Renewables hit record high share of 59.8%

Wind turbines and solar panels (quinbrook fund)
Image: Shutterstock

The share of renewable energy on Australia’s main grid hit a record high of 59.8 per cent on Sunday, according to RenewEconomy.

The record high of 59.6 per cent was set at 11.55am on Sunday, when wind and solar alone reached a record 57 per cent share on the main grid.

“[This] would likely have easily been more than 80 per cent had numerous wind and solar farms not switched off or dialled down output due to negative prices,” the report stated.

NEMLog showed total wind and solar curtailment amounted to roughly 3.5GW compared to total large scale wind and solar capacity producing at the time of around 5.7GW.

Related article: Solar outperforms coal for fleeting moment

The new record high share easily surpassed the 58.3 per cent record set on September 9.

“Records for the share of renewables in individual states and across the main grid, as well as Western Australia’s separate grid, have been tumbling in recent weeks amid mild temperatures and sunny conditions, and thanks to the addition of nearly 5GW of wind and solar (half of its rooftop) in the last 12 months,” the report said.

“Solar alone contributed 41 per cent at the 11.55am per, with wind adding another 16 per cent. The biggest single source of generation (32.1 per cent) was rooftop solar—spread across several million rooftops—and there were expectations that this could lead to a reduction in ‘operating demand’ to a record low on Sunday.”

Red the article in full here.

Previous articleAll-electric plane completes maiden voyage
Next articleAustralia increases hydrogen funding ahead of climate talks