Advertise on podcast: The Green Room - Energy Innovation & Renewables Industry Podcast

Are we training electricians for the jobs we have today, or for the electrical industry that is coming next? In this Green Room conversation, Veli sits down with Alex Newman from NECA for a wide-ranging discussion about apprenticeships, electrical training, mentoring, workforce development and the future skills the industry will need. Alex takes us from sailing on the Gippsland Lakes and learning to solve practical problems, through technical school, an electrical apprenticeship, switchboard fitting, becoming an A-grade electrician and eventually moving from the tools into teaching and vocational education. The conversation then turns to one of the biggest challenges facing the trade: apprentices can now spend years working inside a very narrow sector. Alex explains why broad experience matters, how group training organisations can rotate apprentices through different employers, and why apprentices need to take ownership of the skills they build during those four years. We also explore mentoring, women entering electrical apprenticeships, mature-age apprentices, competency versus capability, licensing, post-trade education, data centres absorbing skilled workers, and how digital learning can support the trade without replacing practical experience. What we cover: ✅ Why apprentices should ask questions and show initiative ✅ How NECA's RTO and group training model works ✅ Tech schools, applied learning and pre-apprenticeships ✅ Electrical fitting, switchboards and Alex's A-grade pathway ✅ Why narrow specialisation can limit an apprentice's future ✅ Rotating apprentices to build a broader skill base ✅ Employer collaboration and shared workforce development ✅ Why hands-on learning cannot be replaced by theory alone ✅ Mentors, role models and supporting young tradespeople ✅ Moving from the tools into teaching and leadership ✅ Women entering electrical apprenticeships ✅ Leadership and project management pathways ✅ Competency versus capability ✅ Electrical licensing, gap training and assessment ✅ Teacher quality and developing new trade teachers ✅ Why mature-age apprentices bring real value ✅ Data centres and the growing demand for electricians ✅ Training and CPD for electrical inspectors ✅ Digital learning without losing practical experience ✅ Why lifelong learning is becoming essential for electricians

Can adding commercial solar or batteries actually overload an existing switchboard if the site's loads have not changed? In this Green Room conversation, Veli sits down again with Gil Rhodes for a deep technical discussion about summation of current, maximum demand, AC cable derating and what should happen after a commercial solar or battery system has been installed and commissioned. Gil explains why supplementary supplies such as solar and batteries create new current paths inside an electrical installation, why that does not automatically mean the site load has increased, and why the switchboard, maximum demand and existing infrastructure still need to be properly assessed before major upgrades are recommended. The conversation then moves into AC cable design. We look at cable configuration, spacing, tray orientation, lids, insulation temperature ratings, parallel conductors, earthing and the effect of heat on current carrying capacity and equipment life. Finally, we explore verification after commissioning. Gil discusses thermal imaging, cable temperature checks and using real site data to compare the completed installation with the original design assumptions, creating a feedback loop for future projects. What we cover: ✅ What summation of current actually means ✅ How supplementary supplies affect an existing switchboard ✅ Why the site's loads are still the key starting point ✅ Maximum demand and the four assessment methods discussed ✅ Why limitation should not automatically replace engineering assessment ✅ Domestic versus commercial and industrial applications ✅ Why switchboard builders should be involved in major alterations ✅ The impact of switchboard replacement on C&I project economics ✅ Load studies, power quality and power factor correction ✅ AC cable derating and heat dissipation ✅ Cable tray orientation, spacing and lids ✅ 90°C versus 110°C cable insulation ✅ Parallel conductors, trefoil and quadfoil configurations ✅ Earthing parallel cable runs ✅ Coordination between cables, switchboards, protection and installation methods ✅ Why cable software still requires sound engineering inputs ✅ Thermal imaging and post-commissioning verification ✅ Closing the feedback loop between design and real site performance ✅ Soil temperature and thermal resistivity for buried cables

