Solar Sidekicks Podcast

🎙️ S2, Ep22 — Live from All-Energy with Nigel Morris: Batteries, Booths & Banter We caught up with Nigel Morris live at All-Energy on the GoodWe stand, and wow — this one’s packed. Batteries are booming, booths are blinging, and Nigel’s new role as Chief Strategy Officer at the Smart Energy Council is keeping him flat out (and off the Catch Power tools). We talk VPPs, recycled silver, CER audi...

🎙️ S2E21 – George Auchterlonie: REST Energy Recorded at the SolarQuotes Awards , on the eve of All Energy officially kicking off, this episode dives into the story of George Auchterlonie — firefighter, solar installer,  founder of Rest Energy in Hobart & of course The Tassie Solar Man. Pat and Lauren sit down with George to talk about life before solar, going from the tools to running a busine...

No guest? No worries. In this jam-packed episode, Pat and Lauren catch up on all the wild weather, long days, solo installs, and industry shake-ups that have defined the past few weeks. The big topic: Aldi Solar. Yep — Aldi has entered the solar game with its own branded inverter and battery systems, plus a tie-in with Bunnings. Pat and Lauren break down what this means for quality, pricing, and t...

Batteries, VPPs & the Future of Home Electrification This week on Solar Sidekicks , we're deep-diving into the world of virtual power plants (VPPs), dynamic energy systems, and home electrification with Tom Gay , Sales Manager at Origin Energy . Recorded in the heart of Melbourne at Origin HQ, Pat and Lauren sit down with Tom to unpack how battery storage, VPPs, and evolving consumer habi...

S2E18 – Flipping the Mic: The Untold Story of Pat Southwell In the most-requested episode of Solar Sidekicks yet, Lauren flips the mic and interviews her co-host Pat Southwell — and it’s an absolute belter. From dropping out of school and working in a Kmart warehouse at 15, to becoming a licensed electrical inspector, CEC insider, solar trainer, and respected industry voice — Pat gets real about t...

It’s our 50th! Pat and Lauren welcome Ben Wright (Solar Victoria) for a practical, no-spin tour of what’s working—and what’s not—in Victoria’s residential solar and battery programs. We dig into current audit data (80% compliant; unsafe <0.1%), the drop in audit rates thanks to quality lifts, and the #1 battery defect: labeling . We also cover heat-pump rebates (up to $1,400 incl. local-manufac...

Season 2, Episode 16 — Solar Integrity with Luke Fraser, Brett Emo & Bobbi McKibbin We’re back in Wodonga, recording inside Solar Integrity for a special triple-guest episode. First, Luke Fraser talks life as lead electrician — from BYD batteries and Franklin WH trials to the contrasts between Sydney installs and regional Victoria, off-grid quirks, and his Fronius-sponsored trip to Europe. Nex...

This week, Solar Sidekicks are in Albury-Wodonga with solar business owner Justin Lewis from Peak Energy Group—a sharp operator leading from the front in regional Victoria. We explore the battery rebate surge, the culture-first mindset behind Justin’s team, and the very real challenges of getting inspectors in regional areas. From licensing red tape to EV charger mishaps and staff bonus systems th...

This week, the Solar Sidekicks hit the road and welcome a special guest who’s as passionate about clean energy as he is charismatic on camera. Roshan Ramnarain—entrepreneur, TV presenter, and CEO of Energy Matters—joins Pat and Lauren for a wide-ranging chat about the solar rollercoaster: from his early days knocking on doors in the UK to leading one of Australia’s most recognisable renewable medi...

Pat and Lauren are back on the mics and bracing for the industry shake-ups ahead. In this high-energy episode, they chat with George from REST Energy — better known now as The Tassie Solar Man — to congratulate him on launching his brand-new podcast and to hear what life’s like in the solar trenches down in Hobart. Meanwhile, both hosts come off the long run this week — and let’s just say a few or...

We’re crossing the border for this one. In Season 2, Episode 12 of Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren set their sights on New South Wales — where the rollout of the new battery rebate (yep, we’re talking the PDRS: Peak Demand Reduction Scheme) has sparked confusion, delays, and more than a few admin headaches. Joining the chat:  - Bridgette from Peak Energy Group shares her day-to-day battle with dro...

In this jam-packed episode of Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren hit record from Pat’s new place and welcome a long-awaited guest: the one and only Kosta from Solar Cutters! From cutting his teeth in wholesale to building one of the industry’s most respected communities, Kosta shares his path, his philosophy on sustainable business, and where Solar Cutters is heading next.  The crew dive into everyth...

