Dr. Greg Trainor, Neil Belford, and Ben Meek reflect on the inaugural season of Wired for Energy and preview what's coming in 2026. Since launching in May 2025, the podcast has covered remarkable ground—from Jack Kotlyer at Energy Australia discussing commercial EV charging to Tim Washington at Jet Charge rolling out networks across Australia. Each guest brought unique perspectives on the energy transition, from artificial intelligence with Dave King to grid stability innovations with Mark Vincent at South Australian Power Networks, and spatial analytics breakthroughs with Nigel Barry at Intelfuse. Greg, Neil and Ben share their personal highlights from the year. Greg discusses the artificial intelligence episode and how AI will transform home energy management, business models, and network operations—though the energy industry remains characteristically slow to adopt new technology. Ben reflects on the Intelfuse episode, highlighting how Australian utilities' sparse networks drove world-leading innovation in spatial analytics, with Nigel's contrarian hypothesis that individual trees, not just canopy, interfere with power lines. Neil champions Mark Vincent's "Keeping the Lights On" episode, celebrating South Australian Power Networks' light-touch engineering approach to grid stability that used brilliant voltage management ideas rather than expensive infrastructure. Looking ahead to 2026, the team introduces seven new themes: Proof of Life (what's actually working), Digital Frontier (operations and workforce transformation), The Outsiders (innovation from adjacent industries), Social License (customer and community relationships), Government and Regulation (policy frameworks under pressure), The Horizon (academia and future vision), and Capital (infrastructure investment and funding). These themes will focus on execution over theory, examining real solutions to the challenges everyone faces in the energy transition.

Join Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford for a special panel discussion with Megan Fisher, CEO of Energy Lab, alongside two breakthrough startups from their portfolio: Dr Thomas Nann, CEO and Co-founder of Allegro Energy, and Nick Hazell, CEO and Founder of Algenie. Energy Lab has spent nearly 10 years building Australia's premier climate tech accelerator, supporting 280 startup alumni through 10 different programs—from launching ventures to scaling internationally. With 450 mentors, 240 angel investors, and deep connections across the energy industry, they're filling a critical gap in specialist support for founders tackling the hardest problems in decarbonisation. This episode showcases two companies at different stages of their journey. Allegro Energy has developed a breakthrough microemulsion electrolyte for long-duration flow batteries, solving cost and safety challenges that have plagued competing technologies. After completing commercial trials with Origin Energy and CSIRO, they're scaling towards grid-scale deployments of 100+ megawatts. Algenie is reimagining algae cultivation with helical photo bioreactors made through plastic extrusion—slashing costs so dramatically that gigatons of CO2 could be sequestered into bioplastics, textiles, food, and fuel. Their technology thrives on intermittent renewable energy, turning grid constraints into competitive advantages.

Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford speak with Alan Hunter, CEO and Founder of NRN (National Renewable Network), and Jess Padman, Director of Energy Products, about their innovative approach to making renewable energy accessible to everyone—without the upfront costs, maintenance headaches, or complexity. This episode explores how NRN has reimagined solar and battery adoption by removing the financial barrier. Instead of customers buying their own systems, NRN installs, owns, and maintains the assets, then licenses them to energy retailers who use the capacity 24/7 for their hedging strategies. Customers simply get lower energy bills—typically saving $700-$1000 annually—without any capital investment or maintenance risk. Alan shares his journey from door-to-door solar sales to discovering that the traditional ownership model wasn't working for many Australians. Jess explains the sophisticated digital platform that makes the entire customer journey seamless, from quoting through to installation tracking. The conversation tackles critical industry challenges: why only 15% of battery owners join VPP programs (even among early adopters), the conflict of interest across stakeholders when customers own their assets, and why $2.3 billion in battery subsidies aren't solving grid problems. Learn how NRN's model eliminates these conflicts by positioning energy retailers as the true customers, how they size systems to maximise retailer profitability while delivering customer savings, and their vision for expanding into heat pumps and EV charging—potentially even vehicle leasing as part of the energy plan.

