Solar Sidekicks Podcast

Pat Southwell

Solar Sidekicks is the go-to podcast for all things solar, serving up essential insights with a friendly, down-to-earth vibe. Hosted by industry professional Pat Southwell and his co-host Lauren Ciconte, each episode explores technical topics, industry regulations, and the real-world challenges faced by solar installers across Australia. Together they share practical knowledge from the field, tackle important issues affecting the industry, and stand up for what’s right by helping voices be heard on topics that can hit solar installers hard. They also highlight some of the great people working in the industry and help listeners stay across the constant changes in this fast-evolving sector. Whether you’re a solar installer, apprentice, or simply interested in solar, Solar Sidekicks keeps you informed, connected, and up to date with what’s happening in the industry. 

  1. 3d ago

    S3E16 - Nicole Stegmann | Energy Matters

    Pat & Loz are back in the studio — this time at the new Six Star Plus office in Dandenong South — and they're joined by Nicole Stegmann from Energy Matters. Nicole's got one of the more colourful backstories we've had on the show — from working at Foodstar (yes, the all-you-can-eat restaurant), teaching English in Japan, fielding conspiracy theory voicemails for the Department of Climate Change, to now running pretty much everything at Energy Matters — video, photography, blogs, social media, and the website (all 70,000 pages of it). We get into some good topics: the "interest-free solar" conversation and why it's not always what it seems, Nicole's experience putting solar and a battery on a rental property (and what happened two days after the battery went in), and where she thinks the industry is heading — spoiler, she's got her eye on heat pumps. Also in this episode — AusNet backstop update (genuinely good news for once), the new dedicated installer line going live, the Ausgrid/CCEW portal integration in NSW, the upcoming NSW rebate reboot under PDRS, and a reminder to look after yourself heading into what's shaping up to be a hectic back half of the year. A loose, fun episode with plenty of tangents — but plenty of substance too. Catch us at an Installer Night:     •    Gold Coast – 21 July (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/gold-coast-installer-night-tickets-1989799349418)     •    Brisbane – 22 July (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/brisbane-installer-night-tickets-1989800024437)     •    Western Sydney – 4 August (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/western-sydney-installer-night-tickets-1990093188298)     •    Southern Sydney – 5 August (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/southern-sydney-installer-night-tickets-1990094178259)

    S3E16 - Nicole Stegmann | Energy Matters

  2. Jul 2

    S3E15 - CEP Energy - Brendan Laidlaw

    Pat & Loz are back!!! After a bit of a break (Sydney, then life got busy), the mics are hot again — and we're kicking things off with a big one. This week on Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Loz are joined by Brendan Laidlaw from CEP Energy for a ripper chat covering everything from his early days as a "data fairy" apprentice and the wild TVS install era, through to smart metering, a factory fire that nearly ended his business, a stint as a solar trainer, and how he eventually landed in commercial battery energy trading. The back half gets properly technical: switchboard certification headaches under 61439, summation of supplies on commercial boards, why Jemena's SCADA requirements are a nightmare to navigate, and the never-ending backstop/AusNet saga. Also in this episode — a recap of Perth Installer Night (including WA's full-on regulator scare campaign), and the new mandatory CCEW process landing in NSW from 1 July. A proper deep dive with one of commercial solar's most experienced operators — technical, funny, and packed with war stories. 🎟️ Catch us at an Installer Night:     •    Gold Coast – 21 July (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/gold-coast-installer-night-tickets-1989799349418)     •    Brisbane – 22 July (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/brisbane-installer-night-tickets-1989800024437)     •    Western Sydney – 4 August (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/western-sydney-installer-night-tickets-1990093188298)     •    Southern Sydney – 5 August (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/southern-sydney-installer-night-tickets-1990094178259)

    S3E15 - CEP Energy - Brendan Laidlaw

  3. Jun 18

    S3E14 - iStore - Tiarna Hodge

    Recorded at the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney, this episode features the brilliant Tiarna Hodge from iStore. Self-described as the industry’s Wednesday Addams, Tiarna takes us through a 14-year solar career that started as a receptionist at 17 and somehow led to becoming the person installers call when everything has gone sideways. From batteries and DNSPs to strange faults and stressed-out tradies, if it becomes a problem, chances are it ends up on Tiarna’s desk. We talk about the WA battery rush, what installers are getting right and wrong, the pressure of the rebate period, and why good tech support is about a lot more than just knowing the product. Along the way there are plenty of laughs, some seriously nerdy technical chats, iStore-blue nails, sparkly backup boxes, rebate wrinkles, Botox jokes, and a discussion about the Smart Energy Council Emerging Leader Award nomination that Tiarna insists she wants absolutely nothing to do with. She’s an absolute weapon, does God’s work for installers around the country, and this was an easy conversation. A ripper episode.

