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Australia’s large-scale solar hits new state records as curtailment falls

Large-scale solar generation reached record highs across much of Australia’s National Electricity Market last month while curtailment of utility PV energy “reduced significantly” compared to the same time last year, down from 284 GWh in August 2025 to 168 GWh.
David Carroll
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David Carroll
Image: Pacific Blue Australia

New data from global research and energy intelligence company Rystad Energy shows utility PV generation reached record highs in New South Wales (NSW), Queensland, and Victoria in August 2026, delivering 684 GWh, 665 GWh and 213 GWh of clean energy respectively.

Rystad Senior Analyst David Dixon said Australia’s utility-scale solar and wind assets generated a combined 4.99 TWh of clean energy last month, up 3% from 4.86 TWh in August 2025.

At the same time, curtailment of large-scale solar across the National Electricity Market (NEM) decreased.

Dixon said utility PV curtailed generation was 168 GWh, or about 9% of available generation last month compared with 284 GWh, or approximately 18% of renewable generation in August 2025.

For utility PV the best performing assets in August 2026 were in Queensland with the top three all recording an average AC capacity factor (CF) of 28% for the month.

These include the 100 MW first stage of Pacific Blue Australia’s Haughton Solar Farm and the 204 MW Edenvale Solar Park co-owned by Japanese companies Eneos and Sojitz. Genex Power’s 50 MW Kidston project in the state’s far north also made the top three.

The top-performing wind assets were spread across the country with Potentia Energy’s Flat Rocks wind farm in Western Australia leading the way with an average capacity factor of 51%.

At the state level, Victoria was in top spot for utility solar and wind generation with 1,387 GWh, including 213 GWh from large-scale PV.

August proved a significant month for Australia’s energy transition with more than 1 GW of utility generation and storage assets reaching financial close during the month.

These included Edify Energy’s neighbouring Ganymirra and Majors Creek projects that will deliver a combined 300 MW of solar generation and 300 MW / 1,200 MWh of battery energy storage.

Other projects to reach financial close include BW ESS’s 250 MW / 1,000 MWh Yanco battery energy storage system (BESS) in NSW, and Quinbrook’s 260 MW / 1,216 MWh Supernode stage 3 BESS in Queensland.

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