South Australia fast-tracks 100% renewables target to 2027
The SA state government has fast tracked its 100% renewables target from 2030 to 2027, thanks to wind and solar developments and ambitious hydrogen plans.
The state already leads the world with more than 71% of its annual demand met by wind and solar only.
“Net” 100% renewables, means producing enough wind and solar to meet the annual demand, with some excess wind and solar exported when not needed.The state will also import electricity from other states when needed.
“We must not rest on our laurels and we cannot afford complacency - the time is right to recalibrate and set an even more ambitious target."
- Peter Malinauskas Premier, South Australia
South Australia has always had the most ambitious renewable targets in Australia, and it has never set a target that it couldn’t meet.
It was already clear the state would reach 100% renewables well before the deadline set by the previous Liberal government in 2020.
And the state has bipartisan support for renewables because there is no local coal industry to capture conservatives.
The AEMO predicts SA could even reach its target by 2026.
SA's rapid renewables uptake has been propelled by rooftop solar, and the construction of new utility scale projects, like the 413 MW Goyder South wind farm.
And SA's grid reliability will be improved with the construction of a new transmission link to NSW.
That's good, because SA is going to need a lot more wind and solar to meet its hydrogen targets.