Solar Insiders - a Renew Economy Podcast
Episodes
Why switching off rooftop solar is a good thing
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss first intervention by market operator to curtail rooftop solar, the latest installation stats, AGL’s big solar buy, and some really crap ...
Solar tariffs slashed, countdown to new inverter deadline
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The days of high solar tariffs are definitely over, because rooftop solar has helped slash wholesale prices. Plus: Countdown to new inverter deadline...
Does the solar industry deserve the "cowboy" label?
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Problems at a major solar farm in Queensland raises the “cowboy” issue again, and why are new homes being built with roofing too weak to host sola...
Solar’s cracking start to 2021
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gina Rinehart is going solar, so is a BHP nickel refinery, and most of the rest of Australia. But there is still the question of standards.
The biggest solar stories of 2020
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the last episode of the year, we take a look at the biggest solar stories of 2020.
How one old hippy survived the Solar Coaster
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Solar veteran, and "former hippy", Stuart Watson on how he got into the solar industry, and his recent adventures on his Solar Coaster electric yacht....
How the electric Solar Coaster nearly sank in deep water
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As Victoria unveils an Australia-leading package focusing on solar, batteries and energy efficiency, the Solar Coaster nearly sank in deep waters off ...
Another bunch of records for solar and renewables
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
October was another month of records for solar and renewables across Australia.
The day South Australia became 100% solar fuelled
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We look at the day when South Australia reached a world-first peak of 100 per cent solar power, plus the latest rooftop solar PV forecasts, and Victor...
Rooftop PV still booming, and Australia’s biggest solar garden
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Small scale rooftop solar PV installations are heading towards 3GW in 2020, despite Covid-19, and we talk to April Crawford-Smith about Australia’s ...
Battery Day, and South Australia’s solar plunge
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Battery Day delivered big news about battery storage as expected, which will be important for grids like South Australia, which enters a bold new worl...
Who’s that controlling my rooftop solar?
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
South Australia unveils new standards and agents that will exert more control over rooftop solar as installation boom continues. And Vale Richard Coll...
Solar industry review, chaos fears in S.A.
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coalition announces review of solar industry, as fears grow of “chaos” from new rules in South Australia. And we hear from the CEO of fire retarda...
5B’s solar revolution takes global scale
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Australian solar innovator 5B is enjoying an incredible year - more local deployments, signing for the world’s biggest solar farm, and attracting in...
Solar’s battle with Covid-19 pandemic
30 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The raw data suggests the solar industry is not being battered badly by the Covid-19 pandemic. But it is throwing up hurdles for those seeking to plou...
Origin’s bet on self-installing plug and play batteries
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
US-based Orison, backed by Origin, is developing plug-and-play batteries that can be installed by the householder and hopes to trial it in Australia t...
Todae in admin, tariffs on exports
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Big news in the past solar week, with leading C&I contractor Todae Solar in voluntary administration and the regulator reviving talk of a network fee ...
CSIRO’s new solar, battery and EV forecasts
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
CSIRO releases new forecasts for solar, battery and electric vehicles, while more solar firms under pressure from Covid-19 despite overall resilience ...
Why we need to see your solar
04 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the Australian rooftop solar market continues to boom, Stefan Jarnason from Solar Analytics joins the podcast to discuss the new monitoring guide, ...
How the solar industry is adjusting to Covid world
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sean Guzzi from Clenergy joins Solar Insiders to discuss how the industry his coping with the changes imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, while the regu...
Longi’s launch, and AEMO’s big solar switch
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Leading solar manufacturer Longi launches new product on Australian market, while AEMO pushes for new inverter standards and ability to “switch off”...
What drives Australians to install battery storage?
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sunwiz director Warwick Johnston on the uptake of battery storage by Australian homes. And we ask the question: Has Covid-19 killed crap solar?
Tindo’s shining light in solar market
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rooftop solar on a Covid-coaster, the last of the one-for-one tariffs, and Tindo Solar’s Glenn Morelli on battery storage boom and plans to expand m...
Can solar isolate itself from Covid-19 pandemic?
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought great uncertainty to solar industry. Demand is up in some quarters, and down in others. But there is real fear of a ...
Tesla, IKEA eye Australia solar market
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla gauging interest in its solar modules and solar tile products, while IKEA brings its flat pack solar package to Australia. Plus: Suspensions in ...
Big trouble for big solar
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Big contractor quits the solar market, spelling big trouble for the big solar sector, even as rooftop continues its boom.
Bushfires and backlogs - Solar’s New Year
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sunwiz director Warwick Johnston on the past year and 2020 forecasts, and what we learned from the bushfires.
