Arigo: Ed Bennison on Design, Batteries & the Future of Renewable energy. Episode 18

Ed Bennison - mechanical engineer, industrial designer, renewable-energy gun, and co-founder of Arigo: one of Australia’s most agile and forward-thinking engineering consultancies.

In this candid episode, we unpack everything from the collapse of Prana, to building a business from scratch, to the wild realities of grid applications, FCAS batteries, commercial solar design, large-scale construction packs, and what it actually takes to deliver compliant, installer-friendly engineering at scale.

Ed spills on detailed design workflows, DNSP approvals, structural requirements, PV + battery feasibility, protection studies, solar rebates (including the new VEU scheme), and the future of electrification.

He also shares stories from his time in South Korea, life-changing ski seasons in Japan, and why relationships still rule the renewable energy industry.

Whether you're in solar engineering, commercial EPCs, grid-connect design, battery storage, EV charging, or just love hearing how smart people build great things, this episode is a masterclass in technical excellence, business resilience, and the future of Australia’s energy transition.
Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction
02:00 – The Origin Story of Arigo
06:00 – Early Clients & Industry Relationships
10:00 – What Arigo Actually Does
14:00 – Why Arigo’s Construction Packs Work
18:00 – Installer Feedback Loop & Workflow
22:00 – Site Inspections & Gathering Accurate Info
27:00 – Retrofits: Batteries, Existing PV & Grid Protection
31:00 – Panel Layout, Shading & Structural Constraints
35:00 – Crane Plans, Point Loads & Logistics
38:00 – Improving SLDs & Drawing Libraries
43:00 – Arigo’s Team Growth & Process Automation
47:00 – Outsourcing Engineering vs In-House Teams
50:00 – Financial Modelling & Feasibility Studies
55:00 – Batteries, FCAS & Arbitrage Explained
59:00 – Ed’s Journey Into Engineering
1:03:00 – Exchange Year in South Korea
1:10:00 – Ski Season in Japan & Post-Prana Reset
1:14:00 – Bunjil Energy & Indigenous Procurement
1:20:00 – Standards, Compliance & Cable Tray Problems
1:25:00 – How Arigo Uses AI in Engineering Workflows
1:29:00 – Sports, Hobbies & Life Outside Engineering
1:33:00 – The Future of Renewables & Electrification
1:38:00 – Load Shifting, Efficiency & Smart Energy Use
1:41:00 – Are Homes Close to Going Off-Grid?
1:43:00 – Nature vs Nurture: What Makes an Engineer?
Perfect for: commercial solar installers, engineering managers, EPCs, battery integrators, DNSP approval nerds, renewable energy students, and anyone trying to stay ahead of the market curve.

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Видео Arigo: Ed Bennison on Design, Batteries & the Future of Renewable energy. Episode 18 канала Greenwood Solutions | Renewables Educator & EPC