Wired for Energy

Why Electrifying Australia Solves Energy Security with Luke Menzel

Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford speak with Luke Menzel, CEO of the Energy Efficiency Council and newly appointed non-executive director on AEMO's board. Luke explains why hitting Australia's 63-70% emissions reduction target by 2035 depends entirely on deploying existing demand-side technologies—you can only decarbonise electricity once. The conversation covers why electrifying the Australian economy solves energy security concerns, how thermal retrofits function as grid infrastructure, and why Ireland's integrated approach to home upgrades should guide Australian policy. Luke reveals the workforce challenge ahead: scaling installers and tradies to electrify 2.4 million homes, making trades welcoming for women to double the talent pool, and creating pathways for workers displaced by AI. He explains why every device entering homes should be flexible by 2030, how South Australian Power Networks leads network innovation, and why low-hanging fruit still requires serious picking effort. (08:00) Why the 2035 target depends on the demand-side deployment of existing tech (16:00) Electrifying the Australian economy solves energy security and gas exposure (21:00) Thermal retrofits as grid infrastructure and integrated home upgrades (33:00) Workforce scaling challenge: installers, tradies, and women in trades (42:00) South Australian Power Networks innovation and bleeding-edge transition (48:00) Every device flexible by 2030, and Let Me Sum Up podcast plug The views and opinions expressed by the guest speaker during this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer or any other organization they may be affiliated with. Our guest shares personal experiences and insights based on their individual journey, and listeners should understand that these reflections are meant for informational purposes only. Any advice or opinions presented in this podcast should not be construed as professional guidance, and individuals are encouraged to seek their own counsel regarding their specific situations.   Wired For Energy is a production of Network Edge, with episodes produced and edited by Posterboy Media. [https://posterboymedia.com.au/] To find more information about the energy transition visit -  www.networkedge.io [www.networkedge.io]

Building 110 Gigawatts Of Green Hydrogen with Warner Priest

Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford speak with Warner Priest, Midstream Director at InterContinental Energy, about engineering the world's largest green hydrogen projects. Warner explains the technical logic behind the 110-gigawatt Western Green Energy Hub and Australian Renewable Energy Hub—projects that could transform global shipping, steel production, and Australia's industrial base. He reveals why hydrogen pipelines are superior to long-distance transmission at scale, how seawater desalination requires less water than most imagine, and why green ammonia is the safest, most proven energy carrier for shipping.  (07:00) P2H2 node architecture: why pipelines beat transmission lines (12:00) Green hydrogen vs batteries: complementary solutions for different problems (16:00) Electrolyser efficiency trajectory and Australian innovation breakthrough (21:00) Desalination reality check: one Perth plant supplies 70-gigawatt project (30:00) Green ammonia safety engineering and shipping fuel opportunity (36:00) Green iron calculations: 25 million tons from a single project (46:00) Success metrics for the 2030s and future outlook The views and opinions expressed by the guest speaker during this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer or any other organization they may be affiliated with. Our guest shares personal experiences and insights based on their individual journey, and listeners should understand that these reflections are meant for informational purposes only. Any advice or opinions presented in this podcast should not be construed as professional guidance, and individuals are encouraged to seek their own counsel regarding their specific situations.   Wired For Energy is a production of Network Edge, with episodes produced and edited by Posterboy Media. [https://posterboymedia.com.au/] To find more information about the energy transition visit -  www.networkedge.io [www.networkedge.io]

Demand Side Finally Gets Mainstream Attention with Tony Arnel

Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford speak with Tony Arnel, Professor and former Deputy Chair of Forest and Wood Products Australia, and past President of the Energy Efficiency Council. Tony explains how demand-side management evolved from "not sexy at all" to mainstream conversation over 17 years, shaped by the Council's advocacy for stronger building standards, appliance ratings, and electrification pathways. He reveals the elephant in the room: millions of existing buildings built before performance standards existed, and why Australia still lags European minimum standards despite moving from four to seven-star housing ratings. The conversation shifts to forestry's surprising role in the energy transition—Australia is a net importer of timber despite vast forests, and timber buildings from cross-laminated structures to 45-story towers like Sydney's Atlassian building offer carbon sequestration advantages while improving indoor air quality and occupant wellbeing. (00:00) Introduction and Energy Efficiency Council's demand-side focus (06:00) Council's advocacy role and influence on national policy (16:00) Social license and consumer support for energy efficiency (21:00) The elephant: existing buildings and international standards gap (27:00) Forestry's role and Australia as net timber importer (33:00) Cross-laminated timber renaissance in commercial buildings (38:00) Industry professor role connecting academia with research funding The views and opinions expressed by the guest speaker during this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer or any other organization they may be affiliated with. Our guest shares personal experiences and insights based on their individual journey, and listeners should understand that these reflections are meant for informational purposes only. Any advice or opinions presented in this podcast should not be construed as professional guidance, and individuals are encouraged to seek their own counsel regarding their specific situations.   Wired For Energy is a production of Network Edge, with episodes produced and edited by Posterboy Media. [https://posterboymedia.com.au/] To find more information about the energy transition visit -  www.networkedge.io [www.networkedge.io]

