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Leanne sits across from me, furrowed brow, looking quizzically at her computer screen, cup of tea firmly in hand.
“I’ve always been interested in the environment and how I can do my bit to change things”, she says in between sips of her cuppa, “My mother was the vigilant type, always making sure we didn’t waste anything, waste not, want not, you know - that kind of thing”. She pauses for a moment as if reflecting.
“So, I guess you could say this attitude has been with me right from a young age”.
This attitude, Leanne means, is her love of all things green and sustainable.
Leanne grew up in the outer east of Melbourne, in a middle-class working family. She tells me they wanted for nothing. Her parents, her mother in particular, ran the family household in a modest, frugal way.
“She taught me the importance of understanding my surroundings and that things didn’t just magically appear at the dinner table - that money didn’t grow on trees”.
Leanne sits across from me, furrowed brow, looking quizzically at her computer screen, cup of tea firmly in hand.
“I’ve always been interested in the environment and how I can do my bit to change things”, she says in between sips of her cuppa, “My mother was the vigilant type, always making sure we didn’t waste anything, waste not, want not, you know - that kind of thing”. She pauses for a moment as if reflecting.
“So, I guess you could say this attitude has been with me right from a young age”.
This attitude, Leanne means, is her love of all things green and sustainable.
Leanne grew up in the outer east of Melbourne, in a middle-class working family. She tells me they wanted for nothing. Her parents, her mother in particular, ran the family household in a modest, frugal way.
“She taught me the importance of understanding my surroundings and that things didn’t just magically appear at the dinner table - that money didn’t grow on trees”.
It was these life lessons at a young age that saw Leanne springboard into the solar industry. An industry, arguably, that has seen its fair share of changes. Back in 2001, it became clear that solar was becoming a worthy player in Australia’s journey to renewables, introducing the country’s first renewable energy target. Feed-in tariffs were as high as 60 cents per kilowatt, and solar panels were large and clunky-looking.
Thankfully, things like BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics), alongside advancements in standard solar technology, contributed to its accessibility and affordability, while also improving the power system’s appearance, and by extension, the structure’s aesthetic. As a result, it curbed expenditure on materials and labour.
Money saved, or better spent elsewhere, is not a bad outcome, particularly where the industry’s impact on the future is concerned.
“I like that it’s life-affirming, that it looks towards the future with optimism”, Leanne says, her brow slowly unfurrowing.
In such a gender-weighted space, how is it for Leanne, a woman in a typically male-dominated environment?
“It’s not an issue, and the lads I work with are good blokes”, she says, looking up from her screen and relaxing into her chair.
“You’re always going to have your bad eggs, no matter the industry, but what I tend to find is that if you love what you do, and if you’re part of a co-creational environment, well, you’ll never actually feel like you’re working!”
Leanne began her time at Leeson Group four years ago, and how quickly that time has passed.
“It’s not just the company that’s grown, it’s solar and renewables as a whole”, she explains. “Victoria has really embraced renewables and the power of solar, and it makes it easier in terms of the buy-in [people buying].”
She mentions too that there are also great rebates from both the state and federal governments.
But what does she think needs to improve?
“Like with anything, there’s always room for improvement. People need to not only be rewarded for protecting our children's futures, but they also need an incentive to do so.”
Australia’s dependency on fossil fuels is something that really irks her too.
“There are sustainable and environmentally-conscious ways for us to source our energy and run the country - ways that will create jobs, put money into our economy, and ways that are great for the environment - it makes no sense that the take-up of solar, as well as other renewable energy sources, isn’t a more steadfast and wide-spread practice”.
So, what advice would she give to someone trying to make inroads in the solar space?
“Tenacity and drive are definitely qualities that don’t go unnoticed in this industry. Being up to speed on all things environmental and the latest technology doesn’t hurt either, and I won’t lie, it’s always nice having that in-person training with our brand partners, they’re pretty much part of the Leeson Group family now”.
“And having an interest in the future of our planet - you’ve got to care and to be motivated to do your bit, however small that bit is, it all adds up in the end”.
Leanne then smiles politely and turns back to her screen, cup of tea still in hand, and that studious, focused look returning to her face- signalling the end of our short, yet informative, chat.
It was these life lessons at a young age that saw Leanne springboard into the solar industry. An industry, arguably, that has seen its fair share of changes. Back in 2001, it became clear that solar was becoming a worthy player in Australia’s journey to renewables, introducing the country’s first renewable energy target. Feed-in tariffs were as high as 60 cents per kilowatt, and solar panels were large and clunky-looking.
Thankfully, things like BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics), alongside advancements in standard solar technology, contributed to its accessibility and affordability, while also improving the power system’s appearance, and by extension, the structure’s aesthetic. As a result, it curbed expenditure on materials and labour.
Money saved, or better spent elsewhere, is not a bad outcome, particularly where the industry’s impact on the future is concerned.
“I like that it’s life-affirming, that it looks towards the future with optimism”, Leanne says, her brow slowly unfurrowing.
In such a gender-weighted space, how is it for Leanne, a woman in a typically male-dominated environment?
“It’s not an issue, and the lads I work with are good blokes”, she says, looking up from her screen and relaxing into her chair.
“You’re always going to have your bad eggs, no matter the industry, but what I tend to find is that if you love what you do, and if you’re part of a co-creational environment, well, you’ll never actually feel like you’re working!”
Leanne began her time at Leeson Group four years ago, and how quickly that time has passed.
“It’s not just the company that’s grown, it’s solar and renewables as a whole”, she explains. “Victoria has really embraced renewables and the power of solar, and it makes it easier in terms of the buy-in [people buying].”
She mentions too that there are also great rebates from both the state and federal governments.
But what does she think needs to improve?
“Like with anything, there’s always room for improvement. People need to not only be rewarded for protecting our children's futures, but they also need an incentive to do so.”
Australia’s dependency on fossil fuels is something that really irks her too.
“There are sustainable and environmentally-conscious ways for us to source our energy and run the country - ways that will create jobs, put money into our economy, and ways that are great for the environment - it makes no sense that the take-up of solar, as well as other renewable energy sources, isn’t a more steadfast and wide-spread practice”.
So, what advice would she give to someone trying to make inroads in the solar space?
“Tenacity and drive are definitely qualities that don’t go unnoticed in this industry. Being up to speed on all things environmental and the latest technology doesn’t hurt either, and I won’t lie, it’s always nice having that in-person training with our brand partners, they’re pretty much part of the Leeson Group family now”.
“And having an interest in the future of our planet - you’ve got to care and to be motivated to do your bit, however small that bit is, it all adds up in the end”.
Leanne then smiles politely and turns back to her screen, cup of tea still in hand, and that studious, focused look returning to her face- signalling the end of our short, yet informative, chat.
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