Spark Club Podcast
Spark Club Podcast brings together entrepreneurs in the energy field with the shared goal of building successful energy businesses. Through fireside chats with leaders in the energy transition, host Grant McDowell facilitates discussions that draw on collective experience to support, learn from, and grow energy ventures. The show focuses on practical insights and strategies for navigating the evolving energy landscape.
Episodes
Changes to the Safeguard Mechanism - Tim Buckley -Ep76
Highlights – Minister Bowen's BYONCE for Data Centres The federal government and Energy Minister Chris Bowen have committed that data centre development approvals will be contingent on BYONCE – Bring Your Own New Clean Energy. The signs are promising –The Energy reports a consultation paper has been released by the federal government that confirmed that the Clean Energy Regulator would use the
China is Electrifying Everything - Tim Buckley - Ep75
Spark Club Podcast - Ep75 - 3rd September 2026 Highlights – CEF's field trip to China CATL, XCMG and China Hongqiao Group Tim Buckley and Matt Pollard's three highlights from their China trip in August: CATL: RD&D: CATL invested an annualised RMB22.7bn (A$2.3bn) in R&D in 1HCY2026, up 13% y-o-y, with 22,000 staff deployed in RD&D, including 700 professors, with >60,000 patent applications and
Governments step up for Tomago with $2.5B - Tim Buckley Ep74
Spark Club Podcast 14 August 2026 Highlights – The new SRES support for the missing middle C&I rooftop solar Businesses, farmers to save on solar installations under renewable energy scheme expansion Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen today addresses the National Press Club of Australia to announce that the Australian Anthony Albanese government is expanding the solar discount
The Grid Network Story - Ep73 - Stephanie Bashir
Announcing the Spark Club podcast series on the grid networks. High time for this important conversation about our Poles and Wires in Australia. And nobody better to discuss this topic than Stephanie Bashir. In this first episode in the series, the saga begins with laying out the landscape and asking the obvious question. In a regulated monopoly, where is the regulator? Thank you Stephanie
Green Steel - Now's the time for Australia - Tim Buckley Ep72
Spark Club Podcast Ep72 24th July 2026 Highlights – 'Message to the haters' AFR Headline Beyond Tim's inspirational trip to China last month to be reminded about 'China Speed, China Scale' + 'China Going Global', his favourite thing this year was seeing the AFFR headline: "'Message to the haters': Chalmers gets cover to cut diesel tax rebate" Following a campaign in the lead-up to Labor's 50th nat
Australian Delegation Witnesses China Speed, China Scale - Tim Buckley - Ep71
Tim Buckley joined the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and Renewable Energy Council Asia-Pacific (RECAP) delegation to China. Before joining the delegation, Tim travelled across China by train — a very fast trip with a friend from Hong Kong, via Chongqing. Nothing beats travelling 12 hours at 300kph across the length of this amazing country to orient himself and see some of t
Diesel Fuel Rebate Underpins BHP's Inaction - Tim Buckley - Ep70
Grant McDowell & Tim Buckley– Spark Club Podcast 27 May 2026 Highlights – ACCELERATING RENEWABLES DRIVES NEM ELECTRICITY PRICE DEFLATION Amazing to see electricity price DEFLATION being delivered in Australia in the middle of the latest fossil fuel war, with its resulting hyperinflation of global fossil fuel prices. The Australian Energy Regulator has released its final Default Market Offer (D
Silicon to Solar, Australia's Risk, Return, Reward - Oliver Hartley - Ep69
The Silicon to Solar study allowed Oliver Hartley and his colleagues assess the opportunity for Australia to play a role in the global solar PV value chain. In this Spark Club podcast Oliver shares how Australia can indeed play a meaningful role in the global solar value chain. All the right elements are there for the taking. A deep global market, big project experience and expertise, willing part
Pre-budget LNG and diesel rebate tax reform & The Green Metal Statecraft report
Highlights – The SEC Sydney conference Brilliant to see a full house standing room only for Minister Bowen's talk. Great to have >8000 attendees to the wider trade hall and >100 speakers over two days in up to 8 theatres concurrently. So many people pulling in the right direction, reinvigorating. Highlights – Fuel Tax Credit reform Whilst the Albanese government has ruled out FTC reform in next
