Australia will need 15 GW of utility scale storage by early 2040s
Increased storage and strategic transmission development will be needed to ensure the most economic and lowest risk transition of Australia’s energy system, the Australian Energy Market Operator said in its latest study. In 20 years’ time, the need for storage will be at a scale not seen before in the national electricity market, and pumped hydro and distributed storage are set to play major roles in lowering electricity prices and building a reliable and resilient power system.
From laggard to leader: New South Wales Labor party’s election pledge for extra 7 GW of renewables
Australia’s Smart Energy Council welcomed yesterday’s launch by the NSW Labor party of a policy to drive 7 GW of renewable energy into the National Energy Market by 2030 as “the biggest rollout of renewable energy in Australia’s history”.
‘Renewable energy is the way of the future’
The Australian states of Victoria and South Australia suffered blackouts at the end of last week as a heatwave drove up air conditioning power demand and coal-fired power stations couldn’t cope. Extreme weather is debunking arguments for new fossil fuel generation and signalling energy security lies in renewables.
AEMC issues new rules to stabilize Australian grid
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has introduced new regulations to stabilize the national grid as coal-fired plants are increasingly phased out and more solar and wind capacity is brought online.
South Australia already at 57% wind and solar in 2016/17
Solar met 7.6% of the state’s demand this year, as South Australia surpasses its renewable energy target eight years early.