Part 2 of our conversation with Linh takes us from Vietnam to Australia, and then deep into the business of building a solar brand in one of the most competitive renewable energy markets in the world.    Linh explains how the COVID period changed the way she thought about life, experience and opportunity, why Singapore and the UK were initially ahead of Australia on her list, and how she eventually arrived here to complete her master's degree.    From there, we follow her move into the Australian solar industry with OSW, where she worked across a large portfolio of panels, inverters, batteries and other products, before joining AIKO in 2023 as the company was establishing its Australian presence.    The conversation then becomes a fascinating look at what it actually takes to build a new solar brand. We discuss marketing budgets, channel strategy, distributor selection, R&D, technology positioning, experienced teams, the challenge of being a premium newcomer, and why relationships between manufacturers can create far more value than trying to operate in isolation.    What we cover:    ✅ Why COVID changed Linh's outlook on life and career  ✅ Why Singapore and the UK came before Australia  ✅ What surprised her about Australian work culture  ✅ Her first full-time role in Australian solar with OSW  ✅ How marketing works inside a solar distributor  ✅ CRM, STC trading and technology-led distribution strategy  ✅ Why management and alignment matter so much  ✅ Why many manufacturers underinvest in marketing  ✅ Joining AIKO as the Australian business was being established  ✅ The importance of a CMO who understands marketing, branding and PR  ✅ Building credibility when you are the new brand in the market  ✅ Why distributor selection can shape long-term brand positioning  ✅ The role of experienced people in building a new company  ✅ Why continued R&D can change an entire technology category  ✅ How batteries are changing the way panels are sold  ✅ Why manufacturer collaboration can expand audiences and generate referrals  ✅ The importance of choosing partners you genuinely trust  ✅ Why relationships in the solar industry often survive changes in company and role

Why do we buy things we do not really need, and how much of that decision is actually ours? In Part 1 of this Green Room conversation, Veli sits down with Linh for a fascinating discussion about communication, journalism, digital marketing, consumer behaviour and the psychology behind modern advertising. Linh explains why a naturally reserved person chose a career built around communication, why journalism turned out to demand a very different personality than she expected, and how growing up in Vietnam shaped the way she thinks about family, resilience, observation and self-reflection. The conversation then moves into the mechanics of digital marketing. Linh discusses how websites are designed to influence behaviour, how retargeting follows customers across digital platforms, and why marketing can move beyond simply connecting a product with existing demand and start actively creating new demand. We also explore her view that major digital platforms increasingly perform functions similar to media and communications companies by deciding what users see, how algorithms shape online experiences, and where the ethical line sits between persuasion and manipulation. What we cover: ✅ Why personality does not always match career choice ✅ Being reserved in a communication-driven profession ✅ Reflection, progress and the difficulty of measuring marketing outcomes ✅ Why Linh moved away from journalism ✅ Journalism, public interest and the pressure to be first ✅ Growing up in Vietnam and the influence of family and culture ✅ The middle-child perspective and learning to read between the lines ✅ Why Linh considered psychology ✅ Moving from journalism into advertising and digital marketing ✅ PR, digital marketing, events and activation ✅ How technology changed customer targeting ✅ Algorithms and who decides what you see online ✅ Website behaviour, customer journeys and conversion ✅ Retargeting and why ads seem to follow you everywhere ✅ Persuasion versus manipulation ✅ B2C marketing versus B2B marketing ✅ Agency life and working across completely different brands ✅ The ethical challenge of marketing sensitive products ✅ The difference between PR, marketing and advertising ✅ Why modern marketing increasingly creates demand instead of simply finding it

