🎙️ 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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

🎙️ 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...

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...

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...

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...

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 solar space—from dreams of becoming a pilot to becoming one of the go-to voices at MC Electrica...

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 economics behind replacing gas with efficient electric systems, and Karl’s passion for decarbonising h...

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 the solar industry, the impressive work GoodWe is doing to support installers, and the real...

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 into a flexible, motivated, and well-trained team. We dive into his philosophy on training staff,...

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, the challenges of solar compliance, and the potential for future government programs. Ria also d...