Rooftop Solar Carried the Australian Grid to a New Renewables Record

Rooftop Solar Carried the Australian Grid to a New Renewables Record

Renewables across the Australian grid have achieved a new record, as spotted by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

AEMO took to Twitter to report the record. At 12:30 pm AEST on Friday, renewables comprised of 68.7 per cent of grid power. This includes distributed PV (as in rooftop solar), utility-scale solar (as in solar farms), hydro and wind power.

These recordings are observed at 30-minute intervals, meaning that between 12 pm and 12:30 pm on October 28, cumulative renewable energy sources were producing over two-thirds of Australia’s grid power. The previous record was observed on October 18, with renewables producing 64.1 per cent of grid power.

This is another terrific stat to see on renewables. Last year in November, for the first time ever, the South Australian grid was producing so much renewable energy (92 per cent solar energy) that the grid was actually reporting excess energy, largely because of rooftop solar.

The largest contributor to the national grid event is also largely because of rooftop solar. 34 per cent of the event on October 28 is attributed directly to Distributed PV, which are rooftop solar systems.

Additionally, as pointed out by Renew Economy, the share of energy generated from coal was also pushed down to 29 per cent, a record low for the energy source on the national grid.

This is a very exciting thing to see. Obviously, it’s not a figure we’re expecting to see over a 24-hour period just yet, while battery systems are still being rolled out and worked into the Australian grid (and obviously because you can’t generate solar energy overnight), but it’s comforting nonetheless to see renewables having a real impact on Australia’s energy grid.

As highlighted by Professor Ray Wills on Twitter, renewables comprised of 80 per cent of the Western Australian grid between 11 am and 11:30 am AEST (all AEMO stats are in AEST) on October 30. Again, rooftop solar was the major contributor. It’s not just the national grid we’re seeing renewables have a major impact on.

Keep smashing records with renewables, AEMO.


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