What does marketing look like when AI can write content, summarise meetings, answer customer questions and increasingly influence how businesses are discovered online? In this episode of The Green Room, Veli welcomes Gerard McCallister from Assertive Marketing back for Part 2 of a wide-ranging conversation about AI, marketing, manufacturing and renewable energy. Gerard explains how his own use of AI has changed, where it genuinely saves time, where authenticity is being lost, and why businesses still need human judgement, relationships and industry knowledge. The discussion also moves into the changing role of SEO, optimising websites for AI-driven search, real imagery versus generic AI content, and why marketing cannot simply become automated content production. The second half of the episode goes much wider. Gerard shares how his business has evolved from a traditional marketing agency into an outsourced marketing manager model, working more deeply inside client businesses, creating leads, attending events, supporting exhibitions and becoming part of the commercial team. We also explore the connection between Australian manufacturing and renewable energy, including reliable power, energy costs, business competitiveness, commercial solar and batteries, and why these industries should be collaborating rather than operating in separate silos. What we cover: ✅ How Gerard is using AI in marketing today ✅ The growing problem of obvious AI-generated content ✅ Why authentic images still matter ✅ How AI is changing search behaviour ✅ SEO and optimising websites for AI-driven discovery ✅ Why AI is a tool, not a replacement for judgement ✅ Using AI to learn technical products and industries ✅ The outsourced marketing manager model ✅ Combining digital marketing with phone calls, events and networking ✅ Why the right lead matters more than the highest call volume ✅ Paperless Parts and manufacturing quoting software ✅ Marketing technical products to engineers and manufacturers ✅ Why Australian manufacturing matters ✅ Reliable energy and the cost of manufacturing ✅ Commercial solar, batteries and manufacturing businesses ✅ Why renewables and manufacturing should collaborate ✅ Gerard's goal of helping more small and medium businesses grow

What does it take to manufacture advanced renewable energy technology in Australia for decades, survive huge industry changes, and keep innovating as batteries move from off-grid into the mainstream grid market?    In this episode of The Green Room, Veli sits down with Rod Scott, CEO of Selectronic, for a wide-ranging conversation about Australian manufacturing, software engineering, off-grid power, battery systems and the story behind the SP PRO.    Rod takes us back to Selectronic's beginnings in transformer and contract manufacturing, through the company's first inverters in the 1980s, the emergence of solar, and the long development path that eventually produced one of Australia's best-known inverter chargers.    The conversation also goes much further. We look at why Australian manufacturing capability matters, the importance of supply chains and trusted partners, software development and testing, AC versus DC coupling, grid resilience, commercial batteries, EV charging, data centres and where the energy market could head next.    What we cover:    ✅ How Selectronic started and evolved into renewable energy  ✅ Rod's computer science and software engineering background  ✅ The first Selectronic inverters and the early solar market  ✅ Why Australian manufacturing capability matters  ✅ The economic complexity of what a country produces  ✅ Software engineering, AI and why testing matters  ✅ The origins and development of the SP PRO  ✅ Selectronic's relationship with overseas markets  ✅ AC coupling versus DC coupling explained  ✅ Why DC coupling can provide black-start resilience  ✅ Choosing the right technology and business partners  ✅ Supply-chain risk and the 20-cent component problem  ✅ Why stakeholder relationships matter in manufacturing  ✅ Off-grid, hybrid and grid-interactive battery systems  ✅ Surge capacity, step changes and real-world loads  ✅ Three-phase and multi-unit SP PRO Powerchain systems  ✅ Commercial batteries, demand charges and energy arbitrage  ✅ Grid resilience, EV charging and future infrastructure  ✅ Why Australian-made technology still matters

What happens when solar, new home construction, battery storage, community and customer service all come together?   In this episode of The Green Room, Veli sits down with Lauren Ciconte from SixStar Plus to discuss her journey from an energetic teenager working at Boost Juice, through the building industry, and into renewable energy where she now works as PV Operations Manager.   Lauren brings a unique perspective to the solar industry. She understands builders, processes, pricing, installers, customers and the importance of community, and she is incredibly passionate about doing all of it properly.   We talk about how solar works inside the new-build market, why two-stage installations can make life easier for installers, batteries in new homes, Solar Victoria incentives, STCs, product selection, training subcontractors, customer support, leadership, processes and procedures, and why giving back to the communities you work in matters.   We also get into the future of renewables, commercial batteries, AI, data centres and why human customer service still matters.    What we cover:    ✅ Lauren's early life, Italian family and community values  ✅ The 75 Hard challenge, discipline and productivity  ✅ Leadership, managing people and learning from mistakes  ✅ Her move from the building industry into renewable energy  ✅ How SixStar Plus operates in the builder market  ✅ Two-stage solar installations on new homes  ✅ Builder documentation, processes and procedures  ✅ Solar panel selection and structural considerations  ✅ Batteries and electrification in new builds  ✅ GoodWe, Sungrow, Sigenergy and product training  ✅ Solar Victoria rebates, loans, PV STCs and battery STCs  ✅ Why builders can be a powerful pathway for solar and battery adoption  ✅ Community programs and the Victorian Homeless Fund  ✅ Women in renewable energy and industry leadership  ✅ The future of commercial solar and battery storage  ✅ AI, data centres and the importance of real human service