Australia's energy crisis silver linings - Tim Buckley - Ep67
Highlights – The Business Leaders Forum at Boao, China Tim attended the Boao Forum in Hainan Island, China, joining an Australian delegation that included Oliver Yates, Frank Jotzo, Justin Punch, Jenny Selway, Geoff Brooks, Andrew Forrest and six members of the FMG green team, and Australian Ambassador to China Scott Dewar. China's stated position remains one of full commitment to electrificat
Australia missing out on China's $120b global investment blitz - Tim Buckley Ep66
Grant McDowell is in London and Tim Buckley is in Sydney recording the Spark Club Podcast on the 23rd March 2026 Highlights – Draft AER Default Market Offer Brilliant to see the Australian Energy Regulator has today flagged draft default market offer (DMO) electricity pricing down ⬇️ 1% to ⏬ 10% for residential consumers, and between ⬇️ 8% to ⏬ 21% for small business consumers The DMO sets an eff
Local Content Push - 20% for wind towers in Australia - Tim Buckley - Ep65
Grant McDowell & Tim Buckley– Spark Club Podcast 19 Feb 2026 - Hi and welcome to Spark Club podcast. I'm your host Grant McDowell. We are recording this podcast on the Garigal lands of the Eora nation and pay our respects to elders past and present. Welcome. And welcome Tim Buckley. Highlights Domestic firmed RE deployment The Clean Energy Council's 4Q2025 Investment Report demonstrates a re
Setting the Stage for 2026 - Tim Buckley Ep64
Quick 2025 retrospective We see the Climate Energy Finance's role as to provide a narrative difference to the mainstream media, and to try to leverage global / non-US developments to better inform Australia's understanding of the energy system transformation, the threats and opportunities for Australia. Our three main pillars of conversation in 2025 were; China BESS - Batteries were likely to sur
Can Australia lead the way in Green Steel? - Tim Buckley Ep63
Spark Club Podcast Ep 63 -21st Nov 2025 Hosted by Grant McDowell and guest this week, Tim Buckley Highlights BESS deployments booming Batteries are the biggest disruptive force in global energy markets in 2025. Australia becomes world's third-largest utility battery market. Rho Motion reports Grid-scale BESS market saw 12.7GWh of new capacity enter operations globally in October 2025, +29% y-o-
Al Gore says stop Australia's diesel fuel subsidy - Tim Buckley Ep62
Spark Club Podcast recorded on 31 October 2025 Highlights BESS deployments booming in Australia Batteries are the biggest disruptive force in global energy markets in 2025. Australia becomes world's third-largest utility battery market. Australia has overtaken the UK to rank behind China and the US in utility-scale battery capacity, with 14GW/37GWh of projects at or nearing financial close. Ryst
Time to Act on Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 - Killian Daly Ep61
We invited Killian Daly, CEO of Energy Tag, on to the Spark Club podcast on the 10th October. We recorded the podcast in London at an industry event. The reason for having Killian on is it's an important time for ensuring the policy settings are right for updating the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 Guidance. The discussion paper will be released next week, with a two month public consultation pe
Emissions targets are a thing. Tim Buckley Ep60
Spark Club Podcast recorded on the 3rd October 2025 Highlights China's Envision announces a green passport for wind turbines Envision Energy, announced this week that its main wind turbine has been internationally certified via the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) platform. 🔹 85–90% recyclability, maximizing circular economy potential 🔹 Supply chains on track for 100% green electricity
Is Australia a Petro State or an Electro State? Tim Buckley Ep59
Highlights China Cleantech Exports Boom Lauri Myllyvirta @CREA notes value of China's exports of clean energy technologies hit a new all-time record in July, passing the previous high from March 2023. China exported $18.4bn worth of solar and wind power equipment, EVs and batteries during the month. Australia Brazil Chamber of Commence Forum ABCC business forum in the lead up to COP30, Organis
Australia's diesel addiction problem - Tim Buckley Ep58
