Meet the ClearSun Power Team
The ClearSun Power team is a diverse group of experts dedicated to delivering innovative, sustainable, and tax-efficient energy solutions. From seasoned legal and financial professionals to specialized project coordinators, we pride ourselves on a vertically integrated approach. Our multidisciplinary team ensures seamless execution across all stages of project development—design, construction, compliance, and delivery.
Kent earned his LLM and a separate certification in estate gift tax from Boston University. He has over four decades of expertise in law, construction, real estate, and finance, with a unique focus on leveraging tax incentives to drive transformative projects. He is a licensed attorney, contractor, and former real estate broker in California, and has built a distinguished career providing innovative solutions across various industries.
Kent’s legal practice spans complex taxation areas, including low-income housing tax credits, renewable energy projects, estate and gift tax planning, research and development credits, Opportunity Zone investments, and tax compliance for state-incentivized feature films.
His expertise extends to renewable energy, where he has spearheaded the development of large-scale solar projects, including cutting-edge initiatives like green hydrogen production. Through his company, ClearSun Power, he offers structured tax-equity-compliant investments for film finance, opportunity zones, and R&D projects, focusing on economic and environmental impact.
Previously, Kent held senior leadership roles in real estate finance, including serving as Senior Vice President at Metmor Finance, a part of Metropolitan Life Insurance, where he originated and funded multimillion-dollar loans for commercial properties. As the founder of EEXCEL Communities, Kent developed over 4,000 affordable housing units, pioneering tax equity financing to support low-income families. His EEXCEL Program, which provided educational support to children in underserved communities, garnered national recognition and was featured in Hillary Clinton’s book It Takes a Village.
Kent graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Biochemistry and J.D. from the University of La Verne.
Barney Balonick, Esq., joined ClearSun Power as Vice President in 2023 and previously served as the company’s litigation counsel for years. Operating in ClearSun’s Santa Monica, California office, Barney’s client base runs the gamut from entertainment industry business managers to lawyers, doctors, and CPAs. By directing capital into tax-credit energy projects, Barney’s ‘asset-protection’ motivation and mentality serve our clients’ interests from the outset.
Barney’s extensive experience, coupled with his focus on tax-efficient investments and asset protection, positions him as a key figure in helping ClearSun deliver innovative, client-centered solutions in renewable energy and beyond.
Barney graduated with a B.S. from Bradley University, a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and is currently an LLM in Tax Candidate at Boston University School of Law.
Contact us to discuss the advantages of our projects for your high net worth clients looking to maximize tax credits, incentives, and depreciation benefits.