Dr Greg Trainor speaks with Nigel Barry, Founder and CEO of Intelfuse, about the dramatic transformation of vegetation management from gut instinct to precision data science. With over 30 years in the industry, Nigel shares how his experience witnessing the devastating Ash Wednesday fires shaped his career mission to protect communities and infrastructure. This episode explores how LiDAR technology, digital twins, and AI are revolutionising how utilities manage the single largest cause of power outages. Nigel explains the "vegetation management equation" and why traditional methods had only 42% repeatability—meaning the same tree inspected by 10 people would yield the same result just four times. Learn how Intelfuse is achieving 99.9% repeatability and enabling utilities to know every tree on their network. The conversation covers Nigel's transformative experience with Florida Power & Light's 35 Mules innovation program, the future of robotic tree cutting, and why viewing trees as assets changes everything. Discover how digital inspection, automated compliance, and continuous drone monitoring are creating a complete "digital line of sight" that's changing utility operations, insurance negotiations, and wildfire prevention strategies across Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

Dr Greg Trainor and Neil Belford sit down with Charles Cattermole, Principal at Outpost Ventures, for a look into the human side of Australia's energy transition. From his accidental entry into energy through the Australian Navy to roles at Green Sync and Energy Australia, Charles shares hard-won insights about scaling innovation within large utilities and the critical importance of people over technology in driving change. The conversation explores the challenges of virtual power plants, the complexity of Australia's energy markets, and why trust remains the biggest barrier to customer adoption of interactive energy products. Charles reveals lessons from successfully scaling a pilot from 20,000 to 250,000 customers, discusses the misalignment between startup accelerators and utility needs, and shares his vision for securitising distributed energy resources like traditional power stations.

On this week's episode, we have Ryan Wavish, GM of Innovation at Engie Australia, to explore how one of the world's largest energy companies is navigating Australia's unique energy transition challenges. From his early days at boutique consultancy Marshman Hill working with ARENA's A-Lab initiative to leading Engie's ambitious 500MW virtual power plant vision by 2030, Ryan shares insights into building customer trust, managing distributed energy resources, and creating the "business model of the future" for energy retailers.

Join Dr Greg Trainor as he sits down with Network Edge founders Ben Meek and Neil Belford to announce the launch of the Wired for Energy Open Source Community Platform. This special episode explores how Network Edge is applying lessons learned from building energy transition businesses in the US market to create collaborative digital solutions for Australia's energy transformation. The conversation covers the development of Network Edge's U30 framework - a comprehensive strategy for utility digitalisation that reimagines how electricity networks operate in a world of distributed energy resources. Ben and Neil discuss their vision for open source collaboration in the energy sector, drawing inspiration from successful US industry forums and the need for better coordination between utilities, regulators, community groups, and technology providers. Key topics include the emergence of Distribution System Operators (DSOs), the challenge of managing two-way energy flows from 4 million Australian solar installations, and how local government can play a bigger role in the energy transition. The episode also reveals plans for a distributed energy management forum and explains how the podcast serves as an anchor for bringing together diverse voices across the energy ecosystem.

Join hosts Dr Greg Trainor and Neil Belford as they sit down with Luc van Duinen, VPP Lead at Dame Technologies, for a comprehensive exploration of virtual power plants from a global perspective. From his early days at Engie in the Netherlands working with potato farmers and their "Ferrari" batteries to building VPP platforms across multiple Australian energy companies, Luc shares valuable insights into the evolution of distributed energy management. The conversation covers the stark differences between European and Australian energy markets, the challenges of customer education versus business engagement, and why controllable load represents massive untapped potential.

Join hosts Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford as they chat with Andy McCarthy, founder and former CEO of Gippsland Solar, for an inspiring conversation about building Australia's renewable energy future from the heart of coal country. Andy shares his remarkable journey from a troubled teen with ADHD to becoming a solar industry pioneer, establishing his company in the Latrobe Valley surrounded by coal-fired power stations and eventually selling to RACV Solar.

Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford sit down with Kevin Hart, CEO of the New Zealand Wind Energy Association, to explore the evolving landscape of wind power in Aotearoa. Kevin shares his remarkable journey from international judo competitor to renewable energy leader, before diving into the challenges and opportunities facing the sector—from global supply chain constraints and complex regulation to the huge potential of offshore wind. The conversation unpacks the critical role of firming, energy storage, and community involvement in building a secure, reliable future for New Zealand’s energy grid. It's a timely discussion for anyone interested in the transition to clean energy, leadership in action, and what it really takes to scale renewables.