    S3E14 - iStore - Tiarna Hodge

  4. Jun 11

    S3E13 – GreenSketch at Smart Energy

    Recorded at the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney, this episode kicks off a full day of podcasting from the Solar Sidekicks booth. Pat and Lauren sit down with Kat and Richard from GreenSketch to chat about solar quoting, homeowner education, installer support, AI, and how the industry can make the sales and design process a whole lot smoother. We get into GreenSketch’s AI tool, Emily, which helps homeowners see solar and battery options for their own roof, while also helping installers save time, reduce paperwork, and create better proposals. There’s plenty in this one about batteries, compliance, bollards, quoting tools, STCs, GreenDeal, One Stop Warehouse, and why installers still hate paperwork. A really interesting chat about where solar sales, design, and software are heading next. GreenSketch: https://greensketch.ai

    S3E13 – GreenSketch at Smart Energy

  5. May 27

    S3E12 - 2026 Sydney Solar Cutters Networking Drinks

    Recorded live at the Solar Cutters networking event in Sydney before Smart Energy Conference, this episode is absolute chaos from the very start. Pat can’t hear the intro music, Jo accidentally jumps on the mic and does the opening intro herself, and Lauren spends half the episode disappearing to chase down her lost luggage. What follows is completely loose. Unhinged conversations, industry banter, battery rebate chat, EV charging, burnout, installer gossip bordering on “should this be recorded?”, tequila, and way too many solar industry people around one table. Featuring people from FranklinWH, Positive Energy, EVNEX, Percy Solar, MC Electrical, NRG, Supply Partners, Smart Energy Council, iStore and more. There’s also a couple of genuinely touching moments amongst the madness that probably caught all of us off guard. Fun fact: this was actually recorded before another episode we already released… which honestly feels very on brand for this podcast lately. Was this format a good idea? Unclear. Will rusted-on solar industry people absolutely love it? Most likely.

    S3E12 - 2026 Sydney Solar Cutters Networking Drinks

  6. May 17

    S3E11 - 2026 Excellence Awards Finalists

    S3E11 – Smart Energy Awards Finalists In this episode of Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren are back on the podcast stage at the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney for a busy day one wrap-up. We kick things off with a quick chat with Australian wicketkeeper and GoodWe ambassador Alex Carey, talking cricket, climate, family, and why he has put his name behind renewable energy. Then we catch up with a stack of 2026 Smart Energy Excellence Awards finalists, including: Springers Solar PowerPlus Energy Smart Commercial Energy AC Solar Warehouse FranklinWH And our very own Lauren O’Neill, finalist for Emerging Leader There are plenty of laughs, a few awards-night nerves, some great stories about company culture, innovation, training, Australian manufacturing, and what it means to give back to the solar and battery industry. We also send a big shout-out to Luke Beattie, who is taking on a serious health fight with the strength and positivity the industry knows him for. A fun, heartfelt, and slightly chaotic conference episode from the Solar Sidekicks podcast stage.

    S3E11 - 2026 Excellence Awards Finalists

  7. May 11

    S3E10 - Startups at Solar & Storage Live

    Recorded live from the floor at Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane, this episode is all about the startups, new ideas, and people trying to push the solar industry forward. Pat and Lauren spend day two chatting with businesses working across EV charging, battery safety, thermal storage, installer support, recycling and smarter energy solutions. In this episode we speak with: TPower – commercial EV charging solutions https://www.t-power.com.au Charge Next Door – peer-to-peer EV charging https://www.charge-next-door.com Thermal Dawn – thermal storage and heat pump technology https://www.thermaldawn.com Solar Subbies – helping retailers and installers connect properly https://solarsubbies.com.au Adoxima – battery separator technology focussed on safer lithium batteries https://www.adoxima.com MyNu Energy – smarter home energy management solutions https://mynuenergy.com Night Glow Manufacturing – recycled off-grid and manufacturing products https://nightglowmanufacturing.com This one’s a bit different to our usual format. Plenty of quick chats, laughs, industry banter, and a look at what’s coming next in solar and storage. If you want to hear what people are building behind the scenes of the industry, this is well worth a listen.

    S3E10 - Startups at Solar & Storage Live

  8. May 4

    S3E9 - Shane Bridges | OpenSolar

    S3E9 – Live at Solar & Storage Live with Shane Bridges from OpenSolar Our first ever live stage podcast, recorded at Solar & Storage Live in Brisbane. Pat Southwell and Lauren O’Neill sit down with Shane Bridges from OpenSolar for a fun and honest chat about solar sales, proposal tools, installer support, batteries, ROI, and where the industry is heading next. Shane shares his very unexpected start in online poker, his time across distribution and battery brands, and what he now does at OpenSolar helping installers build better proposals, understand real customer needs, and run sharper businesses. We also cover the rush to May 1, battery sizing, free power plans, electrification, Queensland’s slow policy moves, startup stands, trade show waste, and why smaller events can sometimes lead to better conversations than the giant expos. There are plenty of laughs, a few live audience moments, and yes, Lauren O’Neill’s new name gets another solid rinse. Thanks to Shane for being part of our first live stage episode.

    S3E9 - Shane Bridges | OpenSolar
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About

Solar Sidekicks is the go-to podcast for all things solar, serving up essential insights with a friendly, down-to-earth vibe. Hosted by industry professional Pat Southwell and his co-host Lauren Ciconte, each episode explores technical topics, industry regulations, and the real-world challenges faced by solar installers across Australia. Together they share practical knowledge from the field, tackle important issues affecting the industry, and stand up for what’s right by helping voices be heard on topics that can hit solar installers hard. They also highlight some of the great people working in the industry and help listeners stay across the constant changes in this fast-evolving sector. Whether you’re a solar installer, apprentice, or simply interested in solar, Solar Sidekicks keeps you informed, connected, and up to date with what’s happening in the industry. 

Information

  • Creator
    Pat Southwell
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Solar Sidekicks Podcast
  • Show Website
    Solar Sidekicks Podcast

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