How South Australia got from zero to 100% renewables in just 20 years
The man at the head of the South Australian grid's transmission network has provided insight into the state's remarkable energy transition.
Simon Emms, CEO of Electranet, says the state will have effectively transformed from near zero renewables in 2007 to 100% net renewables by 2027.
Emms says the state is on track to meet its newly accelerated 2027 target - but the challenge will be maintaining it once they get there, thanks to the increasing load.
This year, South Australia became the second grid in the world to be promoted to what the International Energy Agency (IEA) describes as Phase 5 of the renewable integration ladder.
But Emms points out that Denmark is able to draw the equivalent of 100% of its maximum demand from connections to other grids.
In South Australia, the current connection to Victoria allows for just 25% of its maximum demand to be imported or exported - meaning the state has to be a lot more self reliant.
That self-reliance will be relieved with the connection of the new Project EnergyConnect, the new transmission link to NSW.
The first stage of the project, linking South Australia to Buronga in the south-west of NSW, and into the Victorian grid, will add 150 MW of capacity.
Emms says it's the state’s historic transmission backbone that has allowed it to streak ahead of other states in terms of renewables.
The coal fired power stations that were closed in 2016 were located near Port Augusta, some 400 kms from the major load centre around Adelaide.
The two transmission lines that were built to deliver that power have now been transformed into renewable energy super-highways.
South Australia’s grid is also unique in the world because it is the only gigawatt scale grid where rooftop solar sometimes produces more than enough electricity to meet state demand.
But demand is growing - the state currently has around 400 MW of industrial load, but is getting inquiries for another 2,000 MW, including for mining operations, data centre operators and other energy intensive businesses.