Everything Electric Podcast – Australia’s Renewable Revolution & the EV Boom

Host: Robert Llewellyn
Guest: Giles Parkinson (Founder/Editor of The Driven & Renew Economy)
Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively, data-rich episode dives into the rapid transformation of Australia’s energy and transportation landscape, focusing on home battery grants, Australia’s leadership in rooftop solar, progress with large-scale storage projects, the electrification of heavy industry, and the unique character of the Aussie EV market. Robert Llewellyn and Giles Parkinson unpick the big trends, celebrate ambitious innovations, and share a few light-hearted anecdotes from the road.

Key Topics & Insights

Life on the Road, Tasmania’s Giants, and the Aussie Climate

[00:10–04:00]

Robert and Giles open with banter about the vast geography of Australia and travel highlights, including the surprise of chilly weather in Tasmania and the magnificent native forests.
Discussion about Tasmania’s enormous ‘regnan’ trees, which can be up to 1000 years old, and the threat of ongoing logging for wood chips.
- Quote (Giles, 04:00):
  "There's some bastards still want to chop them down...for wood chips of all things. Wood chips!"

Home Battery Boom & The "Solar Duck Curve"

[04:17–08:43]

Massive uptake in home battery installation, spurred by government rebates—130,000 installed in 5 months, up to 1,000/day, faster than industry can meet demand.
Australia leads the world in rooftop solar—some states have panels on 1 in 2 houses.
Result: The “duck curve”—midday solar overproduction drops grid demand below zero, requiring new models.
Storage (home & large-scale batteries) smooths supply and demand by soaking up excess daytime generation for use in the evening.
Federal policy: Retailers are now incentivized to offer “three hours of free solar” midday to shift appliance and EV charging to times of excess supply.
Quote (Giles, 08:16):
"By storing it in the battery...now it's going to start eating the dinner of the coal-fired power stations."

Grid Transformation: Distributed Storage & Two-Way Flows

[11:02–12:49]

Distributed home batteries are helping to solve challenges of a "stringy," coast-oriented Australian grid.
Utilities feared solar and batteries would destabilize the grid, but have found it increases resilience.
Energy industry is embracing this paradigm, even as politicians lag behind.
Quote (Giles, 12:06):
"The more we do it, the better, because it builds up resilience."

Storage Innovations: Repurposed Gold Mines, Compressed Air & Gravity

[12:49–18:27]

Creative large-scale storage projects include:
- Repurposing a gold mine in Queensland for pumped hydro (using water stored in old pits to generate power).
- Compressed air storage in an old zinc mine in Broken Hill.
- Experimental gravity energy storage (using weights in mine shafts), with challenges around practicality.
These unconventional ideas reflect how the energy transition is spurring new solutions.
Quote (Robert, 18:11):
“Those essentially daft ideas have come about because the whole energy system has shifted.”

The Pilbara: Electrifying the World’s Biggest Iron Mines

[18:27–24:15]

The Pilbara is the heart of Australia’s iron ore industry and a hotspot for heavy EV innovation.
Fortescue, led by Andrew Forrest, pledges "real zero" by 2030:
- Shifting from current 1% to 100% renewables and electrifying 400 ultra-heavy mining trucks (each with 18 MWh/44-ton batteries).
- Building massive solar/wind farms to power operations.
Emissions savings and self-sufficiency: Fortescue alone uses nearly 1 billion litres of diesel yearly.
Contrasts among mining giants: Fortescue goes fast; BHP/Rio Tinto cautious; Gina Rinehart remains a climate skeptic.
Quote (Giles, 21:23): "If he can get to real zero or even get close...it's going to be a bit of a game changer for the discussion about what's possible and what's not."

Renewable Megaprojects and Unusual Resistance

[25:43–26:17]

Remote regions allow huge wind/solar installations without much local opposition, but distant critics still object.
Quote (Giles, 25:45):
"Never underestimate the ability of a complete person to complain about wind turbines."