Australia's Energy Research Investment Crisis with Dani Alexander

Dr. Greg Trainor speaks with Dani Alexander, CEO of UNSW Energy Institute, about Australia's energy research landscape and the alarming decline in R&D investment. Despite UNSW's proud legacy—including inventing the modern solar cell and vanadium redox flow battery—public energy R&D has halved over the past decade while deployment spending tripled. Dani reveals why Australia now invests just 0.03% of GDP in energy innovation compared to 0.06% a decade ago, and warns this threatens our ability to become a renewable energy innovation superpower. The conversation covers UNSW's three strategic pillars: consumer-led transformation, grid decarbonisation, and export opportunities in green commodities. Dani also discusses the Sunspot calculator, transport sector challenges, AI's double-edged impact, and why the global energy workforce shortage has become a key barrier to achieving net zero. (00:00) Introduction and UNSW Energy Institute's role (03:00) Solar legacy: PERC cells and Australia's manufacturing opportunity (20:00) Consumer focus and the Sunspot independent calculator (34:00) Investment crisis: energy R&D halved while deployment tripled (42:00) Three strategic objectives and buying into the transformation The views and opinions expressed by the guest speaker during this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer or any other organization they may be affiliated with. Our guest shares personal experiences and insights based on their individual journey, and listeners should understand that these reflections are meant for informational purposes only. Any advice or opinions presented in this podcast should not be construed as professional guidance, and individuals are encouraged to seek their own counsel regarding their specific situations.   Wired For Energy is a production of Network Edge, with episodes produced and edited by Posterboy Media. [https://posterboymedia.com.au/] To find more information about the energy transition visit -  www.networkedge.io [www.networkedge.io]

2025: Year in Review and Themes for 2026

Dr. Greg Trainor, Neil Belford, and Ben Meek reflect on the inaugural season of Wired for Energy and preview what's coming in 2026. Since launching in May 2025, the podcast has covered remarkable ground—from Jack Kotlyer at Energy Australia discussing commercial EV charging to Tim Washington at Jet Charge rolling out networks across Australia. Each guest brought unique perspectives on the energy transition, from artificial intelligence with Dave King to grid stability innovations with Mark Vincent at South Australian Power Networks, and spatial analytics breakthroughs with Nigel Barry at Intelfuse. Greg, Neil and Ben share their personal highlights from the year. Greg discusses the artificial intelligence episode and how AI will transform home energy management, business models, and network operations—though the energy industry remains characteristically slow to adopt new technology. Ben reflects on the Intelfuse episode, highlighting how Australian utilities' sparse networks drove world-leading innovation in spatial analytics, with Nigel's contrarian hypothesis that individual trees, not just canopy, interfere with power lines. Neil champions Mark Vincent's "Keeping the Lights On" episode, celebrating South Australian Power Networks' light-touch engineering approach to grid stability that used brilliant voltage management ideas rather than expensive infrastructure. Looking ahead to 2026, the team introduces seven new themes: Proof of Life (what's actually working), Digital Frontier (operations and workforce transformation), The Outsiders (innovation from adjacent industries), Social License (customer and community relationships), Government and Regulation (policy frameworks under pressure), The Horizon (academia and future vision), and Capital (infrastructure investment and funding). These themes will focus on execution over theory, examining real solutions to the challenges everyone faces in the energy transition. (02:00) Season overview and diverse guest perspectives (04:00) Greg's highlight: artificial intelligence with Dave King (10:00) Ben's highlight: spatial analytics innovation with Nigel Barry (14:00) Neil's highlight: Mark Vincent and grid stability solutions (18:00) Theme One: Proof of Life—what's actually working (20:00) Theme Two: Digital Frontier and operations transformation (22:00) Theme Three: The Outsiders bringing non-energy innovation The views and opinions expressed by the guest speaker during this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer or any other organization they may be affiliated with. Our guest shares personal experiences and insights based on their individual journey, and listeners should understand that these reflections are meant for informational purposes only. Any advice or opinions presented in this podcast should not be construed as professional guidance, and individuals are encouraged to seek their own counsel regarding their specific situations.   Wired For Energy is a production of Network Edge, with episodes produced and edited by Posterboy Media. [https://posterboymedia.com.au/] To find more information about the energy transition visit -  www.networkedge.io [www.networkedge.io]