South Australia’s electricity distribution network has again become a net exporter of energy, with the output of rooftop solar and other distribution-connected generation achieving negative demand for daytime electricity for 12 days so far this year.
A new negative demand record of -236MW was achieved on October 16, with the distribution network managed by SA Power Networks being a net exporter for more than 5.5 hours—the longest duration seen so far in SA’s energy transition.
“This is a combination of low energy demand on some milder sunny days and the continued growth of rooftop solar,” SA Power Networks’ head of corporate affairs Paul Roberts said.
“In the next five to 10 years we expect to see South Australia’s energy needs during the middle parts of the day regularly being supplied 100% from rooftop solar,” he said.
The chart below shows the network’s negative load days so far in 2022.
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