About Us
MEET OUR TEAM
We take great pride in our ability to recruit and retain top talent to keep pace with the ever-changing and increasingly complex renewable energy markets and technologies.
LEADERSHIP Team
We are proud to lead an experienced team hailing from industry leading utilities, developers and financial institutions. Together, we're powering a clean energy future.
PETER CANDELARIA, Chief Executive Officer
As Urban Grid’s CEO, Peter is responsible for the team’s transition to an Independent Power Producer (IPP) with a focus on delivering value to our customers and stakeholders.
Prior to joining Urban Grid, Peter most recently served as COO for one of the country’s largest solar IPPs. A seasoned energy executive, Peter brings expertise in the energy industry across varied generation technologies with a focus on increasing energy independence, reliability and resiliency.
Peter brings experience across multiple operating environments including large, regulated investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to fast growing startup and early-stage organizations. Peter is relationship-driven and focused on creating long-term internal and external value.
In his spare time, Peter enjoys spending time with his family, perfecting his BBQ techniques and supporting local volunteer events.
MARK SCANLAN, Chief Financial Officer
Mark joined Urban Grid upon its acquisition by Brookfield Renewable in January 2022. His appointment establishes an important point of connection within the Brookfield Renewable US organization.
Mark joined Brookfield Renewable’s Finance & Accounting team in September 2016 in his native Ireland, and held successively senior roles before transitioning to the New York Office in October 2019 to serve as Director of Finance for the U.S. business. Mark moved into his previous position as Senior Director of Asset Development in February of last year.
SAAD SHAMSI, Chief Operations Officer
As COO at Urban Grid, Saad’s focus is project execution, significantly increasing our ability to deliver clean power to the grid annually.
Saad began his career as an electrical engineer at Motiva Port Arthur Refinery supporting operations and maintenance subsequently overseeing electrical construction at a refinery expansion mega-project. He has held officer roles in Shell’s wind joint ventures, overseeing project operations and maintenance. As a secondee at Silicon Ranch Corp, he led the delivery of solar projects. At Shell Renewables and Energy Solutions, he supported the acquisition and governance of portfolio companies, and created teams for the delivery of onshore wind, solar, and BESS projects.
Saad holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston, as well as an MBA from the University of Texas. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his wife, playing video games with his two children, hitting the gym, and singing karaoke.
LEAH GARVEY, SVP Finance
Since joining Urban Grid in 2014, Leah’s focus has been taking projects from inception to a project sale by working closely with the project development, engineering, origination, and site finding teams.
Leah and her team are instrumental in determining project feasibility, forecasting company cash flow and profit, and managing project sales processes.
Leah began her career as a Financial Analyst for Stephens Inc., a full-service investment banking firm, where she performed valuation analyses and financial modeling for M&A and capital raises. She received a B.S. in Financial Management with an Accounting Minor from Clemson University.
When she’s not working, Leah enjoys exploring outside with her two sons and husband and traveling to new places. And of course, she loves cheering on her Clemson Tigers!
JEFF HUDSON, VP Asset Management
Jeff oversees operations and maintenance activities, leading the team who ensures our projects are run safely and reliably while increasing their performance and profitability. In addition, Jeff’s team is responsible for project compliance, contract oversight and the agrivoltaics program.
Previously at Urban Grid, Jeff was the Director of Interconnection where he established the transmission, interconnection and innovation teams and oversaw strategy development for Urban Grid’s 15 GW solar PV pipeline. Prior to Urban Grid, Jeff worked in the interconnection and renewables operations departments at Duke Energy where he led process improvement projects and managed the CPRE projects in the DEC territory. In Duke’s renewables operations team, he performed analysis and modeling of development and operational wind and solar projects.
Jeff holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University as well as an MBA from NC State University.
BIANCA KRUKIEL, VP Human Resources
Bianca brings extensive HR expertise to Urban Grid and focuses on accelerating team-focused priorities such as career coaching, training and leadership development.
Bianca’s background spans all aspects of HR working for large corporations with over 2800+ employees, where she supported leadership with compensation planning, workforce development and organizational alignment for growth. Most recently she worked for Battalion Oil Corporation, a small independent oil and gas company, where she was HR Director.
RANDY SAWYER, GENERAL COUNSEL
As General Counsel, Randy is responsible for developing our internal legal function enabling our team to remain nimble and innovative while navigating complex compliance and regulatory requirement.
A passionate clean energy attorney, prior to Urban Grid, Randy spent nearly a decade at EDP Renewables ultimately becoming a senior manager overseeing project finance and tax equity in addition to a broad swath of legal operations and streamlining processes in order to minimize project risk.
When he’s not supporting the decarbonization of the grid through his work, Randy is likely to be on a family hike, traveling or otherwise enjoying the great outdoors with his wife and three children.
Our Story
Urban Grid was founded with a long-term vision for how the company could play a role in the clean energy economy. The year was 2010 and the world was changing. The global solar market reached 10GW with the price of solar dropping from $10/watt a decade earlier to $2/watt. Then, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico accelerated the momentum, becoming one of the first live-streamed spectacles of the internet age and ushered in a heightened sense of corporate responsibility. With a maturing solar market and growing corporate sustainability movement, the launch of Urban Grid was indeed well timed.
With an initial focus on smaller C&I projects as owner/operator, the strategic Urban Grid team quickly began to build a valuable asset portfolio and a steady cadre of customers for solar PPAs. By 2014, the firm had transacted thirty projects in eight states with a growing roster of partners spanning corporates, municipalities, colleges and electric coops.
