Southern Australia to become the first Australian Territory to become 100% renewables

 South Australia – already leading the world with its share of wind and solar – is poised to become the first grid of its size to operate without synchronous generation within the next few years, according to a new planning document from the market operator.

South Australia leads the world with the penetration of wind and solar in its grid, and has averaged more than 64% over the last 12 months.

It regularly reaches levels where wind and solar produce more than 100% of state demand – in fact it set a new record of 146% of state demand from wind only on Wednesday morning – but this excess is exported to Victoria through its transmission links.

Even when wind and solar have produced much more electricity than is needed in the state at any one time, it has always had to have some synchronous generators, and always gas fired generators in South Australia, running to ensure some of the principal grid services can still be delivered.



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