Meet the Clean
Energy Innovators
Team in Seattle
Engineering Precision—A One Project a Week
One Point of Contact. Zero Handoffs.
Why Work with Clean Energy Innovators
We don’t chase volume—we limit ourselves to one project per week, so every system gets the attention it deserves. From the first walk-through to final commissioning, you work directly with our owner and lead engineer. The person who designs your system is the same person who signs off on performance. If you value personal service and uncompromising quality, this model is for you: owner-led, engineering-driven, and focused on getting your project exactly right.
- Battery-First Expertise
In the greater Puget Sound, we’re known foremost for advanced battery backup and complex solar + storage systems. Whether you want seamless outage protection, generator integration, or a path to going fully off-grid, we design for reliability and resilience first.
- Engineering Rigor
Every system is designed and signed off by a master’s-level engineer, ensuring your project isn’t just installed, but engineered to perform for decades. Our boutique model means we prioritize long-term results over short-term shortcuts.
- Direct Access to Leadership
You’ll never be handed off to a rotating project manager. You’ll have direct access to the company’s founders—your questions are answered quickly, and your concerns are addressed by the people who understand your system best.
- Proven Equipment & Warranties
We partner with trusted brands like Generac and Hyundai to deliver durable, bankable equipment, backed by warranties up to 25 years. We don’t experiment with unproven tech—only field-tested systems with documented performance.
- One-to-One Service
Because we take on so few projects at once, we can provide the kind of high-touch service most large-volume installers simply can’t. Every detail is monitored, every installation step double-checked, and every homeowner kept informed.
- Local Expertise, Global Standards
With decades of combined installation experience in the Pacific Northwest, our team understands the unique challenges of this region’s weather, grids, and homes. Yet our engineering and client care standards match or exceed those of Fortune-500-level firms.
- True Energy Resilience
Our clients don’t just “go solar.” They gain freedom—from outages, from rising utility bills, and from the uncertainty of tomorrow’s utility rate structures. We build systems to deliver lasting independence and peace of mind.
THE TEAM YOU WILL WORK WITH
Installation Crew
Installation
Crew
A seasoned field team with decades of combined experience, known for clean conduit, weather-tight terminations, meticulous racking, and neat finishes that stand up to Northwest weather.
Electrical Team
Electrical
Team
Led by a Master Electrician (20+ years) with deep PNW utility and code experience, overseeing service upgrades and final QA.
Project Support
Project
Support
An indispensable operations assistant who keeps job packs, as-builts, site photos, parts, and checklists perfectly organized so the crew can work efficiently and you’re always in the loop.
Installation Crew
Installation
Crew
A seasoned field team with decades of combined experience, known for clean conduit, weather-tight terminations, meticulous racking, and neat finishes that stand up to Northwest weather.
Electrical Team
Electrical
Team
Led by a Master Electrician (20+ years) with deep PNW utility and code experience, overseeing service upgrades and final QA.
Project Support
Project
Support
An indispensable operations assistant who keeps job packs, as-builts, site photos, parts, and checklists perfectly organized so the crew can work efficiently and you’re always in the loop.
Together, this tight, veteran crew executes each build with the care most companies reserve for their showcase projects.
Our Legacy of Leadership
Clean Energy Innovators was created by two of the most accomplished executives in clean energy. Together, Joseph Benga and Randy Sprout set the vision for a different kind of resilient energy firm—battery-first design, engineering precision, and elite execution.
Today, CEI is personally led by co-founder Randy Sprout, who carries that legacy forward. Every project reflects our founding principles: uncompromising quality, technical mastery, and resilient performance for the Pacific Northwest.
Our Culture of Excellence
We’re a close-knit team united by one mission: to deliver the most reliable, battery-first solar systems in Western Washington. We love what we do, and it shows—from custom residential storage to landmark commercial work like the Duckhorn Winery project in Napa.
FOUNDERS
Joseph Benga, Jr. — Co-Founder, Emeritus
Joe is considered by many to be a legend in solar, starting in 2003 when the USA industry was nascent. As head of EPC for several top-tier companies, he has led the construction of over 500 different solar projects of various sizes, with a total installed capacity of over 800MW, representing over $2 billion dollars of project value. In 2006, he was responsible for creating the then-world’s largest solar power plant in Germany. He has held executive and officer roles in major solar companies including Suntech, PowerLight, LendLease, Solon, Chevron Renewable Power, Gardner Capital, OnSwitch and EI Solutions, all as head of EPC and directly responsible for the design & engineering, equipment procurement and construction of commercial and utility-scale solar projects. Building up to Joe’s 2003 entry into the solar industry was 25 years leading general commercial retail construction. His career began in 1978 and through 2003 Joe led the construction of hundreds of showcase retail stores for elite brands like Tiffany & Co, Ormond Shops, Elizabeth Arden Salons and Liz Claiborne. Joe is now one of the most sought-after consultants in solar design & construction in the country. Beyond his extensive experience, Joe is an expert at creating company cultures that result in incredibly happy and loyal teams. He has been described by many past direct-reports as the highest-caliber manager and leader that they have ever worked for in their career, and several have returned to follow Joe from one company to another. Given all of this experience and Joe’s reputation, he has created thousands of professional relationships throughout the solar community and his trusted colleagues represent a diaspora populating nearly every company in the industry.
Randy Sprout — Chief Operating Officer
Randy has a 35-year entrepreneurial and executive background. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering from Cornell and an MBA from Harvard. After gaining technology and project management experience in a variety of electrical engineering roles from 1983 to 1996, Randy launched his own virtual reality multimedia company and led it as CEO for 15 years. It is considered to be one of the most successful VR firms of the era, hitting a peak of approximately 250 employees and contractors in nearly a dozen retail business units worldwide. The company’s inventions and software conceptions were enjoyed by an estimated 25-30 million people on 5 continents and won several international awards for innovation. He then spent 5 years at Chevron from 2009 – 2013 helping to create large-scale solar and geothermal renewable energy generation power plants, where he was one of the key architects for growing a team of nearly 50 people that achieved over $27M of after-tax profits for Chevron. From 2014 – 2018 Randy served as the Chief Operating Officer for Smart Wires in the San Francisco Bay area, where he was a driving force in growing this clean energy technology startup from 20 people to a broad-based team of nearly 200 people with major offices and activities in San Francisco, North Carolina, Europe, Pakistan and India. Randy was solely responsible for leading all manufacturing, customer support, new product development, R&D, quality, testing, construction and engineering, and product installations. He helped the company achieve ISO-9001 certification for quality in R&D and manufacturing.