The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: How retailers are standing in the way of cheaper power

   Tim Ryan argues Australia is trying to build a 21st-century, consumer-led electricity system while preserving retailers as compulsory ‘middlemen.’ But retailers are businesses that have little incentive to help households use less electricity or pay less for it. And innovations such as Solar Sharer, VPPs and dynamic network tariffs, have just given retailers and aggregators new opportunities to control or profit from household energy. His alternative is the Consumers’ Grid where consumers and their smart technology have a more direct relationship with electricity networks, that would bypass retailers so they can better respond when electricity is cheap and available. Batteries and EVs can then help households save money first, while collectively soaking up excess solar, reducing peaks and making better use of the grid. Ryan is the consumer representative on the Federal government’s Data Standards Advisory Committee and his proposition is simple - design the system around consumer savings, and the benefits will flow through to everyone.

   September 07, 2026·1h 11min
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   Number 2: How three hours of free Solar Sharer power can cost you more

   Three hours of free electricity sounds like a great deal, but Solar Sharer could leave some households paying more. Energy Futures Network director and electrical engineer, Ty Christopher argues a good policy has been undermined by the way it was designed and regulated. He says higher daily supply charges and higher electricity prices outside the free period mean some households may need to shift hundreds of dollars’ worth of energy use just to break even. Christopher argues the Australian Energy Regulator gave too much weight to “retailer viability” and not enough to the original goal of cutting consumers’ bills. He explains what went wrong, who might still benefit from Solar Sharer, and why consumers need to do the numbers very carefully before signing up.

   August 28, 2026·49min
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   Number 3: Why Australia's battery boom isn't becoming a virtual power plant boom

   Virtual power plants have been talked about for years as a crucial part of Australia's clean energy future. But a recent ACCC Electricity Inquiry found fewer than one in four battery owners have signed up to a VPP, despite participants typically paying lower electricity bills than households with solar and batteries alone. So what's holding Australians back? Robbie Campbell, CEO of Plico, Australia's first privately funded residential virtual power plant, explains what they’ve learnt since launching in Western Australia in 2017, what it will take for VPPs to go mainstream, and why his company was built around a virtual power plant from day one, rather than adding it to an existing retail business.

   July 15, 2026·34min
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   Number 4: Why charging your electric vehicle at lunchtime will save on costly grid upgrades

   As Australia moves toward an all-electric future, a key question looms: how can we meet the surge in electricity demand that will be needed when we all drive electric vehicles, heat our hot water with electricity, cook with induction stoves and heat and cool our homes with reverse cycle air conditioners? Modelling from the Australian National university, using the ACT as a case study, suggests the answer lies not in building more infrastructure but shifting when we use power. By charging electric vehicles and heating water during the day, when solar energy is plentiful and network demand is low, we could electrify our homes and transport without overloading the system. The lead researcher on the ANU study was Dr Bjorn Sturmberg, who now works with AEMO’s Future Energy Systems team.

   August 21, 2026·40min
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   Number 5: The biggest barrier to apartment electrification? Knowing what’s possible

   Electrifying an apartment building can be complicated, but sometimes the biggest barrier is simply getting started. Ash Sayers, Director at Keystone, a Melbourne strata management company, explains why residents and owners corporations often assume solar, batteries and EV chargers will be too difficult to install, or won’t be approved. This can leave potentially viable projects stuck in the too-hard basket. While strata managers can’t drive electrification without a mandate from owners, they can play a crucial role in navigating approvals, common property, contractors and the practical steps needed to get projects over the line. Sayers shares examples of apartment buildings that have succeeded, and others that have hit genuine infrastructure constraints, and why a good feasibility study can separate the real barriers from the assumed ones. For more information on apartment electrification, and to find out if your building is eligible for a free electrification feasibility plan, Electrify Yarra, All Electric Homes and Keystone are holding an information session on Tuesday, 18 August in the Fitzroy Town Hall reading room at 6 pm.

   August 11, 2026·33min
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