Hot and humid autumn sets record demand levels in Queensland grid

Hot and humid conditions have set new records for electricity demand in Queensland, the state grid most heavily dependent on coal fired generators.

The new records – for both operational and “native” demand (which includes rooftop solar) came out of season and at the tail end of yet another Autumn heatwave that has put pressure on grid up and down the east coast.

The new records are notable because the Australian Energy Market Operator says the biggest threats to Australian electricity supplies are from extreme weather events, including unseasonal demand spikes.

According to AEMO, a new electricity demand (operational) record of 10,070MW was set at 5:30pm on Friday, March 17. That was 12MW above the previous record, set on March 8 last year.

AEMO looks at “operational” demand because it can’t see, or control, much of the consumption is met by rooftop solar panels behind the meter.

But according to the NemLog database, total demand – or native demand – soared to a record level of 11,519MW earlier in the day, at 2.15pm, when rooftop solar contributing more than 3.3GW at the time.

Even at the peak of operational demand, rooftop solar was still contributing 427MW, the equivalent of a major coal unit, although that was not included in the AEMO estimates.

Queensland has the lowest share of renewables of any Australian state, with a share of just over 23 per cent in the last 12 months.

It has set targets of 70 per cent renewables by 2032, and 80 per cent by 2035, although much of its renewable energy plan is back ended towards the end of the decade. It can, however, boast the biggest wind and solar projects in the country to date (Western Downs solar and Macintyre wind).