Wind and solar output has surged past 20 gigawatts for the first time on Australian main grid, marking yet another milestone moment in the green energy transition.
According to data observed by Geoff Eldridge, of GPE NEMLog, the output of wind and solar, including rooftop PV mounted on homes and businesses, went through the 20 GW (or 20,000 megawatts) milestone at 12.05pm (AEST) on Tuesday.
Half an hour later it peaked at 20,386 MW (20.39 GW), reflecting the growing share of renewables, and in particular rooftop solar, which is having a growing impact on the grid by claiming a significant share of production in the middle of the day.
At the time of the new peak, rooftop solar was providing 11,683 MW, with utility scale solar providing a further 5,913 MW. Wind was providing just 2,790 MW at the time, and a further 732 MW of large scale renewables was being curtailed.
At the time, wind and solar were providing around 65 per cent of total demand, with hydro adding a further 2 per cent. Australia’s main grid averages around 39 per cent renewables over the last 12 months, but the federal government has set a target of 82 per cent by 2030.
See also: Rooftop solar installs smash record as households turn to bigger systems, put pressure on coal
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