I started SolarQuotes in early 2009, when a 1kW system cost $10,000 and residential solar systems were rarer than rocking horse poo.

I was working for CSIRO in their renewable energy division (having left the mining industry to follow my passion for solar). As I learned more about solar power, I quickly realised that solar was going to be huge in Australia, with prices of panels falling, their efficiencies rising, and grid electricity getting more and more expensive.

But when I talked to people outside of CSIRO who were considering solar power, I soon found out that they were craving independent advice and, above all, reassurance that the quoted prices were reasonable, the hardware was good quality, and the installation was safe. Indeed, with one mob flogging a $10k system for $25k, there was an urgent need for people to get multiple quotes from honest installers.

And so this website was born.

Drawing on my experience as a chartered electrical engineer, I’ve channelled that knowledge into SolarQuotes, making it a panacea for the confused homeowner tumbling down the solar rabbit hole.

Since 2009, it has grown to become the most visited solar-specific website in Australia, providing quotes to over 800,000 Aussies and getting about a million Australian pageviews per month. SolarQuotes is often cited in the media.

On December 1 2024, after almost 16 years of running the business 24/7/365, I sold SolarQuotes to Origin Energy. But don’t worry! I’ve promised to stick around for at least 2 years to ensure we stick to our values of killer content, honest advice and vigorously vetted installers.

If you want to learn even more, read the long and gory founding story of SolarQuotes – featuring massive coal loaders, camping out of a beat-up Volvo, and how a chance encounter with a painter gave me the idea for the business.