In this episode of the Wired for Energy podcast, hosts Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford sit down with Bruce Thompson, Managing Director of Thompillai. They chat about how renewable energy is being rolled out across Australia, the tricky bits of our energy systems, and Bruce’s early work with community energy projects. From the ups and downs of renewables to the future of smart grids, Bruce shares stories from his long career and gives us a look at where energy policy might be headed.

In this episode, hosts Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford sit down with Tim Washington, CEO and founder of Jet Charge, to chat about how the company started and its key role in driving the energy transition. Tim talks about how Jet Charge came to life, co-founded with his wife Ellen, all thanks to a passion for tech, cars, and making a positive impact. They explore what the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) means for Australia’s energy grid and why consumers play such a big part in this shift. The conversation also digs into the challenges and innovations in EV charging, the rapid growth in battery storage, and the future of cool tech like bi-directional and wireless charging. Tim shares insights into the complexities of building EV charging networks, the changing market, and why collaboration across the industry is essential for giving consumers the best experience.

In this episode of Wired For Energy, Greg Trainor and Neil Belford sit down with Mark Vincent, Chief Operating Officer at South Australian Power Networks. From facing down potential statewide blackouts to pioneering world-first programs like Flexible Exports, Mark takes us inside the bold thinking, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and technical innovation that's reshaping South Australia's energy landscape. Hear how SA Power Networks tackled voltage challenges, built a virtual power plant from scratch, and helped lead the global conversation on distributed energy. If you're curious about how to turn crisis into innovation—and how a utility can become a tech leader—this is a must-listen.

In this episode, Greg and Neil chat with Dave King, founder of Move 37, about how AI is shaking things up across industries — especially in energy. They talk about how AI can help consumers use energy more efficiently, improve customer experiences, and streamline how businesses operate. Dave shares the story behind Move 37 and how a legendary Go match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol sparked the idea. They also get into the big challenges around adopting AI, like messy data and the changing nature of work.Move 37 is an AI product studio for ambitious companies. We build bespoke AI and help businesses uncover and leverage the most valuable AI use cases across increased efficiency, productivity and growth.

In this episode, Greg and Neil chat with Bill Tarlinton, managing director of Zepben, about his journey through the world of electricity distribution, smart software, and energy startups. Bill shares how his early interest in electrical systems led to a career working on SCADA and DMS tech — and how those tools have shaped utilities here in Australia and around the world. They talk through the challenges the energy sector is facing right now, the need for fresh thinking, and how startups are stepping up with new solutions.

In this episode, Greg and Neil catch up with Dennis Freedman, CEO of Aquila Capital in Australia and New Zealand, to talk about what’s really happening in the world of renewable energy. They cover the economics behind it, the massive potential in the sector, and why policy and smart market design are so important. Dennis shares stories from his time in the industry, how he got started, and what Aquila Capital is up to — from strategy to on-the-ground projects shaping Australia’s energy future.

In this episode, Greg and Neil sit down with Dr. Phil Blythe, CEO and Founder of Climate Tech Assembly, to explore his journey and insights into the evolving energy landscape. The conversation covers key topics such as the integration of digital technology in energy systems, challenges in the transition to renewable energy, and the crucial role of startups in driving innovation. Dr. Blythe also discusses the complexities of market regulations, the slow adoption of new technologies, and the future potential of a digitised, renewable-focused energy market. Tune in for an in-depth look at the obstacles and opportunities in achieving a 100% renewable energy future.

In the first interview of the series, hosts Greg Trainor and Neil Belford talk with Jack Kotlyar, head of Green Transport and Energy Australia. They discuss the vital role of electric vehicles (EVs) in decarbonising Australia's transport sector, the anticipated rise in EV adoption, and the associated challenges for grid infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. Jack shares his journey in the energy industry, insights on the future of EVs, and the strategies needed to support this significant transition. Tune in for an in-depth look at how Energy Australia is helping customers electrify and decarbonise!

In this debut episode of the Wired for Energy Podcast, hosts Greg Trainor and Neil Belford introduce the Network Edge team and outline the mission of the podcast. They discuss their backgrounds in utilities and software engineering and preview the diverse range of guests who will be interviewed in the series, including energy entrepreneurs, utility executives, regulators, and futurists. The podcast will explore major themes in the evolving energy landscape, such as renewable energy, grid modernisation, and energy democracy. Tune in to learn about the past, present, and future of energy systems and the innovative solutions driving the industry forward.