Another spring day in Australia, another renewable energy record – this time, a new all-time high for the maximum contribution of rooftop solar to the mix of electricity in the New South grid.
The new record, clocked by Global Power Energy’s NEMLog at midday on Monday September 16 at midday, saw NSW reach a maximum instantaneous rooftop solar PV generation of 4,804.2 MW (4.8GW), surpassing the previous record of 4,580.6 MW set at 12:00 (AEST) on January 19, 2024.
Global Power Energy’s Geoff Eldridge says the “impressive increase” of 223.54 MW paints showcases the coal-heavy state’s thriving rooftop solar market, where the maximum rooftop contribution has grown by 650-700MW a year.
Images source: Geoff Eldridge, LinkedIn
Notably, Eldridge says, “NSW is the first region to set a new rooftop solar PV record in this growth season, with expectations based on previous years’ growth to cross the 5,000 MW mark by the end of the current record period.”
The new record comes as the NSW government outlines plans to get solar batteries into 1 million households and small businesses in the state by 2035, as part of an effort to harness consumer energy ahead of the closure of its last coal fired generator.
The state also confirmed it will offer eligible households and small businesses between $1,600 and $2,400 to buy solar batteries, and will provide a $250 incentive to sign up to a VPP.
The need for orchestrated home energy systems – they can store solar energy for use at night but also trade energy with the grid – is seen as critical given the volumes of small scale generation and storage forecast for the grid, particularly with the last coal generator likely to close within a decade.
It will also be crucial to rein in the huge amounts of solar being sent to the grid from peoples rooftops on days like Monday.
