:  (727) 460-0578 Email:  cdiaz@seminolefinancialservices.com A Guide To Preparing A Successful Solar Energy Project Finance Package by Chris Diaz https://www.seminolefinancialservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/A-Guide-to-Preparing-A-Successful-Solar-Energy-Project-Finance-Package.pdf Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.  This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)                

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Tim Montague who is in Business Development at Continental Energy Solutions which is the largest commercial & industrial solar installer & EPC in Illinois.  Tim speaks about a lot of interesting topics about the Illinois and Midwest solar market, how energy storage is a game changer for solar energy, and how long term state solar incentives stop the solar boom and bust cycle scenario. Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Tim Montague Tim Montague works in business development at Continental Energy Solutions. Continental Energy Solution is the largest commercial & industrial solar installer & EPC in IL with over 100 projects and 60 MW installed. The company is known for quality & innovation on every job since 1912.  Their Portfolio includes 3.5 MW Magid Glove in Romeoville IL & 2.9 MW IKEA Joliet IL.         Tim is a Solar PV and battery storage executive, podcast host, speaker, trainer and consultant.   He is a renewable energy and green building leader with a passion for the energy transition. He helps developers and business owners build projects that return a handsome ROI.  The solar project has a payback period of 3-6 years now in Illinois thanks to generous solar incentives. Let's grow solar! Sponsor:  Summit Ridge Energy Thank you to Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast! Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects.  SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms.  From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.   https://srenergy.com info@srenergy.com    Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Tim Montague Website:  https://cesnrg.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/midwestsolar/ Tim’s Solar Podcast:  https://cesnrg.com/podcast/ Tim’s Live Events:  https://cesnrg.com/events/ Twitter:  @tgmontague Tim’s Email:  tmontague@cesnrg.com Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.  This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)      

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Martin DeBono who is the President at GAF Energy which is creating roof-integrated solar and solar roofing solutions installed by roofers that are designed to look good and last.  Martin speaks about how Building-integrated photovoltaics (“BIPV”) is the lowest cost electricity for homeowners in the long run, the importance of aesthetics regarding the customer decision for solar, and tax equity financing provided by GAF Energy for Commercial and Industrial solar customers.    Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche. Martin DeBono Martin is the President of GAF Energy.  Martin began his career in alternative energy in a somewhat unorthodox place: as a decorated officer on a nuclear submarine in the U.S. Navy. He has held sales and marketing positions at various tech companies, including Cisco, Siebel, Insightful and Pure Networks. Prior to running GAF Energy, he headed SunPower’s residential North American business and global commercial business and served as President of SunPower Capital. He is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and has a BS from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Harvard University. His favorite roof is the top of his bike helmet when he’s out on the mountain bike trails in British Columbia.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Martin DeBono Website:  https://www.gaf.energy Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/martindebono/ Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.  This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)    

Episode Summary Benoy, our host of the podcast, speaks about solar trends and 2020 Year in Review.  He talks about when solar will be the cheapest form of electricity, how the solar industry has been resilient during the pandemic, what technologies will improve solar production, and many other interesting topics.  He is the CEO and Founder of Reneu Energy which is solar consulting and development company. Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Article Links spoken about related to the Podcast Benoy wrote an article for PV Magazine on off-site corporate PPAs. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/553e8897e4b0836f4e9a5ccd/t/59bd51a4e5dd5b51a03c20ab/1505579432776/09050_Corporate_PPAs.pdf Benoy wrote an article for Renewable Energy World on Off-Site PPAs helping corporations with achieving affordable clean energy and meeting their sustainability goals. https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/wind-power/achieving-affordable-clean-energy-goals-through-offsite-corporate-ppas/ https://about.bnef.com/blog/energy-transport-sustainability-10-predictions-for-2021/ https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/solar-power-now-cheapest-way-to-add-electricity-in-many-markets---and-getting-cheaper/ https://www.axios.com/corporate-renewables-energy-448350c4-43b3-4eaa-b53c-1fc89fa1b80f.html Book Suggestion Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Monk-Train-Purpose/dp/B07YF3VPSP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D3QIIKRFBI4Q&dchild=1&keywords=think+like+a+monk&qid=1613493437&sprefix=think+like+a+monk%2Caps%2C346&sr=8-1   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)              