The initial team had grown to ten employees headquartered in Maryland and despite the rapid growth and success with power offtake, there was a sense among the leadership that Urban Grid could have a bigger impact. The decision to pivot to utility-scale solar development was solidified in 2014 and well underway with a 400MWac operational solar PV portfolio and a move to its Richmond, Virginia headquarters. The company’s growth accelerated in 2016 with an equity investment by Susgen, a UK-based renewable investor, which enabled Urban Grid to expand its team to 30 and further grow its development pipeline. With the pipeline maturing, Urban Grid finally sold its first utility-scale projects, totaling 240MW, to Dominion Energy launching into the Utility Scale market.
In 2019 Urban Grid secured a senior debt facility with Crayhill Capital for $150M which propelled steady and strategic growth over the next two years.
In January 2022, Brookfield Renewable U.S. acquired Urban Grid. Chief Executive Officer Mitch Davidson said of the pairing, “Adding Urban Grid’s high-quality pipeline of clean energy projects presents an exceptional opportunity for Brookfield Renewable to further establish itself as the leading renewable energy provider in the country.” The acquisition tripled Brookfield Renewable’s U.S. development to 31,000 MW of capacity.
Today Urban Grid is building its first owned and fully developed power facilities which are set to begin commercial operations in early 2024.
About
Urban Grid, a leading independent power producer, facilitates a rapid and sustainable energy transition by developing high-quality renewable energy projects, fostering community partnerships, and serving as a good land steward. Our company is positioned to own and operate its facilities while cultivating a land management system that benefits farmers, communities and the natural world through agrivoltaics. Urban Grid maintains a delivery-focused approach with the goal of being a good neighbor, a responsible corporate citizen and a trusted energy solutions partner. With teams situated strategically throughout the United States, Urban Grid has a long history of contributing to the clean energy economy. In addition to the 272.5 megawatts currently under construction, we are actively developing a growing portfolio of more than 15,000 megawatts of solar PV and 7,000 megawatts of co-located and stand-alone energy storage. Urban Grid is a Brookfield Renewable company. Brookfield Renewable operates one of the world’s largest publicly traded, pure-play renewable power platforms.
"Developing the most competitive projects in the market is driven by analytics and passion. I rely on both, leaning on the tools of the trade and my MS in Environmental Science, I know the work I do makes a difference."
Bonnie Roderique, GIS Specialist
FRANK DePEW, President & CEO
Frank founded Urban Grid in 2010, a second career he launched after the sale of Mid-Atlantic Pension Group, where he pioneered investment management and accounting for 401k plans.
Under his leadership, Urban Grid has grown to become a leading utility-scale solar and energy storage developer. Originating the firm’s utility-scale pipeline, which today consists of 9,307 MWac solar PV and 1,728 MWac energy storage, Frank and his team have delivered 497 MWac of to the power grid. When he’s not chasing solar and energy storage PPAs, Frank is likely behind the wheel of a Camaro GT4.R race car, chasing his next win as a driver in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series.
MARK JONES, Chief Financial Officer
Mark leads our financial and capital deployment strategy level in the USA solar and storage sector.
Mark is supported by an in-house team of finance professionals that covers the full breadth of financial activities including valuation and project appraisal, corporate and tax structuring, disposals and acquisitions as well as shareholder and funder engagement.
Our CFO has dedicated his career to developing and financing sustainable energy infrastructure, working across the full stakeholder spectrum – management teams, government, private and institutional investors and power companies.
He brings his background in managing and leading multiple renewable energy developers, investment companies and utilities over the last 15 years. Mark has a strong M&A and leveraged finance background having led and been involved in over 50 transactions in the renewables and power sector totalling in excess of 3,000 MW.
Out of work hours Mark is a keen sportsman – running, cycling and being British – football.
DAVID SANDERS, Chief Operations Officer
As COO, David attends to Urban Grid’s resourcing, organizational, and performance-related matters.
With a background drawn from well capitalized multi-nationals to bootstrap start-ups, David brings perspectives from his varied domestic and international business experience over the past 20 years.
Having led technical & engineering, renewable energy asset development & construction, to real estate-focused operations across diverse geographical, regulatory, and client environments, he has a deep appreciation for the human equation at the core of all business success.
Prior to Urban Grid, David was COO of BayWa r.e. Solar Projects, playing a key role in the 2014 acquisition of Martifer Solar USA where he was Head of US Operations. Upon BayWa’s entry to American markets, he assumed responsibilities for scale and operational performance, growing and managing a 5GW portfolio of development, EPC, and O&M/AM activity in the US and Mexico.
Family time, travel & outdoors, good food, and gratitude for the health and happiness of community keep him going in the off hours!
LEAH GARVEY, VP Finance
Since joining Urban Grid in 2014, Leah’s focus has been taking projects from inception to a project sale by working closely with the project development, engineering, origination, and site finding teams.
Leah and her team are instrumental in determining project feasibility, forecasting company cash flow and profit, and managing project sales processes.
Leah began her career as a Financial Analyst for Stephens Inc., a full-service investment banking firm, where she performed valuation analyses and financial modeling for M&A and capital raises. She received a B.S. in Financial Management with an Accounting Minor from Clemson University.
When she’s not working, Leah enjoys exploring with her two sons and husband, either locally on the Eastern Shore, boating on the Chesapeake Bay or traveling to new places. And of course, she loves cheering on her Clemson Tigers!
