Australia is in the middle of a clean energy revolution, and it just reached a new milestone.
According to data from Global Power Energy, renewables supplied an unprecedented 77.9% of electricity demand in Australia's National Electricity Market on Sept. 21.
The record was set just one day after the previous high, showing how rapidly renewable generation is becoming the backbone of Australia's energy system.
Solar power led the way, as rooftop solar alone accounted for 43.6% of grid demand. Utility-scale solar added another 12.1%, wind power contributed 19.8%, and hydropower added 2.3%.
"The new instantaneous record highlights how deeply renewables now penetrate the grid during mild spring conditions," GPE NEMLog energy analyst Geoff Eldridge said to pv magazine. "Rooftop PV, utility solar, and wind combined to push fossil generation to the margins for extended hours."
Perhaps the most telling sign of progress is that renewables now make up over half of the total energy generated on a rolling seven-day basis. This is a first for the nation.
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Eldridgle also noted: "The rolling seven-day mean passing 50% underscores that this is no longer a momentary event but a sustained presence."
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen called the achievement a clear signal of progress toward Australia's 82% renewable electricity goal by 2030 while acknowledging the challenges ahead.
"We're making good progress," said Bowen, who was "confident" the target could be met, per pv magazine. "A thousand Australians a day are installing home batteries, and many are pairing them with solar for the first time."
By using renewable energy, Australia is dramatically reducing greenhouse gas pollution and air pollution, helping to slow climate change and improve public health.
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Beyond just environmental progress, this shows an economic transformation. Renewables can drive record levels of investment, job creation, and long-term energy security.
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