Your Energy Answers

Send us Fan Mail Markus Lambert sits down with Sam Makis, an electrician turned solar farm contractor, to unpack how 89km/h winds allegedly left 22 of 80 tracker rows twisted at a 6.5MW solar farm near Griffith NSW, the half-million-dollar fight that followed, and why he says solar trackers need a Clean Energy Council approved list just like panels and inverters. Timestamps 00:00 Half a million do...

Send us Fan Mail Markus Lambert sits down with Will Shackel, the 20-year-old founder of Nuclear for Australia, who started the organisation at 16 and has spent four years campaigning to lift the country's nuclear ban. Timestamps 00:00 "They treat Australia as a joke" — meet Will Shackel, who started Nuclear for Australia at 16  04:55 "Who's paying you?" — the attacks...

Send us Fan Mail Australia helped pioneer world-leading solar technology, so why did China become the global manufacturing powerhouse? In this episode of the Your Energy Answers Podcast, Markus speaks with Professor Renate Egan about Australia's solar research breakthroughs, the extraordinary rise of Chinese manufacturing, the future of solar panel efficiency, battery technology and the polit...

Send us Fan Mail Michelle Harrison joins Markus to share how a proposed solar farm next to her rural Moree property could affect her home, retirement plans and property value. Despite supporting renewable energy, Michelle questions whether large-scale renewable projects are doing enough to consult, protect and fairly treat the communities and individuals directly affected. Timestamps 00:00 – Why p...

Send us Fan Mail Lauren Hamilton from Smart Commercial Energy joins Markus to unpack Australia’s commercial solar opportunity, the new rebates changing the market, batteries, PPAs and the risks of a new wave of solar cowboys. They also discuss Australia’s electrician shortage, the overlooked “missing middle” of commercial solar, and how more women can build careers across the renewable energy indu...

Send us Fan Mail Markus sits down with David Veal from SolarPro to discuss what homeowners should really know before investing in solar and batteries. They cover rebates, battery payback, VPPs, choosing the right products, installer red flags, after-sales service, electrification and the growing opportunities for young people entering the trades. We also share how Automised Energy (https://www.aut...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when an EV runs out of charge with no charger nearby? Mark Wexler from Alpine Energy (https://alpineenergy.com.au/) explains how mobile vehicle-to-vehicle fast charging could become the roadside assistance of the EV era. We explore Alpine Energy’s technology, EV range anxiety, charging reliability, grid resilience, the future of electrification and how mobile energy c...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Markus sits down with Dean Spaccavento from Reposit (https://repositpower.com/) to unpack why Australia’s electricity market has become so complicated. They discuss rising supply charges, falling wholesale volatility, the impact of big batteries, the hidden costs of Solar Share, and why households can still face frustrating bills even after installing solar and ba...

Send us Fan Mail Markus speaks with Matt Peterson from Automised Energy (https://www.automised.energy/?utm_source=yea_youtube) about how the platform uses a household’s real electricity data to compare thousands of plans and find the most suitable option. They discuss potential savings, retailer loyalty penalties, small-business electricity costs, data security, solar and battery plans, free-power...

Send us Fan Mail Energy expert and author Saul Griffith (https://www.saulgriffith.com/) joins Markus to discuss why Australia’s electricity system is failing households, how privatisation contributed to rising power prices, and why electrifying our homes could save Australians thousands of dollars each year.  Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 01:43 – Introducing Saul Griffith 03:00 – Australia’s el...

Send us Fan Mail Matthew from Marshall Solar & Energy (https://marshallsolarandenergy.com.au) explains how solar, batteries, smart energy management, hydro power and peer-to-peer electricity trading are changing the way Tasmanians use and sell power. We explore VPPs, LocalVolts, mini hydro, upgrading older solar systems, choosing quality equipment and using solar to charge an EV for less. Time...

Send us Fan Mail Greg Nielsen from Brighte (https://brighte.com.au/) explains the NSW Government’s $15,000 interest-free energy upgrade loan, including eligibility, repayments, approved products and installer requirements. The discussion also covers rebate stacking, consumer protections, landlord opportunities, lessons from earlier state programs and the expected impact on the solar and battery in...