Highlights Adelaide Green iron conference Tim attends and presents at the WEF / Greenhouse green iron event, with almost 200 people from government, industry, think tanks and finance talking about the opportunities for green iron projects. A key need is for Australia to get a couple of proposals to FID and into construction, and this is a key opportunity should Australia win #COP31 – to announce
Will Europe Deploy, Deploy, Deploy? - Linda Romanovska Ep57
Spark Club - Linda Romanovska Introduction to Linda to provide context for the conversation Highlights Recent trip to Canberra with Climate Capital Forum International Court of Justice Opinion and the visit of Simon Stiell to Australia Lowlights The confusion and unproductive distraction cause by the "Omnibus" process – formally aimed at "simplification", but realistically is "deregulation" of c
Australia's Energy Transformation Progress - Tim Buckley Ep56
Highlights Australia's Federal Senate Disinformation inquiry ARENA award to Calix $45m Allegra Spender Productivity and Tax Roundtable Lowlights Lithium Hydroxide Refinery Write-off by IGO Main Story The Race to 82% Renewables AEMO's Quarterly Energy Dynamics 2QCY2025 Methane gas generation plays an important but small and progressively declining role 25% upscaling of the CIS Big BESS News
China's wind & solar deployment surges - Tim Buckley Ep55
Highlights Our first highlight - the Capacity Investment Scheme. South Australia's high RE % record Green Steel subsidies from South Korea US invests MP Materials a US Rare Earths materials Lowlights Labor can't seem to kick the fossil fuel habit heat pump numbers in NSW Main Story – China China's State Grid Energy Research Institute expects amazing deployment numbers EU is shifting on China Gov
Australia Needs More Wind Energy - Tim Buckley Ep54
Intro - The Resources, Energy & Industry Innovation Forum (REIIF) in Dubbo The Highlights * Tim's TED X Sydney * Net-Zero Export Target Proposal: ANU's Frank Jotzo and Annette Zou * Heavy Equipment Decarbonisation: BHP signs MoU with China's XCMG * China's Cleantech Outbound Investment (OFDI): China building cleantech infrastructure abroad (e.g., 10GWh EV battery plant in France for Renault).
China's Emissions Drop, Solar Soars - Tim Buckley Ep53
The Highlights * Labor's re-election * Bradfield recount - a celebration of the integrity of our voting system * Labor's Residential Battery Program - Minister Bowen re-commits to his election pledge of $2.3bn home and business BESS subsidy * Australia on track to see utility BESS increase 8x to 16GW by end 2027 The Lowlights * The Albanese Government approved the North West Shelf expansion. The
How to Lobby Canberra - Kylea Tink & Blair Palese Ep52
Great conversation recorded at the How to Lobby Canberra at the live Spark Club event at EnergyLab in Sydney. Thanks to Kylea (Pronounced Kylie) Tink and Blair Palese for an open and honest scorecard on how the cleantech and climate sector is performing in Canberra. The 'Shine Baby Shine' side shone on the night. The Cleantech / Climate industry has work to do in; 1. Aligning our message 2. Fun
Nuclear to cost Australian economy $4.3T - Tim Buckley - EP51
Tim Buckley joins the Spark Club regular podcast in the lead up to the Australian Federal Election on the 3rd May 2025. Highlights China 1QCY2025 electricity statistics. Battery Energy Storage BESS announcements continue at a rapid speed and scale, with proposals advancing across Australia almost daily. China's response to the US trade war Lowlights Rolled into the Main Story this week. Main S
Energy Transformation Live Event - Danny Kennedy - Ep 50
In our first Live Spark Club event for 2025 Danny Kennedy joins us to share his recent experience on the ground in Pakistan and Bangladesh where he witnessed first hand the Energy Transformation underway with rapid deployment of solar PV. Danny shares the positive effect of China's Five Year Plans and the flywheel effect of low cost solar PV, battery storage and EV's deployed in new markets. W
Australian Federal Election 2025 - Tim Buckley - Ep49
Tim Buckley joins the Spark Club regular podcast on the day the Australian Federal Election is announced for 2025. Highlights Federal election has been called this morning - for 3rd May 2025 Budget - not much climate or energy information in the budget, perhaps there's more to be announced during the election. BYD's amazing stats. Matt Pollard's oped in RenewEconomy. 120,000 R&D staff!!! EV
