The Fuel: Funding, Capital & M&A Episodes
Ideas are free, but infrastructure is expensive. How is the transition being paid for, from early-stage VC to massive infrastructure project finance.
The Capital Stack & Investment Landscape.
* Venture & Private Equity: Where is the "smart money" flowing? Which startups are getting funded and why?
* The "Valley of Death": The specific challenge of moving from a Series A tech pilot to bankable infrastructure project finance.
* Consolidation & Exits: Who is buying whom? (e.g., Gentailers acquiring tech platforms/VPPs) and what that signals for the market.
* Green Finance: How ESG mandates are actually changing lending criteria for energy assets.
The Capital Stack & Investment Landscape.
* Venture & Private Equity: Where is the "smart money" flowing? Which startups are getting funded and why?
* The "Valley of Death": The specific challenge of moving from a Series A tech pilot to bankable infrastructure project finance.
* Consolidation & Exits: Who is buying whom? (e.g., Gentailers acquiring tech platforms/VPPs) and what that signals for the market.
* Green Finance: How ESG mandates are actually changing lending criteria for energy assets.
18
Dec. 17, 2025
2025: Year in Review and Themes for 2026
Dr. Greg Trainor, Neil Belford, and Ben Meek reflect on the inaugural season of Wired for Energy and preview what's coming in 2026. Since launching in May 2025, the podcast has covered remarkable ground—from Jack Kotlyer at Energy Australia discussing commercial EV charging to Tim Washington at Jet Charge rolling out networks across Australia. Each guest brought unique perspectives on the energy transition, from artificial intelligence with Dave King to grid stability innovations with Mark Vincent at South Australian Power Networks, and spatial analytics breakthroughs with Nigel Barry at Intelfuse. Looking ahead to 2026, the team introduces seven new themes: - Proof of Life (what's actually working), Digital Frontier (operations and workforce transformation), - The Outsiders (innovation from adjacent industries), - Social License (customer and community relationships), - Government and Regulation (policy frameworks under pressure), - The Horizon (academia and future vi…
17
Dec. 10, 2025
Inside EnergyLab: Accelerating Climate Tech from Startup to Scale with Megan Fisher, Thomas Nann and Nick Hazell
Join Dr. Greg Trainor and Neil Belford for a special panel discussion with Megan Fisher, CEO of Energy Lab, alongside two breakthrough startups from their portfolio: Dr Thomas Nann, CEO and Co-founder of Allegro Energy, and Nick Hazell, CEO and Founder of Algenie. Energy Lab has spent nearly 10 years building Australia's premier climate tech accelerator, supporting 280 startup alumni through 10 different programs—from launching ventures to scaling internationally. With 450 mentors, 240 angel ...
11
Sept. 17, 2025
Virtual Power Plants: From Europe to Australia with Luc Van Duinen
Join hosts Dr Greg Trainor and Neil Belford as they sit down with Luc van Duinen, VPP Lead at Dame Technologies, for a comprehensive exploration of virtual power plants from a global perspective. From his early days at Engie in the Netherlands working with potato farmers and their "Ferrari" batteries to building VPP platforms across multiple Australian energy companies, Luc shares valuable insights into the evolution of distributed energy management. The conversation covers the stark difference...
3
May 28, 2025
Energy, Economics & Opportunity with Dennis Freedman
In this episode, Greg and Neil catch up with Dennis Freedman, CEO of Aquila Capital in Australia and New Zealand, to talk about what’s really happening in the world of renewable energy. They cover the economics behind it, the massive potential in the sector, and why policy and smart market design are so important. Dennis shares stories from his time in the industry, how he got started, and what Aquila Capital is up to — from strategy to on-the-ground projects shaping Australia’s energy future. ...