What does it really take to build a solar and battery business that lasts?   In this episode of The Green Room, we sit down with Brad Teasdale from Teaslec Energy Solutions to talk about quality installations, customer expectations, batteries, EVs, electrification, business resilience and the lessons that only come from doing the work for more than a decade.   Brad shares how he moved from an electrical apprenticeship into running his own business, why technical salespeople matter, how battery systems have changed customer expectations, and why doing the job properly from day one is still one of the strongest selling points in solar.   We also get into the harder side of business. Brad speaks openly about financial pressure, debt, cash flow, learning from mistakes and rebuilding the business stronger. He also explains how his team approaches site visits, sales, operations, after-sales support and continuous improvement.   Later in the conversation, we move into commercial solar, the STC changes up to 1 MW, data centres, electrification, EV charging, off-grid systems and what the next stage of the energy transition could mean for installers and customers.    What we cover:    ✅ Why quality matters more than the cheapest quote  ✅ Battery sizing and customer expectations  ✅ Why Brad prefers electricians in sales roles  ✅ EVs, three-phase upgrades and home electrification  ✅ Solar and battery sales process from lead to installation  ✅ Building systems, teams and operational discipline  ✅ Cash flow, debt and lessons from business setbacks  ✅ Panel, inverter and battery product selection  ✅ Solar servicing and after-sales support  ✅ Commercial solar and the move toward projects up to 1 MW  ✅ Data centres and future electricity demand  ✅ EV charging, heat pumps and whole-home electrification  ✅ Off-grid systems and why they need specialist design  ✅ Staff fatigue, panel weight and continuous improvement

What happens when someone has spent more than two decades watching solar evolve from remote off-grid systems and lead acid batteries to microinverters, AI, battery storage and panel-level monitoring?    In this episode, we sit down with Duncan McGregor from Enphase, one of the Australian solar industry's true long-term operators.    Duncan takes us back to the early days of Going Solar, the legendary renewable energy training courses, flooded lead acid batteries, early grid-connect systems and the people who helped shape the Australian solar industry.    We then move into modern solar, including microinverters, DC optimisers, commercial applications, panel-level monitoring, battery storage, grid-forming technology, AI energy management and what the next phase of distributed energy could look like.    What we cover:    ✅ Growing up in New Zealand and discovering renewables  ✅ Sailing, windsurfing and the idea of energy independence  ✅ The early days of Going Solar  ✅ What solar training looked like 20 years ago  ✅ How panels, batteries and inverters have evolved  ✅ Microinverters vs DC optimisers  ✅ Why panel-level monitoring changes fault finding  ✅ Commercial solar and large microinverter systems  ✅ Voltage rise and AC cabling considerations  ✅ How Enphase batteries use microinverter technology  ✅ Grid-forming capability and backup power  ✅ AI, hot water control and home energy management  ✅ Battery storage and the future C&I opportunity  ✅ Why installer education still matters

What is the true cost of chasing cheap solar, and what happens when the Federal Government sends an inspector to check your work 18 months later? In this episode, we sit down with Robbie Nichols, a third-generation electrician, former Clean Energy Council (CEC) technical expert, and a Federal Government STC solar inspector. Robbie has spent decades in the electrical trade, from running his own contracting business and catching local graffiti taggers with covert CCTV, to traversing the Australian outback conducting thousands of solar compliance audits. Robbie gives us an unflinching look at the darkest corners of the solar boom. He shares shocking stories of vulnerable homeowners being exploited by predatory sales companies, the extreme legal liability placed on sub-contracting electricians, and the devastating reality of almost losing his entire business to a professional conman.  Now leading elite training programs for NECA Education & Careers, Robbie breaks down why the industry must shift its focus back to quality, the dangers of signing off on designs you have never seen, and the critical importance of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for sparkies entering the complex battery market. In this episode: ✅ Solar PV design and installation ✅ Home battery storage and battery sizing ✅ Solar and battery rebates ✅ EV charging and future household energy demand ✅ Electricity tariffs and energy bill optimisation ✅ Solar consumption and generation monitoring ✅ Total energy management strategies ✅ Grid-connected vs off-grid solar ✅ Renewable energy system design ✅ Solar installation inspections and common defects ✅ Australian electrical and solar compliance ✅ Multimode inverters and battery backup ✅ Electrical safety and system isolation ✅ Solar installer training and CPD ✅ Smart meters and electricity consumption data ✅ Energy efficiency and home electrification ✅ The future of Australia's electricity grid ✅ Lessons from decades inside the solar industry

