About the Guest

Mike Haydon is the CEO of Off The Grid Shop, a business focused on solar, batteries, and decentralised energy solutions. With more than 15 years in the renewable energy sector, Mike has built his career around the idea of energy sovereignty—helping households and businesses stay powered, resilient, and in control. His background spans off-grid systems, peer-to-peer energy trading, and software-driven energy orchestration. Today, he’s working to rebalance who benefits from Australia’s energy transition.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner sits down with Mike Haydon to unpack a deceptively simple question: do we still need electricity grids? The answer, as Mike explains, isn’t about abandoning the grid—but rethinking how it’s used, who it serves, and who captures the value created by rooftop solar and batteries.

Mike shares his journey from early solar installations to building a decentralised energy model that lets everyday households sell excess energy directly to businesses. The conversation explores why feed-in tariffs have failed consumers, how smart meters and software are reshaping energy markets, and why rooftop solar is already Australia’s largest generation source during the day.

The discussion also looks ahead. From peer-to-peer trading and carbon credits to blockchain-ready meters and the rise of energy “orchestration,” Mike outlines where the next three to five years are heading. Throughout, a clear theme emerges: the future of energy isn’t just hardware—it’s software, transparency, and communication.

Key Takeaways

Rooftop solar is already the number one generation source in Australia during the middle of the day, but households see little financial upside.

Energy retailers can resell household solar at 50–60× the price they pay consumers.

Businesses that use most of their power before 5pm can save 20–30% by shifting to decentralised and wholesale energy models.

Smart meters, with five-minute interval data, are a critical enabler of peer-to-peer energy trading.

Long-term winners in energy will be those who master software, data, and customer communication, not just generation assets.

Notable Quotes

“For us, it was never about feed-in tariffs. It was always about energy sovereignty.” — Mike Haydon

“Rooftop solar, in the middle of the day, is the number one generation source in Australia.” — Mike Haydon

“Energy security and being connected to the grid aren’t opposites—they can coexist.” — Vincent Turner

“The energy retailers are making all the profit from assets they didn’t pay for.” — Mike Haydon

“The biggest opportunity is control and flow of energy—it’s orchestration.” — Mike Haydon

Resources

Off The Grid Shop — https://www.theoffgridshop.com.au/?utm_source=shapethesystem.org

Shape the System is  an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures

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