🎙️ Solar Sidekicks Podcast – Live from Smart Energy Conference! This week’s episode is a little different — we’re live from the floor of the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney! Pat and Lauren set up shop at the Glass Media Booth and caught up with a stack of industry legends, including:     •    Sam Craft from SA Power Networks     •    Lowana Smith from Schletter     •    Dean Williamson from Good...

AusNet Faces the Music In this episode, Pat and Lauren head into the city to record from AusNet’s Southbank office, where they put Mary Masters in the hot seat. Mary’s a familiar face to many in the industry — often seen on webinars and regularly fielding calls — and this time she’s in front of the mic, taking on the big questions around Victoria’s emergency backstop rollout . No fluff here. Pat a...

Backstop Breakdown: United Energy, Powercor, CitiPower Respond This week on Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren are joined by Charmaine Volpe and Andrew Bailey from United Energy, Powercor and CityPower for a deep-dive into Victoria’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism. What went wrong, what’s improving, and why it matters. Charmaine and Andrew open up about the rollout headaches, the harsh realities of imp...

From Chaos to Queen – Kirsty Newman’s Wild Ride in Solar This week, Pat checks in from the Solar & Storage Live conference in Brisbane while Lauren holds the fort in Melbourne— and we’re joined by Kirsty Newman from Sunshine State Solar. Kirsty shares an outrageous journey from being thrown into the deep end of solar in her early 20s, to building a thriving business through pure grit, sharp sy...

In this tech-packed episode of Solar Sidekicks, Pat checks in from a very soggy Brisbane, where he’s been attending the Solar & Storage Live Queensland Conference, while Lauren holds the fort in sunny Melbourne. They’re joined by Yorick Mark from MC Electrical, a tech-savvy consultant with a serious passion for batteries, EV charging, and product reliability. Yorick shares his journey into the...

This week on Solar Sidekicks, we sit down with Karl Jensen from Istore for a in depth discussion into the future of solar, heat pumps, and home electrification. Karl shares his extensive industry experience, from the early days at Energy Matters to his work in solar wholesale and the rise of heat pump technology. We explore why Australians are still lagging in full home electrification, the econom...

Episode 4, Season 2: Behind the Scenes with GoodWe – Innovation, Industry Challenges & Inspiring the Next Generation with John Wright.  This week, Lauren & Pat sit down with John Wright from GoodWe AU/NZ to talk all things solar innovation, industry challenges, and community-driven sustainability projects. John shares his journey from marketing in oil & gas to becoming a key player in...

Episode 3, Season 2 – Building a Solar Business with Brad Teasdale (Teaslec Energy Solutions) In this episode, Pat & Lauren sit down with Brad Teasdale, founder of Teaslec, to talk about his journey into the solar industry—from starting as an apprentice sparky to building a thriving business. Brad shares how his dad, a plumber, inspired him to take the tradie path and how he’s shaped Teaslec i...

Episode 2, Season 2 – Ria O’Hehir: Navigating Solar Compliance & STCs In this episode, co-hosts Pat and Lauren speak with Ria O’Hehir from Greenbank, one of Australia’s leading STC aggregators. Ria shares her journey in the solar industry, from working in her mum’s company to becoming a key player in the world of compliance and government incentives. They explore the ever-evolving STC market,...

Season 2 kicks off with a big change—Pat Southwell is now joined by new co-host Lauren Ciconte! In our first episode of 2025, we dive into the Victorian Emergency Backstop debacle, a policy that’s been causing major headaches for solar installers and retailers since its rollout on October 1st. We’re joined by industry experts Nigel Morris, Bobbi McKibbin, and Matt Wilson to break down the key issu...

Tune into Episode 33 of Solar Sidekicks featuring Geoff Stapleton from GSES, a true stalwart of the small-scale solar industry. With multiple decades of experience, Geoff offers a compelling history lesson on the evolution of solar power. Known for his generosity in sharing knowledge, Geoff’s episode covers a wide array of topics, reflecting his deep involvement and the extensive contributions he...

Join us for Episode 32 of Solar Sidekicks, the fourth and final installment of our All Energy series. This episode features Tailah Mowat from Genr8 Electrical, a third-year apprentice whose decision to pursue a career in solar energy directly out of high school showcases her determination and solid technical knowledge.  As a female electrician in a predominantly male-dominated field, Tailah brings...

Join us for Episode 31 of Solar Sidekicks with Steven Spring from Omnidian, the third installment of our All Energy series. In this episode, we explore Steven’s extensive journey in the solar industry, from his beginnings as an apprentice to his role as Operations Manager at Omnidian. Steven discusses the critical aspects of solar installation, such as the importance of rigorous testing and accura...