Australia's Strong China Relationship - Dr Zhengrong Shi Ep 48
It's great to welcome Dr Zhengrong Shi onto the Spark Club podcast. We had some time before a UNSW Fireside Chat event with Professor Martin Green and Dr Shi. We open our conversation with Dr Shi's thoughts on entrepreneurship and the six principles of what it takes to build a successful business. We discuss solar manufacturing from its infancy in China and Suntech's contribution as a cornerstone
Engie aims to invest €21-24 billion - Tim Buckley - Ep47
This week Tim shares his highlights, lowlights and main story with us starting with; Highlights Green iron report by Deloitte & WWF. The Fifth Estate forum with Matt Kean and Martijn Wilder hosted at the Greenhouse. China's massive US$11bn 19GW (85% RE) Qaidam Golmud East Desert Base Power Project. Canadian Solar's reported CY2024 BESS shipments surged 505% yoy to 6.5GWh. Engie pulls out of a Te
Whyalla Steel Works - Tim Buckley - Ep 46
This week Tim shares some good news from Canberra with the Climate Capital Forum leading a delegation to meet with politicians across the spectrum and share a positive message. Our focus this week on the South Australian State government working in partnership with the PM Anthony Albanese Federal Government to put the financially distressed Sanjeev Gupta GFG Alliance's OneSteel Manufacturing divi
China Leaps Forward - Tim Buckley - Ep45
Welcome to episode 45 of the Spark Club podcast. Tim Buckley is back to take us through our regular format of Highlights, Lowlights, The Main Story and What Coming Up. In this episode we open with good news from the Middle East as large scale solar and battery storage deployment hits new records. Tim shares news on the $2Bn Green Aluminium production tax credits, Labor's 2025 Build Australia's Fu
Solar S-Curve - Birchy - Ep44
Welcome to episode 44 of the Spark Club podcast. A large part of our conversation on this podcast is about solar PV as the engine behind the global energy transition. Traditional media still maintains solar as a rounding error, a technology in its infancy. Well the stats tell a different story, which is why I'm delighted to have Andrew Birch 'Birchy', onto the podcast. Birchy shares his start in
Accelerating the Energy Transition - Tim Buckley - Ep43
Welcome to episode 43 of the Spark Club podcast, and the 10th in our new Regular Podcast series. Tim Buckley, our regular guest is back for the final episode for 2024. In this episode we discuss the highlights and the lowlights for the week and then go onto discuss the recent Climate Energy Finance report - Australia is seeing an Acceleration in our Electricity Sector Transition, putting our 82% R
Solar PV in Australia - Renate Egan - Ep42
Welcome to episode 42 of the Spark Club podcast. This the 9th episode in our Regular Podcast series. This time we welcome Professor Renate Egan, Executive Director at the Australia Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics at UNSW to Spark Club. In this episode we discuss the discuss the opportunity for solar pv manufacturing in Australia and how UNSW remains at the leading edge of global solar innovation
The Nuclear Debate - Tim Buckley - Ep41
Welcome to episode 41 of the Spark Club podcast. And the 8th in our new Regular Podcast with Tim Buckley. In this episode we discuss the highlights and the lowlights for the week and then go onto the main story. Tim was invited by Rob Stokes and Matt Kean to a debate on nuclear at Maquarie Uni. Rob, Matt and Tim were able to shift audience opinion. Great record to point to for anyone who has a n
Green Iron Report - Tim Buckley - Ep40
This is episode 40 of the Spark Club podcast. And the 7th in our new Regular Podcast with Tim Buckley. In this episode we discuss Tim's Climate Energy Finance (CEF) report co-authored by Matt Pollard, Net Zero Transformation Analyst at CEF and Tim. Forging Australia's Green Iron Industry Letting you know we're opening the conversation to broader voices to compliment Tim. New guests will share t
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep39
This is episode 39 of the Spark Club podcast. And the 6th in our new Regular Podcast with Tim Buckley. In this episode we discuss Tim's recent trip to Japan and set the stage for Climate Energy Finance next report on Green Metal. The Spark Club Live events will continue, so stayed tuned for our next one. Enjoy the podcast.
