SwitchedOn Australia

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Join Anne Delaney as she tracks the electrification of everything with people at the forefront of the electrification transition.

  1. Community benefits in renewables: How regional Australia can share the gains

    19 HRS AGO

    Community benefits in renewables: How regional Australia can share the gains

    As renewable energy projects expand across regional Australia, the question of who benefits is becoming increasingly important. Governments are introducing community benefit guidelines to ensure host regions share in the economic gains – WA is the latest - but results so far have been mixed. Kim Mallee, a co-director at the Community Power Agency, argues that community benefits can’t be treated as an add-on – they must be shaped by communities themselves. Drawing on international examples from countries like Denmark, Scotland and Ireland, she explores how ownership, co-investment and community-led models can deliver deeper, longer-term value. CPA’s new report, Power in Partnership, outlines how these approaches could work in Australia and we can move beyond compensation towards genuine partnership in the energy transition.

    45 min
  2. Are solar households shifting electricity costs onto everyone else?

    MAR 9

    Are solar households shifting electricity costs onto everyone else?

    Rooftop solar, home batteries and smart technology are transforming Australia’s electricity system and helping many households cut their power bills. But a controversial draft review from the Australian Energy Market Commission has sparked debate about whether electricity pricing is shifting costs onto people who've invested in consumer energy resources, or alternatively, those who can least afford them. Gavin Dufty, the national director of energy policy and research at the St Vincent de Paul society, draws on years of data from the Vinnies Tariff Tracker project to show what households actually pay for electricity across the country. He argues the current system may be creating new inequities between households able to invest in solar and smart technology and those who cannot, including renters and low-income households. At the centre of the debate is a difficult policy question: should electricity pricing reward households that reduce their reliance on the grid, or should everyone pay more to simply stay connected? The outcome of the AEMC’s review could shape how the costs of Australia’s energy transition are shared.

    45 min
  3. How will the data industry control the future of clean energy?

    FEB 18

    How will the data industry control the future of clean energy?

    What if the clean energy transition is ultimately led not by utilities or renewable energy companies, but by the data and AI industry? Luis F. Gonzalez, Chief Data and AI Officer at Aboitiz Power, argues that as data and energy become more intertwined, it will be the data sector that finances, shapes and champions decarbonisation. He says AI doesn’t just consume electricity — it changes the economics of who builds and controls energy infrastructure. And although he doesn’t want Face Book to run our power grids, he argues the only type of company capable of massive data brokerage for millions of consumer energy resources is a data company. While openly optimistic about the benefits of intelligence-driven systems, he also acknowledges the risks of monopoly power and that energy regulators are not yet ready for what’s to come.

    50 min
  4. The home battery lock-in no one warned you about

    FEB 9

    The home battery lock-in no one warned you about

    Australia’s home battery rollout is accelerating, but many households may not realise they’re buying systems that are effectively locked to a single manufacturer’s software. Tech entrepreneur Simon Hackett explains why a lack of interoperability strips consumers of real control over batteries they’ve paid for and how closed, cloud-controlled systems risk higher costs, stranded assets, and weakened trust in virtual power plants. He outlines an alternative vision where open software allows households to optimise their energy use, respond to real-time prices, and create real power plants rather than virtual ones which serve someone else’s business model. At stake is whether Australia’s battery boom empowers households, or quietly hands control back to manufacturers and retailers.

    35 min
  5. How apartments and renters can plug into solar, if the rules change

    FEB 3

    How apartments and renters can plug into solar, if the rules change

    Apartment residents are largely shut out of Australia’s rooftop solar advantage, with only 3.5% of apartments having solar. In this episode of SwitchedOn Australia, we explore whether balcony solar could change that by allowing apartment owners and renters to plug into cheap, clean power without owning a roof. Brent Clark, CEO of Wattblock, explains why balcony solar has taken off overseas — particularly in Germany, where more than a million plug-in systems now hang from balconies — and why regulation, not technology, is the real barrier. Australia’s safety rules, metering requirements and strata laws make balcony solar that much harder here. So what needs to change for it to work safely and fairly in Australia, and enable gigawatts of untapped solar potential sitting on apartment buildings to be realised.

    37 min
  6. Why energy companies should be forced to act in their customers best interests

    JAN 20

    Why energy companies should be forced to act in their customers best interests

    Australia’s retail energy market promises competition and choice, yet many households feel confused, overcharged and stuck. Former chair of Victoria’s Essential Services Commission Ron Ben-David argues the problem isn’t just high prices, but a market design that assumes consumers behave like textbook economists. He explains how “buyer beware” has produced a loyalty penalty, rising mistrust and an endless layering of consumer protections that fail to address the root cause. As the energy transition accelerates and decisions become more complex, he warns the system is becoming harder — not easier — for consumers to navigate. He makes the case for a fundamental shift to a consumer duty that would require energy companies to act in their customers’ best interests. Without rebuilding trust, he warns, the energy transition itself is at risk.

    42 min
  7. The community that set the rules of engagement when wind and solar came to town

    JAN 13

    The community that set the rules of engagement when wind and solar came to town

    When renewable energy developers first approached the Hay Shire Council in south-west NSW, the council saw both opportunity and risk. With the region designated as a Renewable Energy Zone and major wind projects on the horizon, they knew the energy transition could bring real benefits, but also real community division. Rather than sit back and let events unfold, they took the lead, helping ensure the community would engage with the transition. In partnership with the community, Hay Shire Council developed a proactive, inclusive process that not only kept the community informed, but led to a clear, community-driven set of benefit proposals, ranging from long-term affordable energy to supported housing. Ali McLean, the Council’s Economic Development Manager, shares how local government can shape the future when it steps up early and listens closely.

    52 min
  8. Saul Griffith wants a consumer army to lead the fight for a cheaper energy system

    JAN 8

    Saul Griffith wants a consumer army to lead the fight for a cheaper energy system

    Last August, Dr Saul Griffith joined SwitchedOn Australia live on the Gold Coast to talk about his new book Plug In! which shows why households are central to driving Australia’s clean energy transition. He explains how electrification can cut emissions fast, save money, and reshape the way we use energy at home and in our communities. Saul shares insights from his career advising governments, including his role in shaping the US Inflation Reduction Act, and his work with Rewiring America and Rewiring Australia. He speaks candidly about consumer power, culture wars, and the politics of accelerating change. And he makes the case for an ‘army of consumers’ to demand a better deal from Australia’s energy system.

    1h 8m
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About

Join Anne Delaney as she tracks the electrification of everything with people at the forefront of the electrification transition.

Information

  • Creator
    RenewEconomy
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    SwitchedOn Australia

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