Thinking about installing solar or a home battery? In this episode, Markus speaks with Sam Valenti from Essential Solar about the new battery rebate, why system quality matters more than price, and how to avoid costly mistakes. They discuss battery sizing, solar design, EV charging, electrification, three-phase power, and why choosing an experienced installer can save thousands over the life of yo...

Derek and Daniel discuss battery rebates, installer quality, Sigenergy, Tesla, ESY Sunhome, VPPs, EV charging and why the future home is becoming both a power station and fuel station. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why poor battery installs can void warranty 00:46 – Podcast intro from Smart Energy Week 01:24 – Meeting in China and the Sigenergy factory 03:14 – How AI is changing solar businesses 05:00 – Bat...

What’s really happening on the ground during Australia’s battery boom? Hugh Salisbury from Salisbury Solar & Electrical shares what he's seeing across the Tweed, Byron Bay and Northern Rivers regions. From battery rebate demand and oversized battery mistakes to solar cowboys, customer education, EV readiness and choosing the right battery brands, this is a practical discussion about getti...

In this podcast, Markus speaks with Josh Hargrave from  @SolaXPowerGlobal (https://au.solaxpower.com/) about why the brand has become one of Australia’s long-standing battery and inverter players. They discuss the battery rebate boom, product reliability, backup capability, VPP performance with Reposit, safety features, installer support, EV charging and why proven technology matters when choosing...

 In this conversation, Daniele Lanzetta from Smart Energy Answers (https://www.smartenergyanswers.com.au/) and Lincoln Bell from Lenergy (https://lenergy.com.au/) share real installer insights into why the ESY Sunhome (https://www.esysunhome.com/) battery is gaining traction across Australia. They unpack the benefits of all-in-one battery systems, essential backup capability, scalability, installe...

Dean Spaccavento from Reposit explains what’s really happening behind the battery rebate, winter electricity price spikes, and how AI data centres could reshape Australia’s energy future. Watch the full discussion and see what it means for solar and battery owners. Timestamps:  00:00 How AI is changing jobs — which careers are safe in the future 04:40 Will AI data centres push electricity prices h...

Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes joins Markus to discuss Australia’s fuel security risks, China’s dominance in EVs and clean-energy manufacturing, and why rooftop solar, batteries and electrification are becoming essential for national resilience. The conversation explores energy policy, global politics, renter access to solar, and how Australia can capture more value from the world’s biggest...

Home energy audits can dramatically improve comfort and reduce electricity bills before you even install solar or solar batteries. In this episode, Markus speaks with Adam Corrigan from Your Energy Friend (https://www.yourenergyfriend.com.au/) about hidden insulation problems, energy efficiency star ratings, switching electricity tariffs, hot water system choices, and the simple upgrades that can...

In this episode, Markus speaks with Derek McKercher from PSW Energy (https://pswenergy.com.au/) about the impact of the solar battery rebate, the risks of cheap battery systems, why installer quality and long-term support matter, how falling feed-in tariffs are changing the value of solar-only systems, and why EVs are reshaping the way solar and battery systems should be designed. The discussion a...

Electricity prices are rising, feed-in tariffs are collapsing, and the solar industry is shifting toward batteries. In this episode, Markus Lambert speaks with Chris Pemberton from Sun Sellers about the realities of selling solar today. They explore why solar alone often no longer delivers the savings homeowners expected, how batteries are changing the economics, and why many cheap solar offers le...

Australia is racing into a solar and battery boom, but are we quietly trading energy independence for dependency? In this wide-ranging conversation, Markus Lambert sits down with Brian Craighhead from Energy Renaissance to unpack why energy security is now national security, why Australia can’t compete with China on price, and how slow bureaucracy is killing local manufacturing. They explore the b...

 In this discussion, Markus and Thomas Bywater from AIKO dive into how geopolitics can significantly influence solar panel price. We explore the broader economy and international affairs, examining their impact on the finance of solar energy. This political analysis sheds light on the complex factors affecting solar panels. In this discussion, we dive into how world affairs and global politics dir...

In this episode, Markus sits down with James Petesic from PV Industries (https://www.pvindustries.com.au/) to unpack the hidden reality of solar panel recycling, why exporting “working” solar panels is now illegal, and how critical materials like silver, copper and silicon are at risk of being lost forever. Want To Reduce Your Energy Bills? Find The Best Solar Installers in Australia Here: https:/...