What happens when you combine an electronics expert, automated doors, and a front-row seat to the wildest volume-driven solar boom in Australian history? In this episode, we sit down with Paul Gilbert, the founder of Eureka Energy Solutions, to unpack his deeply fascinating and non-linear career path. Paul shares his journey from growing up in a working-class household in Tasmania to designing cutting-edge electronics for automated doors across the globe, and eventually stepping into the absolute chaos of the Australian residential solar market. Paul gives us an unfiltered look into his time at True Value Solar, where his operations team was pushing out an unbelievable 7 megawatts of residential installations in a single month. He reveals the sheer logistical nightmare of managing grid connections before digital portals existed, the costly reality of being a ""guinea pig"" for new inverter models, and why high-volume, low-margin business models ultimately fail. Now running his own bespoke CNI and high-end residential solar business, Paul discusses why prioritizing trust, custom solutions, and direct customer feedback is the only way to build a sustainable company in a cut-throat industry. What we cover: ✅ Growing up in Tasmania and early experiments with electronics and power supplies ✅ Designing automated security doors for banks, high courts, and international airports ✅ Why True Value Solar’s high-volume, low-price business model was ultimately doomed ✅ The chaos of early grid connections: Faxes, paper forms, and the Electricity Ombudsman ✅ The reality of inverter failures and why Australian conditions break overseas tech ✅ The vital importance of following up verbal customer conversations with written proof ✅ Transitioning from chaotic residential volume to bespoke, high-end CNI projects with Choice Energy ✅ The human cost of scaling: Why pushing installers too hard leads to burnout and fire risks ✅ How to capture actionable, immediate feedback from customers at the close of every project

What happens when finance, climate policy, China, data centres and the energy transition all collide?   In this episode, we sit down with Tim Buckley, clean energy finance analyst and founder of Climate Energy Finance, for a wide-ranging conversation about the money behind the global energy transition.   Tim takes us from his early career in financial research and forensic company analysis to carbon pricing, corporate governance, superannuation, ESG, Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, China's manufacturing scale, green steel, batteries, data centres and Australia's opportunity to become a clean-energy powerhouse.   This is a conversation about how capital actually moves, why incentives matter, why governance matters and why the energy transition will ultimately be shaped by economics as much as engineering.    What we cover:    ✅ Finance vs accounting and how analysts read companies  ✅ Corporate governance, CEOs and shareholder value  ✅ Carbon pricing and the safeguard mechanism  ✅ Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions  ✅ Australia's superannuation capital and clean-energy investment  ✅ China's batteries, solar, EVs, robots and manufacturing scale  ✅ Green iron, green steel and Australia's export opportunity  ✅ Data centres, electricity demand and renewable PPAs  ✅ Batteries, grid infrastructure and electrification  ✅ Why long-term thinking matters in the energy transition