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep38
This is episode 38 of the Spark Club podcast. And the 5th in our new Regular Podcast with Tim Buckley In this episode we discuss Tim's recent report The Green Capital Tsunami. You'll hear the genesis for the idea and how a new theme is emerging in China's approach to the global energy transition. The report is available for free at Climate Energy Finance. The Spark Club Live events will continue
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep37
This is episode 36 of the Spark Club podcast. And the 4th in our new Regular Podcast with Tim Buckley The global dynamic in the energy transition focuses on Australia, Europe or the US, with occasional reference to China. The capacity and deployment stats coming out of China are staggering, and not well reported. This Spark Club Regular podcast aims to bring balance to the conversation and be a cl
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep36
This is episode 3 of the Spark Club Regular podcast. The global dynamic in the energy transition focuses on Australia, Europe or the US, with occasional reference to China. The capacity and deployment stats coming out of China are staggering, and not well reported. The Spark Club Regular podcast aims to bring balance to the conversation and be a clear and consistent voice on global structural cha
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep35
Exciting news, we are embarking on a new chapter for Spark Club. We are adding a regular podcast into this feed. This is episode 2. The global dynamic in the energy transition focuses on Australia, Europe or the US, with occasional reference to China. The capacity and deployment stats coming out of China are staggering, and not well reported. The Spark Club Regular podcast aims to bring balance t
Tim Buckley - Regular Podcast - Ep34
Hi and welcome to the Spark Club Podcast. Spark Club podcasts are recordings from our live events, hosted in front of a Spark Club live audience. A week later, or so, we publish the recording as a podcast recording. Since 2016 the recording of our live events has worked well. The exciting news is we are embarking on a new chapter for Spark Club. We are adding a regular podcast into this feed. If
How PERC Changed the World
Hi and welcome to the Spark Club podcast. In this podcast, How PERC changed the World, we'll hear from Professor Martin Green from UNSW and how he and his team invented the PERC solar cell. PERC's global success has unlocked the lowest cost of energy in history. We'll hear the back story from Martin and then hear what the future holds for SPREE at UNSW from Professor Renate Egan. A truly amazing s
US State Dept - What's Next for Climate
In 2023 Australia and the United States have taken strong action on climate to accelerate the transition to a global clean energy economy. In May, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese jointly declared that climate and clean energy are the third pillar of the U.S.-Australia alliance. The Australia-United States Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact commits our
Energy Transition Tsunami - David Roberts & Saul Griffith
It's an exciting time in cleantech as global macro trends, decarbonisation ambitions and public investment transform the energy sector. Which is why it was a great opportunity to host David Roberts from the Volts Podcast and Saul Griffith from Rewiring America and Rewiring Australia in front of a live Spark Club audience at Fishburners in Sydney in August 2023. In this robust conversation, David
Infravision - Drones for Transmission + Danny Kennedy
Infravision co-founder and CEO Cameron Van Der Berg believes technology will play a vital role in revolutionising high voltage grid transmission lines. Infravision set out to drag a traditional slow moving trillion dollar transmission industry into the future, by using drones to string. Cameron and his team are innovating by partnering with progressive grids, moving the industry forward, faster, c
Verge22 - USA is Turning ON - Podcast
In this Spark Club podcast we'll hear how United States is turning on. I recorded interviews in the last week October at the Verge22, the largest climate tech conference in North America held in San Jose California. Climate tech bucking the investment trend and the Binden Administration unlocking an enormous amount of government funding. We'll hear an opening address from Secretary Granholm and t
Lithium Battery Ecosystem Podcast
In this Spark Club podcast, recorded live at EnergyLab in June 2022, we shine a light on the Lithium Battery sector. Australian raw materials are playing a key role in this vital industry in the energy transition, but can we do more? We have an amazing panel, Danny Kennedy from New Energy Nexus, Katja Digweed from the CSIRO, Mark Chilcote CEO at Energy Renaissance and Christiaan Jordaan from Sicon
Independent Energy Event
In this election Spark Club podcast we are joined by three leading Independent candidates for the up and coming Federal election on the 21st of May 2022. Allegra Spender from Wentworth, Kylea Tink from North Sydney and Georgia Steele from Hughes join Saul Griffith and I on stage for a conversation on the key issues on energy and the opportunity the clean energy transition holds for Australia in jo
The Big Switch Event - Saul Griffith
In this exciting Spark Club podcast Saul Griffith is back. He joined us live at Fishburners in Sydney to discuss his new book, The Big Switch. The energy transition is moving at a clip and so is Saul as breaks his new big idea which you'll hear on the podcast. It was a great event and I'd like to thank Young Henrys for sponsoring the beer.
