Policy & Planning

Graph of the Day: SA higher gas output mirrors higher power price

Published by

This week, a series on South Australia – all using data from Global Roam’s excellent NEM Review software, which you can purchase here.

Today’s chart shows the relationship between the output of gas-fired power stations in South Australia, and the wholesale pool price in the same state.

The data below show a scatter plot between gas and price for ever hour in 2017, and it illustrates the simple fact that as gas power increases penetration in the state, the pool price is higher. This is because price is set by a bidding system, and the final bidder sets the price.

Gas has something of a monopoly in the state, in addition to the fuel costs being high because gas is mostly exported (leaving domestic reserves more expensive).

Click on ‘Full Screen’ to view full graph.
 Author: Ketan Joshi. Reproduced with permission.

Ketan Joshi is a European-based climate and energy consultant.

Ketan Joshi

Ketan Joshi is a European-based climate and energy consultant.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

Australia’s biggest energy users are being lined up to break the wind drought in its most coal dependent state

Data centres and the country's biggest aluminium smelter will finally get to break the long…

18 August 2026

The $2.5 billion wind project getting ready for take-off, 23 years after farmer landholders were first approached

After more than two decades of planning, this huge wind project is edging closer to…

18 August 2026

One of Australia’s biggest wind projects seeks green light to add solar and battery

The developers behind a mammoth proposed 1.4 gigawatt (GW) wind farm is seeking federal environmental…

18 August 2026

What federal and state rebate changes mean for C&I solar and batteries – in 8 charts

Eight charts show how two big policy announcements in the space of a fortnight have…

18 August 2026

Safeguard will short-change climate targets, study says, rules should be tougher on fossil fuels

Australian investors are pushing for big changes to Australia's major pollution policy and they could…

18 August 2026

Bigger than Godzilla: Fortescue receives second shipment of turbine parts to top “self-lifting” towers

A second shipment of some of the biggest wind turbine parts yet seen in Australia,…

18 August 2026