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Paul Wormser who is the Vice President of Technology at Clean Energy Associates which is solar PV and battery storage quality assurance, supply chain management and engineering services firm. Paul speaks about technology innovations in solar and storage, how the solar industry has been very resilient during the pandemic, panel technology innovation, and many other interesting topics.       Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Paul Wormser Paul Wormser is the Vice President of Technology at Clean Energy Associates.   Paul has forty plus years of solar industry experience with management roles in solar technology and business development for the world’s largest solar companies, including SunEdison, First Solar, Sharp, Konarka, Mobil Solar and Exxon Solar. He served as Senior Director of Marketing for Solar Materials at SunEdison, managing the supply of modules and trackers for SunEdison’s projects. Paul worked for First Solar as Vice President of Worldwide Applications, managing new platform development.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Paul Wormser Website:  https://www.cea3.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwormser/   Top 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as the second ranked podcast to listen in Top Solar Energy 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/    Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)              

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Suvi Sharma who the Founder and Director of Solaria.  Solaria is a leading premium residential solar manufacturer and has the solar industry’s most advanced solar panel technology.  Suvi speaks about how Solaria differentiates from other residential solar manufacturers, talks about the Solaria’s product innovations, and future trends that he is seeing in solar panels and other solar industry trends.  He also speaks about his entrepreneurship experiences and provides advice for entrepreneurs.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Suvi Sharma Suvi Sharma, an industry thought leader in solar PV innovation, is responsible for leading Solaria’s strategic initiatives as it extends the applications of its technology. Mr. Sharma joined Solaria in 2003. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in company formation, fundraising, talent recruitment, business development and global operations of innovative companies in renewable energy, information technology and private equity. Suvi Sharma was co-founder and board member of NEXTracker until its acquisition by FLEX.  He began his career at Geocapital Partners, a $500 million international private equity firm, and founded and ran IVUS, an outsourced CRM provider. Mr. Sharma holds a B.S. in Statistics from Northwestern University.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Suvi Sharma Website:  https://www.solaria.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvi-sharma-414a0a80/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpiWNrJCpQA2FORj_4bNCqA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-5irK1Juhw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrUKyj_k0UI     Email: suvi@solaria.com   Top 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as the second ranked podcast to listen in Top Solar Energy 20 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/    Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)            

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Tom Williard who the CEO and Principal of Sage Energy Consulting.  Sage Energy Consulting works with clients to help them implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects including solar, wind, energy storage, microgrids, fuel cells, and EV fleet transition planning and infrastructure support.  There are many interesting topics that Tom speaks about on this episode some of them are the many benefits of having microgrids, how PPAs have allowed more development of solar, and about EV fleet transition project.  Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche. Tom Williard Tom Williard is the Principal and CEO of Sage Energy Consulting has more than 18 years of experience in energy consulting and development of energy sector businesses, with a focus on the development of technical and financial models to predict potential energy asset allocation and financial performance, and has served as CEO since Sage’s inception. In 2013, Mr. Williard cofounded SolEd Benefit Corporation and wrote the project financial models used to structure PPA and lease financings that reduced the cost of renewable energy projects for public schools. In 2005, he cofounded Solmetric, a company that developed the SunEye, a high precision instrument now widely used in the solar industry to measure shade characteristics. In 2001 he cofounded System Design, a renewable energy system design and due diligence company. Prior to 2001, Mr. Williard worked in electronics engineering in senior hardware and software engineering positions, as senior technologist, and in engineering management. Mr. Williard also provided engineering management consulting to startup and early stage companies and served for seven years as an elected public school trustee in Marin County. As a Sage Principal, he provides financial, policy, and technical oversight for all company projects, and provides expert testimony for clients and industry groups. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Tom Williard Website:  https://www.sagerenew.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-williard-b68a443/ Phone: (415) 663-9914   Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/   Sponsor Information We would like to thank our sponsor Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast. Summit Ridge Energy is the leading owner-operator of community solar projects in the United States. The team has been a strong force within the U.S. commercial solar market for years and was instrumental in the creation of "virtual" power purchase agreements and associated financing structures. Summit Ridge Energy has leveraged this experience to launch Summit Ridge Capital, a dedicated funding platform that acquires pre-operational community solar and battery storage projects. SRE also works with land owners across the country to maximize the value of their acreage by offering predictable lease income to host their solar farms. From site identification and system design, to take-out financing and construction management, Summit Ridge is the most complete solutions provider in the community solar space.  Summit Ridge Energy was interviewed on Episode 26 and Episode 87 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. Website: https://srenergy.com Email: info@srenergy.com   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)                

