S3E11 – 2026 Excellence Awards Finalists

In this episode of Solar Sidekicks, Pat and Lauren are back on the podcast stage at the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney for a busy day one wrap-up.

We kick things off with a quick chat with Australian wicketkeeper and GoodWe ambassador Alex Carey, talking cricket, climate, family, and why he has put his name behind renewable energy.

Then we catch up with a stack of 2026 Smart Energy Excellence Awards finalists, including:

Springers Solar

PowerPlus Energy

Smart Commercial Energy

AC Solar Warehouse

FranklinWH

And our very own Lauren O’Neill, finalist for Emerging Leader

There are plenty of laughs, a few awards-night nerves, some great stories about company culture, innovation, training, Australian manufacturing, and what it means to give back to the solar and battery industry.

We also send a big shout-out to Luke Beattie, who is taking on a serious health fight with the strength and positivity the industry knows him for.

A fun, heartfelt, and slightly chaotic conference episode from the Solar Sidekicks podcast stage.