SMP 211: The Legislative Outlook for U.S. Solar: Insights from CleanCapital

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Scott Elias, Vice President of Policy & Market Development at CleanCapital, shares expert insights on CleanCapital’s investment strategy, his background in clean energy policy, and the fast-moving developments in Washington, D.C. surrounding the fight to protect the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Scott breaks down the potential implications of proposed changes to the Inflation Reduction Act, highlights which states are leading the charge in clean energy growth, and explores the growing investor interest in solar + storage portfolios. 

Read Scott’s latest take on the proposed tax bill that could significantly impact clean energy investment in the U.S.: Defending American Energy Dominance – CleanCapital

 

Benoy Thanjan

Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.  

This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value.

Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable.

Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. 

Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood’s portfolio.  

He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business. 

Scott Elias

Scott Elias is the Vice President of Government Affairs at CleanCapital, where he leads the company’s federal and state policy strategy to accelerate clean energy deployment across the United States. With over a decade of experience in renewable energy policy, Scott plays a pivotal role in advocating for legislation that supports clean energy investment and innovation.

Before joining CleanCapital, Scott held senior policy and advocacy roles at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and other leading organizations, where he worked closely with lawmakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders to shape impactful energy policy.

At CleanCapital, Scott helps ensure that the company stays ahead of policy trends and capitalizes on emerging opportunities—particularly around the Inflation Reduction Act, tax equity structures, and energy storage integration. His deep understanding of the intersection between finance, policy, and technology positions him as a key voice in advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Stay Connected:

Benoy Thanjan

Email: [e-mail] 

LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan

Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com

 

Scott Elias

Website:  https://cleancapital.com/

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-elias/