The best and worst from 2019
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We look back at the highlights and the lowlights of the solar industry in 2019, and take a vox-pop of industry folk from the recent Sundowners.
Rooftop solar: Asset or liability?
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rooftop solar installations continue at record rate, but new technologies - and new thinking - ensure that this turns out to be a major asset to the g...
Solar changes shape of grid, and brings down prices
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New reports from market operator and the market regulator point to changing shape of the grid, lower emissions and falling costs - partly driven by gr...
When will rooftop solar boom subside?
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rooftop solar installations set a new record in October, but battery storage sales continue to stutter.
How to get good quality solar installations
27 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Crap solar. What is it? And how do we stop it from happening and ensure good quality? A special podcast from All Energy conference in Melbourne explai...
Battery blues as new standards approved
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Installers and customers are trying to make sense of what the new battery standards mean for their business, or their purchase.
Big little lies on emissions, and the Model 3
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Government caught out lying on emissions, solar installs at record high, and first impressions of Model 3 and Fonzarelli’s new electric motorbike.
Hot solar rebates, and cool solar beer
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Demand for Victoria’s rooftop solar rebate still sizzling; solar lends new cred to an iconic brew; and the Insider’s first installation of “Meet...
Solar’s stunning cost fall, and Victoria’s rebate hurdles
04 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New data shows that the cost of solar PV continues to fall dramatically, while Victoria’s solar rebate program hits another hurdle just days after g...
What next for Victoria’s solar rebate?
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria premier hints at changes to solar rebate scheme. meanwhile, why some installers go to jail. And some good news.
Should Victoria ditch its solar rebate?
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Some in the solar industry are so frustrated they’d prefer the Victoria government to ditch the solar rebate rather than carry on as is. A few modif...
Solar wars in Victoria
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As solar industry calls for public protest against Victoria solar plan, we talk to Solar Victoria boss Stan Krpan about the scheme’s design.
Killer whales and chasing solar rebates
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Solar Insiders resumes after a holiday break, with a reminder of why we want emissions free power, examples of 90% solar penetration, and a question o...
Victoria’s big solar and storage plan
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria outlines plan for rooftop solar and battery storage scheme, while the regulator cracks down on dodgy trading in certificates.
Has the battery storage market gone flat?
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Battery storage put in too hard basket by installers; and is there an alternative to current crop of DC Isolators?
Is Australia now un-investible for big solar?
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The shock-waves from the Coalition election win are being felt beyond Australia’s shores. Nigel Morris reports back from Intersolar in Munich and wh...
What is going on in Queensland?
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Confusion and frustration in the Sunshine state as the government seeks to justify new rules that will add costs to solar farms and make some installa...
Australia and the art of the stop-start solar policy
26 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s suite of stop-start solar policies is driving some parts of the industry crazy with frustration, as the phone stops ringing in Victoria ...
Record installations, phantom sales, and the demise of the roof monkey
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Australian rooftop solar installations surge to new records, but as we reveal on this podcast some big retailers are making significant sales without ...
What is going on in Victoria?
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New rules, new interpretations of old rules, and restrictions best described as network stuff-ups is causing confusion and anger in the Victoria solar...
Solar Insiders: The solarisation of South Australia’s grid
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The solarisation of South Australia’s grid, and hunting down solar cowboys in Victoria.
Murdoch media’s attack on solar
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A breakdown of the Murdoch media’s ham-fisted attempt to demonise rooftop solar incentives, and Nigel Morris catches out some solar cowboys.
Sales in the gutter
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It has been a great year for solar, but as we reveal today, there are still some disturbing sales practices taking place. Customers be warned.
High and lows, best and worst of 2018
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a huge year for solar in Australia in 2018. In the final podcast of the year, we review the highs and lows, the best and the worst, and ta...
The RCR collapse; and two great new solar initiatives
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week we go to Sundowners, discuss the collapse of RCR, and interview Andrea Gaffney from Planet Renewables, and Chris McGrath from solar innovato...
Elon Musk’s catching mitt, battery storage everywhere
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Elon Musk’s giant catching mitt, new battery storage schemes, and the ongoing crackdown on crap solar.
Fair Dinkum, we’re serious about solar power
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Solar Insiders team gets Fair Dinkum about solar, because that’s what we do, that’s who we are, that’s what we are about. Do you have a stra...
Lassoing solar cowboys in Victoria
24 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We talk to Solar Victoria and its pre-emptive strike against solar cowboys who moved in to try and fleece consumers in Victoria’s massive solar prog...
Solar’s big year, and Senec storage
10 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Solar’s big year, an interview with German battery storage maker Senec, and a round-up of the highlights of the All Energy conference.
