SMP 69: Solar/Roof Integrated Funding Program

 
 
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Solar Maverick, Benoy asks Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser about why roofing and solar are important and how roof restoration with solar allow more rooftop solar projects to be constructed.  This discussion is an in-depth look at what roof restoration entails, what makes a good solar platform, and how the cost-saving benefits will last well into the future.  
 
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. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity 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.
 
Daryl Pilon 
Daryl Pilon is the Director of Business Development for Standard Solar, a vertically integrated commercial and industrial EPC company, providing superior solar energy solutions since 2004.  Their goal is to invest their capital in new projects and drive the solar industry forward. Daryl comes from a background in engineering and worked on roofing systems before joining Standard Solar three years ago.
 
Bob Burwasser
Bob Burwasser has been in the commercial roofing business for 29 years and Regional Technical Manager for Everest Systems Co. Everest Systems Co. boasts over 30 years experience in the roof coatings industry.

Insights from this episode:
Strategies for evaluating what projects make good candidates for rooftop solar installations. – Daryl  
Details on rooftop restoration versus roof replacement, what restoration entails, and how restoration helps to enable the solar industry. – Bob
How Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) help non-profit organizations attain solar solutions.
Benefits of restoration and incorporating roof restoration and solar installation simultaneously.
How to match the solar array to the roof and ensure the installation does not void the roof warranty.

 
Quotes from the show:
On SMP 11:  The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions: “It was a very popular podcast. We actually got a lot of great feedback about the integration of roofing and solar.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69
“What we try to avoid is roof replacement which gets extremely costly.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
On the liquid material employed in roof restoration: “It was initiated as a material in the New York World’s Fair in 1964, GE Silicones - the inventor of silicone - showcased the product in Flushing, New York, it’s been used ever since and seems to be exploding recently in the roofing marketplace.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
“We can do it very cost-effectively and quickly by incorporating [roofing and solar] simultaneously.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
“I think there are many, many companies and many, many roofs out there that are great possibilities for roof restoration and solar.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
On restoration and installation benefits: “It’s the two coming together in one solution in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that I think it’s a beautiful option for many clients.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
On preparing roofs for solar: “I think a soft benchmark is 5 to 7 years old as a minimum, anything older than that and we would want to restore that roof and get them to a brand new 25-year warranty.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
On roof replacement: “It’s a costly, time-consuming, disruptive procedure that has killed a lot of solar deals and that is something that, of course, we want to avoid, we want to enable more solar deals.” – Bob Burwasser, Episode #69
On roof restoration warranties: “You’re getting a superior warranty, you’re getting a superior product at a much lesser cost and when we incorporate that into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) it helps everybody.” – Daryl Pilon, Episode #69
“It really is the marriage of roofing and solar, the next level.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #69




Resources Mentioned:
SMP 11:  The Marriage of Roofing and Solar: Innovative and Economic Solutions with Benoy Thanjan, Daryl Pilon and Bob Burwasser
 
Stay Connected:
 
Benoy Thanjan
Email: info@reneuenergy.com 
LinkedIn: @bthanjan
Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com 
 
Daryl Pilon
Cell Phone:  347-633-2502
Email: daryl.pilon@standardsolar.com
Website: www.standarsolar.com
LinkedIn: Daryl Pilon
 
Bob Burwasser
Office Phone:  212-689-4440
Cell Phone: 917-287-4370
Email: bburwasser@everestsco.com
Website:  https://www.everestsystemsco.com
LinkedIn: Bob Burwasser
 
Sponsor:
We would like to thank Schwerd Consulting for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast.
Schwerd Consulting is a leading solar consulting firm dedicated to design, engineering, and owner representation in all areas of solar photovoltaics (PV) for the Commercial & Industrial and Utility markets.

At Schwerd Consulting they like to say that We Know Solar. We don’t just Do Solar. What sets them apart is their 100% focus on solar and understanding the business of their clients.

In its 5 years of business, Schwerd Consulting has provided services for approximately 450 MW of PV across over 330 sites and 15 states plus the Caribbean. That total includes 300MW of completed designs and engineering, and 150MW of consulting and owner rep services.

Let Schwerd Consulting take the burden off you and bring ease and expertise in all areas of Engineering & Design or help you navigate the technical world of solar.

If you are interested in learning more about Schwerd Consulting, you can call 215-219-6718 or email at admin@schwerdconsulting. Schwerd Consulting’s website is www.schwerdconsulting.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)