The C&I Missing Middle:What’s Broken, What’s Changing & How to Win Anyway | SSLQLD26
Australia’s clean energy transition has made strong gains in households and large industry, but a vast opportunity remains largely untouched. Commercial and mid-scale businesses are the “missing middle” of the energy system, and unlocking their potential could transform both the speed and the cost of the transition.
In this panel, industry leaders unpack the real barriers facing commercial energy users — from policy blind spots and grid constraints to finance and landlord challenges — and what needs to change to unlock the sector’s full potential.
#CommercialEnergy #TheMissingMiddle #EnergyTransition #BusinessEnergy #CleanEnergy
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Featured speakers:
Huon Hoogesteger (Founder & MD, Smart Commercial Energy)
Warwick Johnston (Founder & MD, SunWiz)
Stephanie Bashir (Founder & CEO, Nexa Advisory)
Lauren Hamilton (Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Smart Commercial Energy)
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and panel overview
02:10 What is the “missing middle” in commercial energy
05:30 Why mid-scale businesses are critical to the energy transition
09:00 Untapped rooftop solar and battery potential
13:20 Policy gaps holding commercial energy back
18:10 Landlord, tenant and financing challenges
22:45 Grid access, connections and network constraints
27:40 What needs to change to unlock the sector
32:10 The opportunity for businesses to lead
35:00 Key takeaways and closing remarks