Australia’s wind generating capacity set new records across the National Electricity Market in July, and drove the grid’s share of new renewables – wind and solar combined – to a new peak.
The Australia Institute’s latest monthly National Energy Emissions Audit, published on Tuesday, noted the record wind levels in Victoria and NSW in July, and a new peak output benchmark of 4,586MW at 9pm on July 14, when wind was supplying 18 per cent of total generation.
This in turn saw the combination of “new” renewable generation achieve a record monthly share of the NEM, even in a month that is typically poor for solar.
“(A) rise in renewables can be seen across Australia,” said Hugh Saddler, the author of the TAI report.
“Our Audit shows that wind supplied a record 18 per cent of total NEM generation on 14 July, the equivalent output of over two Liddell (coal) power stations,” Saddler said.
“Australia can quickly and affordably transition to renewables and storage, as demonstrated by South Australia, but investigations into so-called baseload energy, like nuclear, are a complete distraction by government.”