FFS Event - Danny Kennedy & Saul Griffith
This is a particularly exciting Spark Club podcast as Danny Kennedy and Saul Griffith join us live at Fishburners to share their views on the future of the electrification of everything. We cover the big levers needed to deliver bold ambitions in reducing carbon emissions. Wartime language helps describe the urgency and scale of the challenge to electrify everything with the message of jobs, jobs,
Demand Response Event - Marija Petkovic
Spark Club is hosting Live Events again! We will hear from Marija Petkovic from Energy Synapse about the Demand Response rule change to come in on the 24th October 2021. Grant McDowell interviews Marija to explore the global context for Demand Response and the impact the rule change will have on commercial industrial electricity consumers, retailers and aggregators entering the market. This is a f
OpenSolar - Maaike Gobel
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. This is program seven in the series with my conversation with Maaike
David Morgan - Iron Matrix
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. This is program six in the series with my conversation with David Mo
Fulcrum3D - Jo Hume
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. This is program five in the series with my conversation with Jo Hume
Energy Renaissance - Mark Chilcote
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. Our four conversation in the series is with Mark Chilcote from Energ
MGA Thermal - Alex Post - Export Series
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell interviews founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. This is our third conversation in the series with Alex Post from MGA Thermal.
Enosi - Steve Hoy - Export Series
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets.
SwitchDin - Andrew Mears - Export Series
Welcome to the Spark Club Export Podcast series. In this export series Grant McDowell will be interviewing founders and leaders from seven energy tech companies based in Australia. We'll hear the back story on how they got started, what problems they aim to solve and what the future holds, here in Australia and in global markets. We kick off the with the first conversation with Andrew Mears from S
Mega Trends & Big Levers - Andrew Birch - OpenSolar
In mid-March this year, just days before lockdown in Australia, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Birchy, as he's known, to talk about what he's been building at OpenSolar and SolarApp. In our conversation Birchy shares his views on the mega trends in energy and the work he's doing on the big levers with the objective to bring about big change in the energy transition. Birchy and his team
5 Minute Settlement Event Podcast
How our world has changed in a simple matter of weeks. On the 4th March 2020 the Spark Club community came together at EnergyLab in Sydney to hear a panel discussion on the biggest rule change in the Australian electricity market in decades. We are now in a new world and the impacts have stretched to include the 5 minute rule change start date. In this podcast you'll hear a broad consensus that th
Raising Capital Masterclass - Fiona Waterhouse - Utilitas
We sat down for a live Fireside chat with Fiona Waterhouse, founder and CEO of Utilitas, to learn about what it takes to be a startup founder in the energy sector. We discuss Fiona's early life and this formative time was instrumental in building the resilience she would need as a startup founder. We also discuss Fiona's Four M's to raising finance. And I recommend listening through to the end whe
Let's Raise $1 Billion - Glenn Platt - CSIRO
At Spark Club we believe Australia can take our natural advantage in Energy Tech and do the same. Glenn Platt from CSIRO joins us for the Fireside Chat and then the panel shares the stage. Glenn story provides an insight to the challenges in energy, the importance of the work given climate change and a foundation to the panel conversation. Darren Miller, Jon Jutsen and Marten Duursma come up o
Raising Money in Energy Tech
Energy Tech startup funding Raising investment for a Startup in the energy tech sector is challenging and demands a dynamic approach. Kyle Bolto brings a fresh perspective to the energy sector and with it a unique approach to raising investment. Kyle shares fantastic lessons learned as an industry outsider with experience in the way Silicon Valley sees the world. An absolute must podcast for en