EV Utes Hit the Mainstream

[26:51–29:59]

The “ute” (pickup) market is the last great EV frontier in Australia; the BYD Shark plug-in hybrid is a popular step.
Australians prefer hybrids due to charger anxiety, but rising offerings (including promises from Toyota for a fully electric Hilux) point to rapid change.
Australia’s public charging infrastructure vastly lags the UK (4,000 points vs. UK’s 86,798), but home charging and long driving ranges offset the need.
Quote (Giles, 27:21):
"The big part of the new car market in Australia is everyone seems to want to drive a ute..."

Global Comparisons, Charging Anxiety & EV Fines

[31:22–36:53]

China is referenced as the international benchmark for public charger roll-out: 4 million DC fast chargers!
Australia’s network is improving, but range/charger anxiety and “icing” (ICE vehicles blocking EV bays) remain issues.
Strict fines (in the UK) have helped address ICE parking abuse at charging stations.

Biomass Controversy & Tasmania’s Eco-Ferry

[31:53–35:43]

Tasmania pioneers electric ferries; however, a controversial move to power some ferries with methanol derived from native wood chips angers environmentalists.
Burning ancient trees for “renewable” ship fuel is “heartbreaking" and environmentally questionable.
Quote (Giles, 34:03): "They're proposing using wood waste—which in Tasmania essentially means wood chips from native forests...it's just ridiculous."

COP31, Fossil Fuel Lobbies & Australian Politics

[37:10–41:00]

Australia’s unsuccessful bid to host COP31; event will be in Turkey, but Australia will play a key negotiation role.
Frustration at global climate summits’ susceptibility to fossil fuel lobbying and consensus-based inertia.
Personal stories from past COPs highlight their scale and diversity—and the exhaustion that comes with political gridlock.
Quote (Giles, 39:23): "Everything has to be done by consensus. So you can get 193 countries agreeing and you get one saying, ‘I don’t agree’..."

Queensland Politics: The Return of Coal?

[42:18–49:06]

Political stories: A controversial new Queensland minister (notoriously anti-renewables) is cancelling large wind projects with pride.
Economic reality: Companies like Rio Tinto are pushing for renewables to save cost and secure their future.
Despite being the "youngest" coal fleet, breakdowns and reliability issues continue.
Quote (Giles, 45:54):
"You've got this new government saying: No, we can't do that, we must go back to coal."

State of the EV Market: China Dominates, Prices Drop

[49:58–54:43]

Overall EV sales growth plateauing—mostly due to Tesla stagnation and lack of new models.
Chinese brands exploding onto the market with affordable, high-quality models; this is unique since other nations (e.g., EU, US) block Chinese imports.
Increasing options: Over 100 EV models now available, some < $25,000 AUD.
Australian EV prices often much lower than equivalent UK right-hand-drive models.
Public perception catching up to the new quality of Chinese EVs.
Quote (Robert, 53:42): “Those cars are beautifully made... The level of sophistication, the quality of the build, the bodywork, the ride, handling... is state of the art.”

Innovations to Watch

[55:16–59:03]

Giles is excited about:
- Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) potential: Bi-directional charging, grid support, and new economic models for energy homeowners.
- Large hybrid solar-battery installations, allowing solar to be stored and released into the grid after dark.
- Western Australia leading the way with its isolated grid hitting 89% renewables at peak times.
Small, off-grid mines run at 90% renewables with solar, wind, batteries, and diesel backup.
Quote (Giles, 58:00):
"This is the biggest isolated grid in the world—89% renewables at times."

