SMP 30: How to construct a great solar project

2019-05-28

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Episode Summary Benoy and Dominick discuss safety guidelines in solar and how Pro Circuit Electrical ensures safety for all of it’s employees. What got Dominick originally interested in working with solar, trends they are seeing in the market and advice for any new entrepreneurs. Also, Dominick talks about how to construct a great solar project. About our Guest: Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar...

Episode Summary

Benoy and Dominick discuss safety guidelines in solar and how Pro Circuit Electrical ensures safety for all of it’s employees. What got Dominick originally interested in working with solar, trends they are seeing in the market and advice for any new entrepreneurs. Also, Dominick talks about how to construct a great solar project.

About our Guest:

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also 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 and utility scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodities transactions.

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.

Dominick Matinelli:

Dominick is a founding partner at Pro Circuit Electrical. He and his partner started the company back in 2011 but Dominick’s interest in solar started back when he was working with a company that didn’t actually do any solar. From there he went to Vanguard Energy Partners LLC where he was the Director of Electrical Services and then started Pro Circuit Electrical in 2011 with his partner Josh Nierman.

Insight from this Episode

Strategies to make safety a number one priority of a solar company.
What hazards are unique to the solar projects from other construction projects.
What Dominick really thought solar was when he first learned about it.
Keys to success and how to implement them.
Advice to new entrepreneurs.
Benoy’s take on upcoming changes in the market

Quotes from the show:

- On his partnership with Josh “ Our strengths and weaknesses definitely counter balance each other and it was just inevitable that this was going to happen.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.

“Everybody gets to come home safely no matter what.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30

On successful partnerships: “It’s all about people that are honest and transparent” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #30.
On Dominick and Josh’s working relationship “I’m good at spreadsheets and Josh is good at everything else” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
“Safety is paramount in a successful operation.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
“Don’t underestimate the power of your own integrity” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
“Reputation is everything and if you can’t make it by doing the right thing and doing right by all of your business associates then don’t even bother.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
“Make sure every deal you cut, that both sides are a winner.” Dominick Matinelli, Episode #30.
“Community solar is one of the fastest growing areas of solar” Benoy Thanjan, Episode #30.