Australia’s Main Grid Sets New Wind and Solar Output Record

Record Wind and Solar Output Achieved on Australia’s Main Grid

Australia’s main grid witnessed a new milestone as wind and solar energy sources achieved a record instantaneous output. This feat was accomplished as a result of the connection of numerous new projects to the grid, including some of the largest wind farms in the country undergoing commissioning processes.

According to data from GPE NEMLog, the combined output of wind and solar peaked at 12,563 megawatts (MW) at 10.30 am on Monday, surpassing the previous record of 12,261 MW set in December of the previous year.

Renewable Energy Dominance in the National Electricity Market

During this period, renewables accounted for approximately 65 per cent of the National Electricity Market’s total output, falling short of the record high of over 75 per cent due to increased demand at that specific time.

Recent achievements in Australia’s main grid and various states have been largely attributed to advancements in battery storage technology, with several new battery projects being integrated into the grid. This progress coincided with a significant decrease in gas output, reaching a mere 0.4 per cent at 11.05 am on Sunday.

Impact of New Wind Projects

The commissioning of several new projects, notably the two largest projects at MacIntyre in Queensland and Golden Plains in Victoria, has notably enhanced the wind energy capacity. Additionally, substantial projects at Goyder South in South Australia and Clarke Creek in Queensland have contributed to this increase in wind energy generation.

Geoff Eldridge from GPE NEMLog reported that Victoria achieved a new peak instantaneous wind output of 4,352.8 MW, surpassing the previous record by 132.7 MW. This significant increase reflects a shift in Victoria’s wind energy landscape, with newer wind farms driving this growth.

Changing Wind Generation Landscape

Despite some legacy sites such as the Macarthur project and Bulgana recording lower outputs compared to the previous year, the overall wind contribution in Victoria reached 55.1% of total generation, with coal following at 43.1 per cent.

During this period, solar energy output, both utility-scale and rooftop, was minimal, with Victoria exporting a substantial 1,635 MW to other NEM regions, indicating robust interconnector flows supported by high local output.

Eldridge highlighted that wind output briefly approached 5 GW earlier in the morning, with some curtailment observed due to local generation exceeding consumption limits. Strong interconnector flows and battery charging activities helped mitigate this curtailment, responding to negative pricing during periods of excess supply.

This record-breaking achievement in early morning hours underscores the evolving dynamics of renewable energy generation patterns, reshaping traditional supply-demand dynamics.