Solar Sidekicks Podcast

S3E11 – Smart Energy Awards Finalists

In this episode of Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren are back on the podcast stage at the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney for a busy day one wrap-up.

We kick things off with a quick chat with Australian wicketkeeper and GoodWe ambassador Alex Carey, talking cricket, climate, family, and why he has put his name behind renewable energy.

Then we catch up with a stack of 2026 Smart Energy Excellence Awards finalists, including:

Springers Solar

PowerPlus Energy

Smart Commercial Energy

AC Solar Warehouse

FranklinWH

And our very own Lauren O’Neill, finalist for Emerging Leader

There are plenty of laughs, a few awards-night nerves, some great stories about company culture, innovation, training, Australian manufacturing, and what it means to give back to the solar and battery industry.

We also send a big shout-out to Luke Beattie, who is taking on a serious health fight with the strength and positivity the industry knows him for.

A fun, heartfelt, and slightly chaotic conference episode from the Solar Sidekicks podcast stage. 

Recorded live from the floor at Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane, this episode is all about the startups, new ideas, and people trying to push the solar industry forward.

Pat and Lauren spend day two chatting with businesses working across EV charging, battery safety, thermal storage, installer support, recycling and smarter energy solutions.

In this episode we speak with:

TPower – commercial EV charging solutions

https://www.t-power.com.au

Charge Next Door – peer-to-peer EV charging

https://www.charge-next-door.com

Thermal Dawn – thermal storage and heat pump technology

https://www.thermaldawn.com

Solar Subbies – helping retailers and installers connect properly

https://solarsubbies.com.au

Adoxima – battery separator technology focussed on safer lithium batteries

https://www.adoxima.com

MyNu Energy – smarter home energy management solutions

https://mynuenergy.com

Night Glow Manufacturing – recycled off-grid and manufacturing products

https://nightglowmanufacturing.com

This one’s a bit different to our usual format. Plenty of quick chats, laughs, industry banter, and a look at what’s coming next in solar and storage.

If you want to hear what people are building behind the scenes of the industry, this is well worth a listen.

S3E9 – Live at Solar & Storage Live with Shane Bridges from OpenSolar

Our first ever live stage podcast, recorded at Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane.

Pat Southwell and Lauren O’Neill sit down with Shane Bridges from OpenSolar for a fun and honest chat about solar sales, proposal tools, installer support, batteries, ROI, and where the industry is heading next.

Shane shares his very unexpected start in online poker, his time across distribution and battery brands, and what he now does at OpenSolar helping installers build better proposals, understand real customer needs, and run sharper businesses.

We also cover the rush to May 1, battery sizing, free power plans, electrification, Queensland’s slow policy moves, startup stands, trade show waste, and why smaller events can sometimes lead to better conversations than the giant expos.

There are plenty of laughs, a few live audience moments, and yes, Lauren O’Neill’s new name gets another solid rinse.

Thanks to Shane for being part of our first live stage episode.

At Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane, Pat and Lauren are joined by Mark and Yorick from MC Electrical for a smart, funny and seriously informative chat about batteries, testing, factory visits and what really matters when choosing products in the solar game.

From trips through China visiting major manufacturers, to real-world battery installs, round-trip efficiency, VPPs, firmware dramas and what makes a product worth trusting, this episode is packed with practical insight and plenty of laughs along the way.

If you enjoy the technical side of solar and storage, but still want a podcast that feels relaxed and real, this one is well worth a listen.

We’re on the road at Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane, recording live from the event and soaking up everything happening across the industry.
In this episode, Pat and Loz sit down with Tony Flint from FranklinWH (you’ll hear it referred to as Franklin throughout), who shares his long journey through the electrical and solar industry and how he’s landed where he is today.
They dive into Franklin’s battery offering, what sets it apart, and why it’s gaining traction — plus a shoutout to the team for jumping on board as drinks sponsors for the Installer Nights.
There’s also plenty of honest chat around the current state of the battery market, the flood of new products, and what it all means for installers on the ground.
Add in some conference chaos, a bit of cricket chat, and the usual Sidekicks banter — and you’ve got another cracking episode.