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Giles Parkinson [04:00]:
"There's some bastards still want to chop them down...for wood chips of all things."
Giles Parkinson [08:16]:
"...now it's going to start eating the dinner of the coal-fired power stations."
Giles Parkinson [12:06]:
"The more we do it, the better, because it builds up resilience."
Giles Parkinson [21:23]:
"If he can get to real zero or even get close...it's going to be a bit of a game changer."
Giles Parkinson [34:03]:
"They're proposing using wood waste—which in Tasmania essentially means wood chips from native forests...it's just ridiculous."
Giles Parkinson [45:54]:
"You've got this new government saying: No, we can't do that, we must go back to coal."
Giles Parkinson [58:00]:
"This is the biggest isolated grid in the world—89% renewables at times."

Timestamps by Section

| Segment | Start | End | |----------------------------------|----------|----------| | Introduction, Tasmania Trees | 00:10 | 04:17 | | Home Batteries / Solar Duck | 04:17 | 08:43 | | Grid/Distributed Storage | 11:02 | 12:49 | | Storage Innovations (Pumped etc) | 12:49 | 18:27 | | The Pilbara - Mega EV Trucks | 18:27 | 24:15 | | Wind Opposition | 25:43 | 26:17 | | Utes, BYD Shark, Plug-in Hybrids | 26:51 | 29:59 | | Charging, China Comparisons | 31:22 | 36:53 | | Biomass Eco-Ferry | 31:53 | 35:43 | | COP31 & International Politics | 37:10 | 41:00 | | Queensland/Coal Politics | 42:18 | 49:06 | | EV Market Trends | 49:58 | 54:43 | | Innovations to Watch | 55:16 | 59:03 | | Farewell | 59:03 | 59:48 |

Tone & Style

Informative, witty, irreverent, and energetic
Data-rich, but always accessible
Sprinkled with personal anecdotes and gentle humor

Final Thoughts

The episode sketches a picture of an Australian renewables revolution facing logistical bottlenecks, political hurdles, and some old-world resistance, yet surging ahead thanks to sunny economics, ambitious innovators, and ever-cheaper technology. Listeners come away understanding both Australia's unique challenges and its global leadership potential—whether it's running mega-mines on solar, rewiring the national grid one home battery at a time, or bringing new EV dreams to the outback.

Everything Electric Podcast – Australia’s Renewable Revolution & the EV Boom

Host: Robert Llewellyn
Guest: Giles Parkinson (Founder/Editor of The Driven & Renew Economy)
Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

Life on the Road, Tasmania’s Giants, and the Aussie Climate

[00:10–04:00]

Robert and Giles open with banter about the vast geography of Australia and travel highlights, including the surprise of chilly weather in Tasmania and the magnificent native forests.
Discussion about Tasmania’s enormous ‘regnan’ trees, which can be up to 1000 years old, and the threat of ongoing logging for wood chips.
- Quote (Giles, 04:00):
  "There's some bastards still want to chop them down...for wood chips of all things. Wood chips!"

Home Battery Boom & The "Solar Duck Curve"

[04:17–08:43]

Massive uptake in home battery installation, spurred by government rebates—130,000 installed in 5 months, up to 1,000/day, faster than industry can meet demand.
Australia leads the world in rooftop solar—some states have panels on 1 in 2 houses.
Result: The “duck curve”—midday solar overproduction drops grid demand below zero, requiring new models.
Storage (home & large-scale batteries) smooths supply and demand by soaking up excess daytime generation for use in the evening.
Federal policy: Retailers are now incentivized to offer “three hours of free solar” midday to shift appliance and EV charging to times of excess supply.
Quote (Giles, 08:16):
"By storing it in the battery...now it's going to start eating the dinner of the coal-fired power stations."

Grid Transformation: Distributed Storage & Two-Way Flows

[11:02–12:49]

Distributed home batteries are helping to solve challenges of a "stringy," coast-oriented Australian grid.
Utilities feared solar and batteries would destabilize the grid, but have found it increases resilience.
Energy industry is embracing this paradigm, even as politicians lag behind.
Quote (Giles, 12:06):
"The more we do it, the better, because it builds up resilience."