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Joshua Hill who is a solar consultant and is recently the first person to drive across the United States with solar powered vehicle. Joshua took an electric box truck weighing in at over 8 tons fueling it with only solar power. He talks about his cross country journey, predictions regarding electric vehicles, and why solar panels will be more commonplace on vehicles in the future.   His life goal is to help more than one million American homes and businesses go solar—on their terms, in the right way.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche. Joshua Hill Joshua is a solar power consultant for all commercial/residential projects with extensive background in marketing and sustainability. Joshua is the owner of Awaken Solar is here to be trusted, independent advisor in the solar energy world.  Awaken serves to provide truth in energy to those who might invest in solar or becoming more energy efficient. Their goal is to educate customers with free content, and serve as a truly independent consultant in the solar and energy industries. Further, the company hopes to advance common-sense policies throughout America regarding energy.  Joshua “Sunshine” Hill has built Project Griffin out of an old EV made by Smith Electric Vehicles. He added solar panels to it, enough so that ALL of the fuel needed to charge each day could be harvested from the sun and has traveled across the United States.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Joshua Hill Website:  https://awakensolar.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuashill/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPts62LN9TH6HXkgf2DQkRQ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/awakensolar/ Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)                

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy talks with Mike Casey who is the Founder and CEO at Tigercomm.  Tigercomm is the leading U.S. cleantech PR, marketing communications and public affairs firm, counsels cleantech executives and investors and passionately designs, builds, and runs winning communications programs.  Mike discusses how clean energy companies should market during COVID, how stronger brands can help solar move out from under commoditization, how to be a thought leader, and many other interesting topics.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.    Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Mike Casey For 30 years, Mike has focused on the design, staffing and strategies for winning communications programs. As Tigercomm’s founder, he counsels cleantech executives, investors and philanthropists on strategies for meeting their business objectives. Mike is a top U.S. innovator and strategist on cleantech marketing and communications. He has presented at more than a dozen major conferences, and he writes frequently on clean economy topics at ScalingClean and Renewable Energy World.  Mike has trained more than 2,000 people on interview techniques, message development and public relations management. Before Tigercomm, he built winning communications programs for the National Environmental Trust and the Environmental Working Group, which he helped make “... dollar for dollar, demonstrably one of the most effective groups in Washington” (National Journal, 2/02). He is also a communications veteran of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and two presidential campaigns.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Mike Casey Website:  https://www.tigercomm.us/home Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecaseytigercomm/ Clean Editors Roundtable Episode 2:  https://www.tigercomm.us/insights/cleantech-editors-webinar-epsiode-2 The Great Solar Migration: How Stronger Brands Can Help Solar Move Out From Under Commoditization:  https://www.tigercomm.us/insights/great-solar-migration Mike’s Book Recommendation-The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)                  

Episode Summary In this episode of Solar Maverick, Benoy talks with Steve Raeder who is the Founder and CEO at Summit Ridge Energy and Brian Dunn who serves as dual role COO/CFO and co-founder at Summit Ridge Energy.  Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading owner-operator of community solar assets, providing energy savings to thousands of customers across the country. They speak about how they grew Summit Ridge Energy from 5 employees with zero revenue in 2017 to 50 employees and several hundred million in top line revenue.  Steve and Brian discuss trends in community solar, energy storage projects that they are developing, and the tax equity market.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.     Steve Raeder Steve Raeder is the Founder and the CEO of Summit Ridge energy, one of the nation’s largest owner/operators of community solar assets. In his role as CEO, Steve leads day to day corporate operations, as well as development and execution of the company’s revenue generation strategies.  Prior to launching SREC in 2017, Steve served in multiple roles as SunEdison including Managing Director of Sales and General Manager of its East Coast C&I business unit where his team’s developed hundreds of MWs across multiple solar markets, including pioneering work with off-site “virtual” system that transformed the company’s business model.  Steve holds a BA in History and Business Administration from Gettysburg College.   Brian Dunn Brian Dunn is the co-founder of Summit Ridge Energy and serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.  A member of the company’s management committee, Brian is responsible for all of SRE’s financial functions including accounting, audit, treasury, corporate finance and project finance.  Prior to Summit Ridge, Brian served as Vice President at Hunt Alternative Energy Investments, the energy investment subsidiary of Texas-based Hunt Companies. In this role, Brian managed the company’s investments in distributed solar and combined heat and power projects. Prior to joining Hunt in 2011, Brian developed and financed clean energy projects for a private equity manager and held associate and analyst positions at JPMorgan and American Express.   Brian received his B.A. from Bowdoin College in Economics and Government & Legal Studies.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Steve Raeder Website:  https://srenergy.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-raeder-5283a0/   Brian Dunn Website:  https://srenergy.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dunn-78010115/ Top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020 Thank you to Feedspot for having the Solar Maverick Podcast as one of the top 5 Solar Energy Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020.  Below is the link with more information. https://blog.feedspot.com/solar_energy_podcasts/   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on iTunes,Podbean, and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)