Video of the Day: The end of coal generation in South Australia

Published by

This video shows the destruction of the boilers of the now closed Northern brown coal generator in Port Augusta, bringing to a spectacular end the era of coal fired generation in South Australia.

The highly polluting coal plants were closed last year, and will be replaced in coming years by significant investment in renewable generation in and around Port Augusta.

The 220MW Bungala solar farm is already under construction, and the 215MW Lincoln Gap is about to reach financial close.

DP Energy has named contractors for a 375MW wind-solar farm, the largest hybrid plant in Australia, that will use the Devenport sub-station once used by Northern. DP Energy is looking to add another 300MW of solar and 400MW of battery storage.

In nearby Whyalla, Liberty OneSteel, the new owner of the local steelworks, plans 520MW of large scale solar, pumped hydro, battery storage and demand management to green its energy source and slash costs.

It will build a further 480MW of large scale solar to supply other big energy users, if federal policy proposals such as the National Energy Guarantee do not get in the way.

Giles Parkinson is founder and editor-in-chief of Renew Economy, and founder and editor of its EV-focused sister site The Driven. He is the co-host of the weekly Energy Insiders Podcast. Giles has been a journalist for more than 40 years and is a former deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. You can find him on LinkedIn and on Twitter.

Giles Parkinson

Giles Parkinson is founder and editor-in-chief of Renew Economy, and founder and editor of its EV-focused sister site The Driven. He is the co-host of the weekly Energy Insiders Podcast. Giles has been a journalist for more than 40 years and is a former deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. You can find him on LinkedIn and on Twitter.

Share
Published by
Tags: Governments

Recent Posts

Home battery numbers shrink for the first time since rebate launch, as installers take a beat

Even the booming home battery market could not escape the January doldrums, with the summer…

6 February 2026

We need more hydro, Turnbull says: But would many smaller projects have been better than Snowy 2.0?

Malcolm Turnbull says more "simpler" pumped hydro needed as solar outpaces wind, and insists that…

6 February 2026

First solar-battery hybrid sends power into evening peak, heralding radical changes for Australia’s main grid

The first solar-battery hybrid has begun sending power into Australia's main grid in the evening.…

6 February 2026

Is AEMO still fit for purpose? Review to probe governance of energy market operator

Transparency, accountability, membership and corporate structure will all come under the microscope as part of…

6 February 2026

Energy Insiders Podcast: Malcolm Turnbull on hydro, LNP, One Nation and Trump

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is pushing for more hydro, but is still pumped up…

6 February 2026

Australia urged to release “terrifying” climate security analysis after UK report flags ecosystem collapse by 2030

The Australian government has been urged to come clean on security threats posed by climate…

6 February 2026