Why are some councils turning off solar?
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some councils have rejected large scale and rooftop solar installations. Plus: A preview of the All-Energy conference.
Sonnen CEO on why Australia is leading market for battery storage
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Sonnen CEO Christoph Ostermann, plus a look at why the states are taking the lead on battery storage, AGL’s withdrawal from reside...
The fallout from Victoria’s solar rebates
29 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria Labor’s solar rebate proposal is having an impact on the solar market, with customers putting off installations.
The future of solar rebates
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The future of solar rebates is up in the air as the ACCC pushes for government to adopt its “complete package.” We talk with Sunwiz’ Warwick Joh...
Best and fairest in the solar industry
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Canadian Solar CEO Shawn Qu talks to Solar Insiders, while Nigel Morris gives a Zero to the new Harley electric bike, and we celebrate his award for o...
Solar bad, solar good
18 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Two big reports - from the ACCC and the AEMO - give conflicting visions about the future of rooftop solar. Plus: Phoenix rising in the rooftop industr...
Highs and lows
04 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The highs and lows of the solar industry, feed in tariffs slashed, and some battery storage offers to be avoided. And a guide to good solar.
Solar boom, or solar clamp-down?
20 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Regulators try to get their hands on rooftop solar, Martin Green’s energy prize, more solar stories, and some exciting EV news.
Solar blackout scares, panels overboard
08 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What to make of the scare campaign against rooftop solar and “blackouts”; one company loses its module shipment overboard; and an interview with E...
Selling solar in brown coal centre
20 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gippsland Solar’s Andrew McCarthy and a fascinating insight into the solar transition in the Latrobe Valley, the heart of Victoria’s brown coal in...
Rooftop solar hits 7GW
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s will reach 7GW of rooftop solar in May; why South Australia has hit a wall; and what’s happening at Tesla.
The beauty of solar diverters
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why solar diverters work, crackdown on poor inverters, what the NEG means for solar, and a wrap of EV news.
Kids, not coal
11 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pensioners before Paris? How about kids before coal? The case for solar, and interviews with an installer, a large scale solar developer, and a financ...
Solar dawns on conservatives
27 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
South Australia’s solar dawn, Craig Kelly, dodgy deals, and how a deal on transport fuels killed the early electric car.
Crowd funded solar retailer
06 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Plans for a crowd-funded retailer that focuses on solar households; a road tour through South Australia, and more for the Dodgy Brothers file.
Shared solar; EV surprise
20 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have we underestimated uptake of EVs in Australia? Plus: A new take on shared solar.
Tesla’s VPP, and Kelly’s Zeroes
07 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A look insider Tesla’s world’s biggest virtual power plants, and why Craig Kelly gets a Zero for his barmy comments about electric vehicles.
The year of solar and storage
20 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of Solar Insiders for the year, Giles Parkinson and Nigel Morris chronicle what went right, and what went wrong, in the local sol...
Smart meters, dumb rules
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Power of Choice requirements that new solar households must have smart meters is undermined by some pretty dumb rules.
Tindo on the move, and into storage
29 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s only solar module manufacturer Tindo is looking to expand its factory and add battery storage manufacturing. Plus: All the solar news of...
How China’s pollution crimped Australia’s solar boom
15 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Australia has just enjoyed its biggest month ever, but it could have been even stronger if it were not for China’s appalling air pollution.
Frydenberg’s rooftop solar fail
31 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg admits he hasn’t got rooftop solar, shame on him, while our expert panel looks at the best and worst in monitoring.
All Energy, all aboard solar train
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Government’s new policy proposal appears to lock in high prices for at least another decade, making rooftop solar and battery storage yet more attra...
A gigawatt of rooftop PV
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Australia headed for one GW of rooftop solar installs this year, regulator cracks down on solar rorts, and making sense of volatile certificate prices...
Tesla Powerwall delays slows storage market
22 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The difficulty in getting hold of Tesla Powerwall stock is keeping a lid on household battery storage sales in Australia. The Solar Insiders podcast t...
Rooftop PV’s big milestone
06 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Solar jumps 6GW benchmark; and why, some solar mea-culpas, and some crazy stories that illustrate why consumers struggle to understand their energy ne...
Is your rooftop solar system a fire risk?
23 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Giles Parkinson and Nigel Morris discuss the fire risks in rooftop solar systems, and some dodgy sales practices for solar panels and battery storage.
What is “crap” solar, and why it matters
09 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Quality issues are surfacing in the Australian solar market as the industry experiences a new revival. In this Solar Insiders podcast, Nigel Morris an...