At exactly 12:05pm on the 11th of October, South Australia’s energy demand was met entirely by utility and rooftop solar.
With 992MW of the electricity being made up of rooftop solar and 315MW of utility solar making up the rest, the record-breaking solar output makes South Australia a leader in renewable energy.
The combination of sunny weather, mild temperatures and low energy demand over the weekend lead to, what hopefully will be one of many, 100% renewable events.
The solar generation and capture was so large South Australia had to export surplus to Victoria and store extra energy in the state’s solar batteries.
South Australia’s Solar Batteries
At the moment SA is required to run a minimum generation of gas-fired energy to provide grid stability and inertia support.
With the introduction of four new synchronous condensers over the next year, SA should be able to reduce their reliance on any gas-fired energy generation and refocus their attention on renewables.
In addition, SA’s Tesla battery is set for expansion and trial on inertia services. If successful, the battery will be able to meet over half of the states inertia requirements and drastically reduce the states need for gas.
South Australia remains one of the leading states in the nation for their battery storage services and virtual power plants.
What Comes Next For Solar?
SA’s continuing surge in rooftop solar installation is likely to push the grid to 100% solar over the next decade.
According to the Australian Energy Market Operator this actually is causing concern for South Australia as the grid currently does not have the technology to create solar stability and network security.
As a result, tight standards and protocols for new solar installations on residential and commercial rooftops have been introduced.
How To Transition to Solar Energy
Interested in how you can use solar energy to power your home? Solar Market connects you with 3 free quotes from CEC accredited local solar installers so you can make the transition to a renewable future.
