Renewable energy met more than 80 per cent of demand on Australia’s main grid for the first time, reaching a peak of 80.5 per cent at 12:25 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, according to data cited by industry analysts. The milestone on the National Electricity Market surpassed a previous record of 79.6 per cent set just a day earlier, driven by mild spring weather and high output from rooftop solar and large-scale wind and solar installations.
Grid Records and Curtailment Pressures as Renewables Surge
Operational demand hit new lows across the main grid and several key states during the weekend, while curtailment of large-scale wind and solar reached new peaks. According to Geoff Eldridge from GE Nemlog, more than half of available wind output and nearly half of large-scale output were curtailed when the 80 per cent threshold was crossed. The curtailment happened because rooftop solar met more than half of demand, and coal-fired generators dropped to a share of 18.8 per cent.
“By 13:50 AEST, the NEM had already curtailed around 54.8 GWh of renewable energy, while flexible loads absorbed around 22.5 GWh, including about 17.3 GWh into batteries and about 5.2 GWh into pumped hydro,” Eldridge noted in a public analysis.
Battery Storage and Flexible Loads Absorb Surplus Energy
Big batteries and behind-the-meter home storage played a major role in managing the surplus generation. Eldridge pointed out that during the record interval, the system simultaneously supplied more than four-fifths of consumption from renewables and storage, reduced coal below one-fifth, absorbed more than 5.3 GW of flexible load, charged batteries at around 4.5 GW, and curtailed another 8.4 GW of available renewable output.
Did you know? Curtailment occurs for economic reasons when wind and solar farms choose not to operate during negative pricing periods, as well as due to grid congestion and maintenance.
Rooftop PV Drives Record Low Demand Conditions
The high-renewables event culminated in even greater curtailment levels on Sunday, hitting a record peak of 11,109 MW at 11:55 AEST, which beat the previous record set a year prior by more than 250 MW. Eldridge reported that when NEM market demand dropped to a record low of 9,072 MW at 12:55 AEST, underlying native demand remained at 30,648 MW while rooftop PV produced approximately 16,714 MW.
- 11:55 — NEM curtailment reached a record 11,109 MW.
- 12:00 — NEM rooftop PV hit a record 16,993 MW.
- 12:00 — Queensland rooftop PV reached a record 5,380 MW.
- 12:55 — NEM market demand hit a record low of 9,072 MW.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the 80 per cent renewable energy record on the Australian grid?
The record was driven by mild spring weather, very high availability of wind and solar generation, and record-breaking output from rooftop photovoltaic systems.
Why was so much wind and solar energy curtailed?
Curtailment occurred because rooftop solar was meeting more than half of demand, coal-fired generation was reduced to minimum operating levels, and the grid operator has not yet transitioned the system to handle 100 per cent renewables safely without specialized grid-forming inverters.
How much energy did batteries absorb during the record event?
Large batteries on the grid charged at around 4.5 GW during the peak intervals, helping absorb surplus energy alongside pumped hydro and behind-the-meter home storage.
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