S01E1: Lessons From Australia’s Energy Transformation
To kick off The OpenSolar Podcast, CEO and Co-founder Birchy sat down with Nigel Morris, a veteran of the Australian solar industry and long-time advocate for clean energy.
In a conversation spanning decades of experience, Morris shared reflections on Australia’s journey, lessons for global markets, and the coming wave of battery-led transformation.
Also available to stream on Apple and Spotify.
How a nuclear accident sparked a career in solar energy
Nigel Morris’s journey into solar energy began in an unexpected way. While backpacking through Germany in the 1980s, he and his girlfriend came across a tomato stand with a warning: some of the produce might be radioactive. It was shortly after the Chernobyl disaster.
That moment struck a chord. For the first time, energy wasn’t just an abstract concept — it had a cost, and it could affect people’s lives in immediate, tangible ways. That realisation stayed with him and eventually became the foundation for a career committed to safer, decentralised clean energy.
What Australia’s early solar industry looked like in the 1990s
In 1992, Morris began working with Rainbow Power Company, one of Australia’s earliest off-grid solar pioneers. At that time, grid-connected solar was virtually unheard of.
He later joined BP Solar, helping to build early scalable models and navigate the policy landscape. At BP’s small manufacturing facility, teams hand-soldered panels, producing roughly 25 megawatts per year — a significant number when the global solar market totalled less than 200 megawatts.
How Australia scaled solar power through smart policy and simplicity
Australia’s success wasn’t accidental. Smart policy and local agility played a defining role.
The early feed-in tariffs made solar financially viable. Just as crucial was the ability to act quickly. In Australia, solar systems can often be sold and installed within days — unlike the months-long permitting process common in markets like the United States.
This speed, combined with a decentralised network of small businesses, fuelled explosive growth. From just a few dozen companies in the 1990s, the Australian solar sector now includes over 7,000 active businesses, the majority locally owned and servicing regional communities.
As a result, nearly one in three Australian homes has rooftop solar — one of the highest rates globally.
Why Australia’s battery rebate scheme is a game changer
Now, Australia is preparing for the next wave: batteries. The government’s new national support scheme provides between 30 and 50 per cent off battery installations, via a tradable certificate — the same model that helped solar go mainstream.
There is no cap, and projections suggest more than one million batteries will be installed in the next five years. Nigel predicts 250,000 installs in just the next year alone — and has bet a carton of beer on it.
Interestingly, much of the demand is coming from households that already have solar. With more than five million solar homes in Australia, retrofitting batteries has quickly become the fastest-growing segment. Even before the rebate takes effect on 1 July, some installers are already taking deposits and scheduling systems to qualify as soon as the scheme launches.
How battery storage and smart software will transform the grid
Batteries are not just a way to store energy. Increasingly, they’re part of a much smarter system.
Software platforms now let households control when to buy, sell, or use power — automating decisions based on energy prices, grid demand, and usage patterns. This orchestration goes beyond batteries, routing excess solar to electric vehicles, hot water systems, or other loads to reduce waste and boost savings.
And Nigel would know — he currently works with a company developing exactly this kind of platform.
What the US and Europe can learn from Australia’s solar success
There are clear lessons in Australia’s experience for other solar markets.
In the United States, the average cost of a residential solar system is over $3.70 per watt — more than three times Australia. That difference is caused by regulatory complexity, soft costs and red tape.
Australia has shown that when the process is streamlined, solar can scale rapidly. Installers don’t have to wait months for approvals. Standards are national, and incentives are transparent. Equipment can be sourced globally without punitive tariffs.
According to Birchy and Morris, if international markets want to grow solar adoption, they need to embrace this same mix of fast install times, small-business-driven growth, and globally priced technology.
How Australia is reaching 100% rooftop solar penetration
The results speak for themselves. In South Australia, distributed rooftop solar regularly meets more than 100 per cent of local demand during the day — and excess is exported to the wider grid.
Some postcodes have reached full rooftop penetration. The state has not collapsed under the pressure. Instead, it has developed some of the most advanced dynamic solar regulations in the world, allowing for real-time curtailment and grid balancing when needed.
The integration of solar, batteries, EVs and software is creating a modern, flexible energy network.
Why global solar leaders should visit Australia
As the episode wrapped, Morris extended an open invitation. Policymakers, regulators and solar professionals from around the world are welcome to visit Australia, see the system in action, and share a cold drink by the beach.
It’s more than hospitality — it’s a demonstration of what’s possible when solar is done right. Clear rules, fair incentives and fast processes that support deployment and unlock transformation.
Australia has already shown the world what a distributed, intelligent clean energy future can look like. The challenge now is who’s willing to follow.