100% Renewables - Is California Dreaming
California has set a bold target of powering its electricity grid with 100% renewables. The Californian Assembly passed the historic SB100 bill in August last year setting the Golden State on an ambitious decarbonising journey. SB100 has an initial milestone of 60% by 2030 with the objective of carbon free electricity generation by 2045. We've invited Danny Kennedy from the Californian Clean E
Battle of the Batteries - Dr Lachlan Blackhall & Colin Gillam
The Battle of the Batteries event was recorded on the 26th September 2018, just ten months after the Tesla big battery was installed at Hornsdale in South Australia. Spark Club thought it timely to hear from the experts on this fast changing technology. We invited Lachlan BlackHall from ANU in Canberra to represent the Lithium ion technology and Colin Gillam from RedT Energy to represent Flow batt
Taking our Energy Tech Global - Murray Hogarth
Today we're with Murray Hogarth from Wattwatchers sharing his experience competing in two European Energy Tech competitions, Free Electrons in Lisbon and Start up Energy Transition in Berlin. Murray talks openly about the Wattwatchers start up journey sharing lesson learned along the way. Interestingly, returns from Europe with a new found appreciation for Australian networks as their preparednes
Communications for Start-ups - Jonathan Englert
Jonathan Englert was inspired by the founders journey and how critical communications is in shaping the start-up destiny. The lines between marketing and communications can be blurred which is why I invited Jonathan Englert onto the podcast to discuss communications and the book he co-authored, No Dead Monkeys. Jonathan helps draw the lines between marketing and communications and shares some of h
ClimateLaunchPad - Chris Lee from ClimateKIC
ClimateKIC are running the ClimateLaunchPad program, deadline is the end of May 2018. In this short podcast Chris Lee introduces the program, how Australia fits into the global context and provides the detail on the application and the process. The competition is open to any Australian resident – being a start-up, SME, researcher, student, public organisation, consultant or anyone else with an in
Sales and Marketing - Jo Stevens Kramer and Sidney Minassian
Our Sales and Marketing podcast brings two leading lights to the stage for our Fireside Chat in March 2018. Both speakers draw on deep experience during the tech boom in Silicon Valley and are applying lessons learned here in Australia. Spark Club Members and Elders will learn key Sales and Marketing insights from Joanna and Sidney. More importantly we will learn and how the Silicon Valley ecosyst
Matt Hale - Blockchain in Energy
Blockchain is coming to energy at hyper speed. In the podcast Grant McDowell interviews Matt Hale as he unpacks the fundamentals of blockchain specific to energy. The podcast is a great entry point for blockchain in energy, both here in Australia and in other global energy markets.
Danny Kennedy - Startup Ecosystems
Danny Kennedy is Managing Director at California Clean Energy Fund and is at the centre of energy disruption. Grant McDowell has 'hallway' discussion with Danny about the clean tech startup scene in the US and Australia and how they compare.
Ulric Ferner - Right Click Capital Ep 3
In our third Fireside Chat Grant McDowell interviews Ulric Ferner. Ulric shares his own journey from entrepreneur at MIT in Boston to VC with Right Click Capital here in Sydney. Ulric sees energy tech start-ups from a unique vantage point and shares key insights for clean tech entrepreneurs.
Paul Fox - Silicon Valley to New Energy Ep 2
In the second episode of the Spark Club podcast series, Spark Club co-founder Grant McDowell interviews Paul Fox, investor, strategist, business builder, technologist. Paul offers great insight through his time spent in Silicon Valley and then back here in Australia working at AGL New Energy. Paul shares invaluable lessons learned along the way and a rare glimpse into how the big players see the
Stefan Jarnason - Solar Analytics Ep 1
In the first episode of the Spark Club podcast series, Spark Club co-founder Grant McDowell interviews CEO of Solar Analytics, Stefan Jarnason. Grant asks the questions that every entrepreneur ponders, giving Stefan an opportunity to share his knowledge in navigating the difficulties in establishing a startup, and overcoming the common challenges faced by entrepreneurs in this space. He also discu