In this special live episode from Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane, Pat and Lauren O’Neil hit the podcast booth  for a fun recap of the last few big weeks in solar.

They look back on the first two Installer Nights in Melbourne and Wodonga, chat about the strong turnout, the technical sessions that really landed, and why the feedback has been so positive so far. They also touch on Lauren’s wedding, her new surname, and the many nickname ideas that may or may not stick.

The episode also covers a great visit to SEN Studios with GoodWe for an intimate Q&A with Alex Carey, a few laughs from life on the road, and the early feel of Solar & Storage Live as the conference gets underway in Brisbane.

It’s a lighter episode, but still packed with industry chat, event wrap-up, and a bit of chaos along the way.

Installer Nights are live now:

Upcoming dates:

    •    Adelaide – 29 April

    •    Perth – 20 May

This week on Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Loz are joined by Ash and Teish from Percy Solar for a fun, honest chat about one of the biggest pain points in the industry — solar admin.

They get into what Percy Solar actually does, why so many solar businesses get buried in paperwork, and how poor systems, slow processes and bad habits can hold installers back. There’s plenty of chat around outsourcing, offshore support, backstop headaches, CRMs, compliance, and why good admin can make or break a solar business.

It’s a loose, funny episode with plenty of laughs, but there’s also a serious point underneath it all — if solar businesses want to grow, stay on top of cash flow, and keep customers happy, the backend matters just as much as the install.
A great chat with two people bringing a fresh idea to the industry.

🎙️ 𝗦𝟯, 𝗘𝗽𝟯 — 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗪𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵, 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 & 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀
We’re joined by Shane Jurgenstein, Sales Manager at GoodWe, for a big conversation on batteries, booming demand, tech support, installer shortages — and yes… a press conference in his backyard.

⚡ The all-in-one ESA battery
📈 Battery growth and new installers entering the market
🧰 Firmware hiccups & making installs smoother
👷 Labour shortages still challenging the industry
💬 Honest thoughts on Bunnings Solar and customer trust
💡 Why design and safety still matter

Plus:
🤝 GoodWe joins us as a major partner for the 2026 Installer Nights
🧠 Pat shares his recent ADHD diagnosis
😂 Plenty of laughs along the way

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or wherever you pod.
https://southwellsolarinspections.com.au/solar-sidekicks-podcasts/s3e3-shane-jurgenstein-goodwe/

📣 Installer Nights are now live — Melbourne and Wodonga first up. Book here:
👉  https://southwellsolartraining.com.au/installer-nights

#SolarIndustry #SolarAustralia #BatteryStorage #SolarInstallers #InstallerNights #SouthwellSolar #SolarTraining

🎙️ S3, Ep2 — Battery Expectations & Industry Real Talk

Ben Jones from Amber Electric jumps on the mic for a brutally honest chat about batteries, customer chaos, and what actually works when it comes to VPPs and virtual trading.

We get into:

– ⚡ Why battery installs are getting smarter — but still far from perfect

– 🛠️ What happens when expectations aren’t managed (and who cops it)

– 🔄 How Amber deals with Frankenstein installs and unrealistic promises

– 📉 Why some customers are making bank — and others are shouting into the void

– 🤝 Ethical sales, sticky customers & installer responsibility

– 🧠 Social media moments, industry culture, and why quality still matters

– 🥊 The “Solar Installer Fight Night” idea (yep, it gets silly)

We also talk rebate changes, solar myths, crap training, and the ageing standards committee that’s slowing things down. Pat fires up, Lauren keeps it classy, and Ben keeps it real.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or wherever you pod.

📣 Installer Nights are now live — Melbourne and Wodonga first up. Book here:

👉 https://southwellsolartraining.com.au/installer-nights