Can we actually achieve sustainability under modern capitalism, or is the entire concept a "wicked problem"? In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Crosby, a true polymath: a sustainability lecturer, professional actor, musician, and author.  Matthew brings an incredibly unique perspective to the environmental crisis, blending systems thinking, corporate governance, and a deep appreciation for culture and human connection. We go deep into the theory of "Wicked Problems" and the Iceberg Model, unpacking why massive global issues like hunger, climate change, and green hydrogen adoption cannot be solved with simple templates.  Matthew fiercely critiques corporate greenwashing (specifically analysing BHP's recent internal leaks regarding renewable fleet electrification) and explains why government regulation is absolutely vital to keeping unbridled capitalism in check.  We also explore the fundamental flaw in relying on AI to write literature, his early years acting in the golden age of Australian television, and how studying Japanese theatre and Shinto animism shaped his understanding of circularity and the deep respect for nature.  What we cover: ✅ Why AI can never replace human connection and the joy of the writing process ✅ A child actor in the 1960s on iconic Australian sets like Homicide and Mame ✅ Exploring "Wicked Problems" vs. "Tame Problems": Why we can't just fix hunger  ✅ The Iceberg Model: Finding leverage points beneath the surface of global crises ✅ The tragedy of the commons, why sustainable business models demand regulation ✅ The BHP Greenwashing Leak: Balancing corporate governance, shareholder value ✅ Why Australia is fumbling its massive opportunity to export Green Hydrogen ✅ The psychology behind community resistance to wind turbines  ✅ The shocking reality of global food waste, ✅ The power imbalance between farmers and supermarkets And how traditional Japanese culture (Wabi-Sabi and Shinto animism) mastered circularity centuries ago.

What does it take to build reliable systems, a growing renewable energy business, and a meaningful life at the same time?    In this episode, we sit down with David Fulton, one of Greenwood Solutions' earliest team members, to explore a remarkable journey through engineering, Germany, BMW, renewable energy, business systems, mental health and the early days of Greenwood.   From pulling apart vacuum cleaners as a child and training in Wing Chun, to studying engineering in Melbourne and Munich, working inside BMW's research and development centre, and helping build Greenwood from a spare bedroom, David's story is honest, technical and deeply human.   We discuss grid applications, interface protection, Grid Safe, ISO management systems, Airtable, artificial intelligence, quality, process improvement, bipolar disorder, NDIS support and why the people closest to us often matter more than the biggest problems in the world.     What we cover:    ✅ Growing up with an engineering mindset  ✅ Martial arts, discipline and instinct  ✅ Studying and working in Germany  ✅ Life inside BMW research and development  ✅ Mental health, bipolar disorder and recovery  ✅ Becoming Greenwood's first employee  ✅ The early days of Grid Safe and grid applications  ✅ Why reliable processes create quality  ✅ ISO 9001 and integrated management systems  ✅ Using Airtable and AI to build business tools  ✅ Where renewable energy and data centres may be heading  ✅ Empathy, compassion and helping the people around us

What actually happens to a solar panel when it dies, and how can we stop millions of tons of them from ending up in landfill? In this episode, we sit down with Alex Nunez, an industrial designer and circular economy researcher at RMIT. From growing up in the chaotic, high-altitude sprawl of Mexico City to researching the social drivers behind sustainable waste management in Australia, Alex brings a deeply human and design-focused perspective to the renewable energy sector. We dive deep into the mounting crisis of solar panel waste and why financial incentives alone aren't enough to make installers and wholesalers recycle properly. Alex breaks down the ""10 Rs"" of the circular economy, why recycling is actually the last resort, and how concepts like a ""Digital Passport"" for solar panels could revolutionize supply chain transparency by telling recyclers exactly what elements (silver, copper, silicon, low-grade EVA) they are dealing with. We also explore the incredible structural potential of cardboard, how material design dictates human behaviour (like the fatal flaw of multi-material toothbrushes), and why solving our waste problem requires us to reconnect with our food, our communities, and traditional knowledge. ⚡ What we cover: ✅ Growing up in Mexico City: ✅ How Latin culture centres around food, connection, and traditional waste reduction ✅ Why merging art and science drew Alex to industrial design ✅ The fatal design flaw of everyday items that makes them impossible to recycle ✅ The structural miracles of cardboard: Building weight-bearing arches without glue ✅ Why recycling is actually the last step in the circular economy (Exploring the 10 Rs) ✅ The incoming 2045 solar panel waste crisis and logistical nightmares  ✅ Why trust is the biggest barrier to solar recycling ✅ The ""Digital Passport"" solution: the exact material breakdown of every solar panel ✅ The massive, hidden problem of single-use plastic packaging in commercial solar i ✅ Why treating end-of-life solar panels as ""rubbish"" guarantees they will be destroyed instead of reused