Brian Benito

Vice President of Project Development

Brian Benito, Jr. is a seasoned renewable energy professional with two decades of experience in project development and management. With a career spanning transmission & distribution, oil & gas, and on & offshore renewable energy, he has successfully led permitting efforts, land acquisition campaigns, and stakeholder engagement strategies across multiple energy markets, including NYISO, ISO-NE, and PJM.

Currently serving as Vice President of Development at Rhynland Energy, Brian oversees land negotiations, permitting, and engineering design while managing external consultants to advance a 1,500MW battery energy storage portfolio. Brian’s extensive experience includes leadership roles at Bedrock Renewables, Macquarie Asset Management, Avangrid Renewables, where he played a pivotal role in securing permits and advancing high-profile offshore wind projects such as Kitty Hawk (3,000 MW) and Attentive 1 & 2 (2,700 MW). Earlier in his career, Brian played a key role in major infrastructure projects at Kinder Morgan and Eversource Energy. He successfully led permitting and construction efforts for high-voltage transmission and substation projects.

A U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, Brian applies a disciplined and strategic approach to problem-solving, team leadership, and stakeholder engagement. Brian holds a Master of Science in Business Management with a focus on Clean Energy Management and Sustainability from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as well as a Master of Science in Environmental Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies.