Episode Summary
Benoy Thanjan shares his key takeaways from Climate Week NYC, focusing on what it takes to turn clean energy commitments into financed, built, and operating projects. He discusses early community and investor engagement, permitting and interconnection challenges, supply-chain traceability, cybersecurity, and how AI and data-center demand are driving interest in behind-the-meter generation, storage, and microgrids.
The episode then features an interview with Kristy Drutman at the Green Jobs Pavilion, bringing a workforce perspective to the clean energy conversation.
Biographies
Benoy Thanjan
Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, a solar development and consulting firm, and the host of the Solar Maverick Podcast. He also serves as a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups.
Over his career, Benoy has developed more than 100 MWs of solar projects across the United States, advised on more than 1 GW of energy projects worldwide, helped launch some of the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered approximately $50 million in renewable energy credit transactions.
Before founding Reneu Energy, Benoy worked in Tesla’s Project Finance Group as an environmental commodities trader, where he managed one of the company’s largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated renewable energy credit transactions and worked with senior leadership to develop monetization and hedging strategies supporting the company’s expansion into East Coast markets.
Benoy also served as Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, a solar and energy storage construction company, where he developed project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. At Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with approximately 125 MW of U.S. renewable energy assets, he evaluated investment opportunities, supported portfolio strategy, and played a key role in the sale of the firm’s renewable energy portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. He also completed an internship on the trading floor at D. E. Shaw & Co., a global investment and technology development firm.
Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was an Alumni Scholar.
Kristy Drutman
Kristy Drutman is the Co-Founder of Green Jobs Board and the Founder of Brown Girl Green. She is a climate entrepreneur, speaker, media producer, consultant, and environmental educator working at the intersection of climate action, storytelling, culture, diversity, and workforce development.
Through Green Jobs Board, Kristy is helping build more accessible pathways into the green economy by connecting mission-driven job seekers with employers across sustainability and climate-related industries.
She also uses Brown Girl Green to make climate information more approachable through digital media, education, speaking, and storytelling.
Stay Connected:
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com
LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com
Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/
Kristy Drutman
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-drutman/
Green Jobs Board:
https://www.greenjobsboard.us/
Green Jobs Pavilion:
https://www.greenjobsboard.us/pavilion
Brown Girl Green:
https://www.browngirlgreen.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/browngirl_green/
300th Episode Networking Event of the Solar Maverick Podcast
Nov. 5th in Jersey City, NJ
Below is the link.
https://luma.com/oj8frtug
Sponsor: DCE Solar
This episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast is brought to you by DCE Solar.
Since 2009, DCE has built a unique model in the solar industry by bringing design, racking, and construction together under one roof.
DCE Design provides full-scope electrical design across multiple project types. DCE Solar manufactures fixed-tilt, tracker, carport, and rooftop racking systems for commercial and utility-scale projects. DCE Services handles installation.
DCE Services was named the number-one commercial ground-mount installer by Solar Power World in 2025 and the number-one commercial rooftop installer in 2026. This gives customers one company and one point of accountability, from utility-scale projects with IPPs and developers to turnkey commercial and industrial projects.
Learn more about DCE and its company story in SMP 288: Why Solar Racking Can Make or Break a Project, featuring DCE Founder and CEO Bill Taylor:
https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/smp-288-why-solar-racking-can-make-or-break-a-project/id1441876259?i=1000774004477
You can also meet the DCE team at RE+ Las Vegas or visit:
https://dcesolar.com/
Thank you to DCE for supporting the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Reneu Energy
Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. The team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities across community solar, commercial and industrial, utility-scale, and Renewable Energy Credit markets.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.reneuenergy.com/
You can also email the team at info@reneuenergy.com.
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