Solar and wind generation supplied a record 80.4% of electricity demand on Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) recently, marking a new milestone for renewable power.
Rooftop solar alone provided more than half of the electricity consumed across the NEM for about 30 minutes around midday. Utility-scale solar and wind farms supplied most of the remaining renewable generation, with hydro contributing around 1%.
Fossil fuels, mainly coal and gas, accounted for about 20% of electricity demand during the record period.
Energy systems researcher Dr Dylan McConnell of the University of New South Wales attributed the surge to clear, sunny weather, strong renewable generation and relatively low demand for heating and cooling.
The high renewable output also resulted in surplus electricity, with some stored in batteries and pumped-hydro facilities while other generation was curtailed because of network constraints, system-security requirements and low electricity prices.
The record is expected to be surpassed as additional renewable generation and storage capacity comes online.