Storage Innovations: Repurposed Gold Mines, Compressed Air & Gravity

[12:49–18:27]

Creative large-scale storage projects include:
- Repurposing a gold mine in Queensland for pumped hydro (using water stored in old pits to generate power).
- Compressed air storage in an old zinc mine in Broken Hill.
- Experimental gravity energy storage (using weights in mine shafts), with challenges around practicality.
These unconventional ideas reflect how the energy transition is spurring new solutions.
Quote (Robert, 18:11):
“Those essentially daft ideas have come about because the whole energy system has shifted.”

The Pilbara: Electrifying the World’s Biggest Iron Mines

[18:27–24:15]

The Pilbara is the heart of Australia’s iron ore industry and a hotspot for heavy EV innovation.
Fortescue, led by Andrew Forrest, pledges "real zero" by 2030:
- Shifting from current 1% to 100% renewables and electrifying 400 ultra-heavy mining trucks (each with 18 MWh/44-ton batteries).
- Building massive solar/wind farms to power operations.
Emissions savings and self-sufficiency: Fortescue alone uses nearly 1 billion litres of diesel yearly.
Contrasts among mining giants: Fortescue goes fast; BHP/Rio Tinto cautious; Gina Rinehart remains a climate skeptic.
Quote (Giles, 21:23): "If he can get to real zero or even get close...it's going to be a bit of a game changer for the discussion about what's possible and what's not."

Renewable Megaprojects and Unusual Resistance

[25:43–26:17]

Remote regions allow huge wind/solar installations without much local opposition, but distant critics still object.
Quote (Giles, 25:45):
"Never underestimate the ability of a complete person to complain about wind turbines."

EV Utes Hit the Mainstream

[26:51–29:59]

The “ute” (pickup) market is the last great EV frontier in Australia; the BYD Shark plug-in hybrid is a popular step.
Australians prefer hybrids due to charger anxiety, but rising offerings (including promises from Toyota for a fully electric Hilux) point to rapid change.
Australia’s public charging infrastructure vastly lags the UK (4,000 points vs. UK’s 86,798), but home charging and long driving ranges offset the need.
Quote (Giles, 27:21):
"The big part of the new car market in Australia is everyone seems to want to drive a ute..."

Global Comparisons, Charging Anxiety & EV Fines

[31:22–36:53]

China is referenced as the international benchmark for public charger roll-out: 4 million DC fast chargers!
Australia’s network is improving, but range/charger anxiety and “icing” (ICE vehicles blocking EV bays) remain issues.
Strict fines (in the UK) have helped address ICE parking abuse at charging stations.

Biomass Controversy & Tasmania’s Eco-Ferry

[31:53–35:43]

Tasmania pioneers electric ferries; however, a controversial move to power some ferries with methanol derived from native wood chips angers environmentalists.
Burning ancient trees for “renewable” ship fuel is “heartbreaking" and environmentally questionable.
Quote (Giles, 34:03): "They're proposing using wood waste—which in Tasmania essentially means wood chips from native forests...it's just ridiculous."

COP31, Fossil Fuel Lobbies & Australian Politics

[37:10–41:00]

Australia’s unsuccessful bid to host COP31; event will be in Turkey, but Australia will play a key negotiation role.
Frustration at global climate summits’ susceptibility to fossil fuel lobbying and consensus-based inertia.
Personal stories from past COPs highlight their scale and diversity—and the exhaustion that comes with political gridlock.
Quote (Giles, 39:23): "Everything has to be done by consensus. So you can get 193 countries agreeing and you get one saying, ‘I don’t agree’..."

Queensland Politics: The Return of Coal?

[42:18–49:06]

Political stories: A controversial new Queensland minister (notoriously anti-renewables) is cancelling large wind projects with pride.
Economic reality: Companies like Rio Tinto are pushing for renewables to save cost and secure their future.
Despite being the "youngest" coal fleet, breakdowns and reliability issues continue.
Quote (Giles, 45:54):
"You've got this new government saying: No, we can't do that, we must go back to coal."

