Australia’s main grid sets new solar output record

Australia’s main grid achieved a new milestone on Monday, with a record-breaking peak of 7,595.3 megawatts (MW) of instantaneous solar output around 9.45 am. This surpassed the previous January peak by approximately 150 MW and exceeded the record from a year ago by nearly 900 MW.

Geoff Eldridge of GPE NEMLog highlighted that this new record was established much earlier in the day compared to previous benchmarks, indicating robust summer conditions and ongoing changes in the generation profile.

Rooftop Solar Impact

The rise in rooftop solar output often leads to the economic curtailment of utility solar later in the day when wholesale prices drop below zero.

During Monday, rooftop solar production peaked at over 13.5 GW, almost double the peak from large-scale solar, while the output from large-scale solar slightly decreased throughout the day. Renewable energy’s share in the main grid reached a peak of 72.3 per cent shortly after 1 pm.

Regional Contributions

Eldridge noted that the significant increase in the new solar record was primarily driven by New South Wales (NSW), with substantial inputs from new solar facilities like Walla Walla. This particular solar farm, operational since October, is currently ramping up its capacity and can generate up to approximately 300 MW out of its 404 MW rating.

NSW also achieved a new milestone in large-scale solar output, reaching 3,694.9 MW at 1.40 pm on Monday. Meanwhile, Queensland set a new combined record for large-scale wind and solar output at 3,173 MW around 8.55 am.

Challenges and Future Prospects

Although satellite imagery indicated clear skies over South Australia on the morning of the record-setting day, factors such as curtailment and the altered timing of solar peaks may have limited the state’s contribution to the overall NEM record.

As solar energy penetration and daytime solar generation, including rooftop photovoltaic systems, continue to grow, the importance of grid flexibility and storage solutions will become increasingly vital to optimise energy utilisation, according to Eldridge.