Wind and battery output records smashed as new projects close in on key milestones

Output from wind and battery storage projects on Australia’s main grid smashed previous records over the past few days, as a host of new projects propelled the technologies towards key milestones.

Wind output hit a new peak of 9,750 megawatts (MW) late on Thursday (11.10pm), and a few hours later (3.30am on Friday morning) hit a new record instantaneous share of 42.2 per cent.

The technology is set to break through the 10,000 MW milestone anytime soon, particularly with a number of new projects – including the country’s biggest at Golden Plains and MacIntyre, South Australia’s biggest at Goyder South, and the new Clarke Creek project in Queensland working through their commissioning.

The new scored set on Thursday night was 260 MW above the previous peak, and came as Queensland also established new records, both in terms of record share (26.3 per cent) and output (1,594 MW), on Friday morning.

The rapid rollout of battery storage, both in the number and size of projects, is causing charge and discharge records to fall on a regular basis.

On Saturday, the record discharge for big battery storage took another big leap towards the 2 GW mark with 1,982 MW posted at 5.30pm, up from the previous record of 1,821 MW on June 18.

Earlier in the day, at 11.30am, a new record for battery charge had also been set, at 1,522 MW, up from the previous peak of 1,441 MW set a month earlier.

New battery charge and discharge records were also set in NSW and Queensland, with batteries soaking up a record 691 MW of excess renewables at the peak on Friday afternoon, and batteries sending a record 669 MW back into the grid at 5.45 pm in Qeensland.

Still, while Australia can lay claim to having the first big battery at Hornsdale in South Australia, built in 2017, it has since been overtaken in sheer scale of battery storage by US grids such as California and Texas.

In California, a new record battery discharge of 10,895 MW was posted last month, while in Texas a new record of 6,295 MW was set two days ago.

If you wish to support independent media, and accurate information, please consider making a one off donation or becoming a regular supporter of Renew Economy. Your support is invaluable.