State of the EV Market: China Dominates, Prices Drop

[49:58–54:43]

Overall EV sales growth plateauing—mostly due to Tesla stagnation and lack of new models.
Chinese brands exploding onto the market with affordable, high-quality models; this is unique since other nations (e.g., EU, US) block Chinese imports.
Increasing options: Over 100 EV models now available, some < $25,000 AUD.
Australian EV prices often much lower than equivalent UK right-hand-drive models.
Public perception catching up to the new quality of Chinese EVs.
Quote (Robert, 53:42): “Those cars are beautifully made... The level of sophistication, the quality of the build, the bodywork, the ride, handling... is state of the art.”

Innovations to Watch

[55:16–59:03]

Giles is excited about:
- Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) potential: Bi-directional charging, grid support, and new economic models for energy homeowners.
- Large hybrid solar-battery installations, allowing solar to be stored and released into the grid after dark.
- Western Australia leading the way with its isolated grid hitting 89% renewables at peak times.
Small, off-grid mines run at 90% renewables with solar, wind, batteries, and diesel backup.
Quote (Giles, 58:00):
"This is the biggest isolated grid in the world—89% renewables at times."

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Giles Parkinson [04:00]:
"There's some bastards still want to chop them down...for wood chips of all things."
Giles Parkinson [08:16]:
"...now it's going to start eating the dinner of the coal-fired power stations."
Giles Parkinson [12:06]:
"The more we do it, the better, because it builds up resilience."
Giles Parkinson [21:23]:
"If he can get to real zero or even get close...it's going to be a bit of a game changer."
Giles Parkinson [34:03]:
"They're proposing using wood waste—which in Tasmania essentially means wood chips from native forests...it's just ridiculous."
Giles Parkinson [45:54]:
"You've got this new government saying: No, we can't do that, we must go back to coal."
Giles Parkinson [58:00]:
"This is the biggest isolated grid in the world—89% renewables at times."

Timestamps by Section

Tone & Style

Informative, witty, irreverent, and energetic
Data-rich, but always accessible
Sprinkled with personal anecdotes and gentle humor

Australia's Renewable Revolution & the EV Boom — with Giles Parkinson

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Everything Electric Podcast – Australia’s Renewable Revolution & the EV Boom

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

Life on the Road, Tasmania’s Giants, and the Aussie Climate

Home Battery Boom & The "Solar Duck Curve"

Grid Transformation: Distributed Storage & Two-Way Flows

Storage Innovations: Repurposed Gold Mines, Compressed Air & Gravity

The Pilbara: Electrifying the World’s Biggest Iron Mines

Renewable Megaprojects and Unusual Resistance

EV Utes Hit the Mainstream

Global Comparisons, Charging Anxiety & EV Fines

Biomass Controversy & Tasmania’s Eco-Ferry

COP31, Fossil Fuel Lobbies & Australian Politics

Queensland Politics: The Return of Coal?

State of the EV Market: China Dominates, Prices Drop

Innovations to Watch

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Timestamps by Section

Tone & Style

Final Thoughts

Summary

Everything Electric Podcast – Australia’s Renewable Revolution & the EV Boom

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

Life on the Road, Tasmania’s Giants, and the Aussie Climate

Home Battery Boom & The "Solar Duck Curve"

Grid Transformation: Distributed Storage & Two-Way Flows

Storage Innovations: Repurposed Gold Mines, Compressed Air & Gravity

The Pilbara: Electrifying the World’s Biggest Iron Mines

Renewable Megaprojects and Unusual Resistance

EV Utes Hit the Mainstream

Global Comparisons, Charging Anxiety & EV Fines

Biomass Controversy & Tasmania’s Eco-Ferry

COP31, Fossil Fuel Lobbies & Australian Politics

Queensland Politics: The Return of Coal?

State of the EV Market: China Dominates, Prices Drop

Innovations to Watch

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Timestamps by Section

Tone & Style

Final Thoughts