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Solar Sidekicks Podcast
Pat Southwell
47 episodes
1 week ago
🎙️ S2, Ep26 — 2025 Recap: Unfiltered It’s the final episode of Season 2 — and we’re going out with a bang. There’s laughs, recaps, corrections, and a huge announcement about something that’s been missing from the industry for way too long: a national event series with zero sales pitches and maximum value for sparkies, installers and anyone who wants to do things properly. Also in this ep: – 📉 A quick correction on those battery rebate numbers from Ep 25 – 🛠️ A look at the Solar Apprenticeship...
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Business
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🎙️ S2, Ep26 — 2025 Recap: Unfiltered It’s the final episode of Season 2 — and we’re going out with a bang. There’s laughs, recaps, corrections, and a huge announcement about something that’s been missing from the industry for way too long: a national event series with zero sales pitches and maximum value for sparkies, installers and anyone who wants to do things properly. Also in this ep: – 📉 A quick correction on those battery rebate numbers from Ep 25 – 🛠️ A look at the Solar Apprenticeship...
Show more...
Business
Episodes (20/47)
Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E26 - 2025 Recap: Unfiltered
🎙️ S2, Ep26 — 2025 Recap: Unfiltered It’s the final episode of Season 2 — and we’re going out with a bang. There’s laughs, recaps, corrections, and a huge announcement about something that’s been missing from the industry for way too long: a national event series with zero sales pitches and maximum value for sparkies, installers and anyone who wants to do things properly. Also in this ep: – 📉 A quick correction on those battery rebate numbers from Ep 25 – 🛠️ A look at the Solar Apprenticeship...
Show more...
1 week ago
1 hour 16 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E25 - Battery Rebate Shakeup
🎙️ S2, Ep25 — Battery Rebate Shakeup It’s the second-last episode of the year, and things are well and truly cooked. We break down the big changes to the federal battery rebate (dropping from May 1), talk panic buying, dodgy installs, and why builders are about to cop it. We also cover: – 📉 Who’s set to lose out under the new rebate rules – ⚠️ A broken inspection regime, and what’s not being checked – 🎄 SEN, GoodWe and a Christmas party at the MCG – 🔋 Lauren’s monster 40kWh home battery setup...
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2 weeks ago
1 hour 29 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E24 - James Hazell | Fronius
🎙️ S2, Ep24: James Hazell - Fronius This week, we’re recording at 7am in a mystery Melbourne Airbnb… with Fronius state manager James Hazell — who’s technically on holiday (sort of). We dig into the nerdy, the niche, and the new Fronius battery rollout. But first: competitive puzzle racing, Christmas trees, and the correct screwdriver for a Snap Inverter. James talks about: – His journey from nerdy teen PC builder to national sales rep – What he’s seeing in Queensland & NT (plus tip...
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1 month ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E23 - Sigenergy Recall
The solar world lit up this week after SIG Energy issued a major product recall on its 8, 10, and 12kW single-phase inverters — and just 24 hours later, we hit record. From installer frustrations to industry-wide concern, Pat and Lauren sit down for an unfiltered, balanced chat about what’s really going on. With guest calls from James Taylor (Taylor Energy), Nigel Morris (Smart Energy Council), Yorick Mark (MC Electrical), and Warren Monsma (Sunbuilt Solar), we cover everything from comms bre...
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1 month ago
1 hour 23 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E22 - Nigel Morris | Smart Energy Council
🎙️ 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 audits (or lack of them), and whether the battery surge will last. Plus: – Recaps from the Solar Cutt...
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1 month ago
1 hour 5 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E21 - George Auchterlonie | REST Energy
🎙️ 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 business, his approach to off-grid installs, and why he still jumps on the tools for the tricky job...
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1 month ago
1 hour 18 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E20 - Middle Aisle Solar
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 the future of the trade. Is it just another race to the bottom, or a sign of where solar is heade...
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2 months ago
1 hour 31 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E19 – Tom Gay | Origin Energy
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 habits are reshaping the energy landscape — from the early days of disco-light signal rooms (yep, really) to ...
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3 months ago
1 hour 28 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E18 - Pat Southwell | Southwell Solar Inspections
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 the winding path he took to get where he is now. There are no filters here — just a raw, honest, a...
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4 months ago
1 hour 46 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E17 - Ben Wright | Solar Victoria
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-manufacture bonus), Solar for Apartments phase two, a new ceiling-insulation incentive via VEU, and how S...
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4 months ago
1 hour 43 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E16 - Solar Integrity Luke Fraser, Brett Emo & Bobbi McKibbin
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. Next, Brett Emo shares his customer-first approach, the value of 15 years of repeat business, how to...
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5 months ago
1 hour 39 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E15 - Justin Lewis | Peak Energy Group
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 that actually make sense, this episode is packed with practical insight and strong opinions. Equal ...
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5 months ago
1 hour 22 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E13 - Roshan Ramnarain | Energy Matters
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 media platforms. Learn how Open Homes Australia became a surprising stage for solar advocacy, why Ros...
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5 months ago
1 hour 21 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E14 - The Calm Before the Storm
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 organisations and old industry habits end up firmly in the gun. From the looming battery rebate cha...
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6 months ago
1 hour 41 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E12 - NSW PDRS Pain
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 dropped PRC prices, shifting paperwork, and that all-too-familiar cash flow crunch. - Kat from...
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7 months ago
1 hour 37 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E11 - Kosta Bourandanis | Solar Cutters
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 everything from the upcoming battery rebate rollout (officially locked in thanks to the federal ele...
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7 months ago
1 hour 33 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E10 - Smart Energy Conference
🎙️ 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 • De...
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8 months ago
1 hour 1 minute

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E9 - Ausnet | Mary Masters
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 and Lauren bring the tough questions installers and retailers have been asking: - Why was this roll...
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8 months ago
1 hour 31 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E8 - United Energy, Powercor and CitiPower
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 implementation, and what they’ve learned from thousands of installer calls. We dig into compliance...
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9 months ago
1 hour 16 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
S2E7 - Kirsty Newman | Sunshine State Solar
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 systems, and a zero-BS attitude. We talk chaos, compliance, ADHD, apprenticeships, and what it re...
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9 months ago
1 hour 8 minutes

Solar Sidekicks Podcast
🎙️ S2, Ep26 — 2025 Recap: Unfiltered It’s the final episode of Season 2 — and we’re going out with a bang. There’s laughs, recaps, corrections, and a huge announcement about something that’s been missing from the industry for way too long: a national event series with zero sales pitches and maximum value for sparkies, installers and anyone who wants to do things properly. Also in this ep: – 📉 A quick correction on those battery rebate numbers from Ep 25 – 🛠️ A look at the Solar Apprenticeship...