South Australia has accelerated a timeline for renewable energy to provide 100 per cent of its electricity needs, with plans to hit the ambitious target by 2030.
The state already relies on solar, wind and storage for half its electricity generation, but the Liberal-National state government Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan wants to fast-track a shift towards clean energy from an official government target of the 2030s.
“Let me say I’m always cautioned by everybody I deal with in government to say by the 2030s, but I’ll be really clear with you, my personal goal is by 2030,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan told the Smart Energy Council online summit reports The Australian newspaper.
“For me it’s a firm goal. I want South Australia to be net 100 per cent electricity generation renewable by 2030. That’s what I work for every day.”
Moving the entire state’s generation to renewables may pose a challenge after the national power grid operator said market and regulatory changes would be required to allow solar and wind to provide up to 75 per cent of electricity at times by 2025.
The Australian reports failing to make system changes could see the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) having to limit the contribution of solar and wind at 50-60 per cent by 2025, even though the generation sources are the lowest cost means of producing power.
However, if the changes are made, the power grid could even run completely on renewable energy in some areas at times, according to AEMO.
Still, there are fears that consumers’ solar rooftop output in the renewables-heavy state could be curtailed with voltage issues potentially resulting in inverters on the panels switching off.
The Australian reports the Minister said he was mindful of the obstacles.
“Of course, it comes with many challenges,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said.
“We have a very, very significant problem in South Australia and others are not far behind with regards to net negative demand on the grid.
“We are blessed with renewable energy capacity in South Australia but if we are making more of it than we need we will have to curtail. But I’m hoping we don’t.
“We’ve got what we think are very positive policies to avoid that sort of thing. But those sorts of challenges are around.”
The Australian reports the emergency costs of rescuing Australia’s power grid soared to an all-time record after the South Australian and Victorian interconnector failed over summer while electricity and gas prices fell to a four-year low amid lower demand.
The costs of managing the power system soared to $310 million in the first quarter of 2020, more than double the previous record set in 2008, consuming eight per cent of all energy costs for the three month period compared with just one to two per cent historically, the AEMO said.
Some $166m was recovered from power generators and the $144m balance from electricity retailers.
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