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Carlos Garcia from Amber Electric joins Just Another Solar Podcast to break down how Australia’s wholesale electricity market really works — including negative pricing, smart energy usage, batteries, EVs, and why real-time data is becoming critical for both households and installers. We unpack the growing disconnect between traditional retail models and wholesale pricing, the challenges around transparency, and what the energy transition actually means on the ground for consumers and the trade as the grid gets more complex.

This episode is proudly brought to you by GoodWe Australia, supporting Australian solar retailers and installers with reliable inverters and energy storage solutions built for real-world conditions and backed by a strong local presence.

Just Another Solar Podcast is hosted by Luke Beattie, Karl Jensen, Nigel Morris and Jess MacPherson. It's a casual conversation that shouldn't be taken as business, financial or legal advice.

Episode chapters

1:00:00 Intro & Welcome Back

1:03:00 Industry Catch-Up After the Break

1:07:30 Customer Calls, Friends & Family

1:12:00 Solar Industry Burnout & Workload

1:14:00 Episode 100 Milestone

1:16:45 Sponsors & Installer Training

1:17:55 Introducing the Guest: Carlos Garcia

1:21:30 Amber Electric Overview

1:25:10 Wholesale Pricing Explained

1:29:45 Negative Pricing & Smart Usage

1:34:40 Real-World Energy Use Examples

1:38:10 Batteries, EVs & Load Shifting

1:42:00 Australian Solar Manufacturing

1:46:30 Data Access & Installer Trust

1:50:30 Battery Sales & Referral Concerns

1:55:10 System Efficiency & Energy Loss

1:00:00 Final Questions & Industry Warnings

1:02:10 Closing Thoughts & Thanks

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It’s the year of the battery… and everything’s on fire (mostly metaphorically).

Luke, Nigel, Jess and Karl rip into Australia’s battery boom — unpacking rebate changes, installer sign-off limits, AC vs DC battery beef, free-power price signals, and why half the country wants a home battery immediately.

Along the way they call out dodgy installs, argue about who actually owns the mess when systems break, debate whether vehicle-to-grid is finally ready (or still dreaming), question remote shutdowns, recycling, and admit — reluctantly — that every monitoring app still kind of sucks.

Plus: winners and losers for the year, Spotify Wrapped banter, EV charging confusion, free electricity windows, and some very bold predictions for 2026.

Just Another Solar Podcast is hosted by Luke Beattie, Karl Jensen, Nigel Morris and Jess MacPherson. It's a casual conversation that shouldn't be taken as business, financial or legal advice.

00:00:00 Welcome and End-of-Year Energy
00:01:14 Battery Boom Reality Check
00:02:02 Rebate Changes Explained
00:04:22 AC vs DC Battery Debate
00:05:09 Broken Systems and Blame
00:07:34 Responsibility and Ownership
00:09:19 Installer Limits and Sign-Off Rules
00:12:19 Distributor Discounts Discussion
00:15:02 The Year of the Battery
00:16:33 Electrify Everything Momentum
00:18:26 Battery Safety and Remote Shutdowns
00:19:26 Recycling and End-of-Life Challenges
00:21:09 Winners of the Year
00:22:37 Losers and Missed Opportunities
00:23:14 Vehicle-to-Grid Reality Check
00:27:08 Free Power and Tariff Signals
00:29:32 Spotify Wrapped Banter
00:32:05 Monitoring Apps and User Frustration
00:35:31 EV Charging Confusion
00:38:56 Predictions for 2026
00:42:39 Politics and Energy Narratives
00:44:26 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

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It’s been a big week in solar… and we somehow didn’t make it worse (well… not intentionally).

In this episode we unpack the latest on the Cheap Home Batteries program, including what’s changing, why it matters, and how it impacts installers, retailers, and customers chasing those “too good to be true” mega-battery deals.

Then we’re joined by Shane Jurgenstein (Sales Manager) and Gaven Xu (Pre-Sales Engineer) from GoodWe for a proper chat about what’s actually happening in the battery market right now — from the shift to all-in-one systems, backup and bypass switching, charge/discharge performance, and the realities of expanding systems over time.

Plus: Prime Minister house visits, cricket brand ambassadors (Alex Carey), the GoodWe Rewards program for installers, and a few classic JASP technical difficulties along the way.

As always: a bit of banter, a bit of chaos, and plenty of substance for anyone trying to keep up with Australia’s fastest-moving electrification market.

Just Another Solar Podcast is hosted by Luke Beattie, Karl Jensen, Nigel Morris and Jess MacPherson. It's a casual conversation that shouldn't be taken as business, financial or legal advice.

Subscribe on Spotify/YouTube so you don’t miss the final wrap-up episode for the year.

00:00:00 Welcome and Year-End Fatigue
00:01:02 Cheap Home Batteries Controversy
00:01:29 Scheme Changes Explained
00:03:04 Government Funding Boost
00:03:52 Rebate Tier Breakdown
00:05:10 Sales Tactics and Oversizing
00:06:15 Industry Impacts and Grid Benefits
00:07:15 Market Scale and Global Context
00:08:41 Christmas Season Reality Check
00:09:19 New Australian Solar Factory
00:10:45 Local Manufacturing Competition
00:12:06 Spotify Wrapped Milestones
00:13:55 Tesla Powerwall Charging Update
00:15:10 Remote Control and Consumer Rights
00:16:20 Introducing GoodWe Guests
00:17:25 Career Journeys in Solar
00:18:20 Company Growth and Culture
00:21:05 Home Energy System Setup
00:22:10 Electrification and EV Integration
00:23:00 All-In-One Battery Systems
00:24:30 Whole-Home Backup Explained
00:26:15 Battery Safety Architecture
00:28:10 Factory Tours and QA
00:30:20 Supply Chains and Stock Levels
00:31:30 Modular Batteries and Expansion
00:33:10 Battery Longevity and Upgrades
00:34:30 Fire Safety and Protection Layers
00:37:30 Sports Sponsorship Strategy
00:39:50 Cricket, Branding, and Culture
00:42:20 Future Product Roadmap
00:43:20 Commercial Storage Opportunities
00:44:30 Peak Shaving and Grid Services
00:46:00 Battery Attachment Rates Surge
00:47:45 Inverter Oversupply Challenges
00:49:55 Hybrid vs Non-Hybrid Reality
00:52:25 Market Transformation Stories
00:54:00 Final Thoughts from Guests
00:55:25 Installer Rewards Program
00:56:40 Social Media Ban Banter
00:57:20 Industry Appreciation
00:58:25 Closing Thanks and Sign-Off