12 July 2022

South Australia was, on average, powered by nearly 70% renewable energy last financial year according to new data.

New data, released in the OpenNEM (National Energy Market) report, has highlighted an uptick of 68.3% in renewables supply last year, an increase of 7% from 2020/2021.

This means more than two thirds of the state’s power came from renewable energy created through wind (45.2%) and solar (23.1%).

Throughout the year records tumbled as the state took advantage of its abundance of wind and solar, including:

  • On Easter Sunday (17 April) in the early hours of the morning wind alone supplied 136.6% of electricity demand
  • In December last year an average of 79.3% of South Australia’s power came from wind and solar
  • Over the six and a half days leading up to 29 December an average of more than 100% of the state's electricity came from renewables
  • On 27 November last year 150% of the state’s middle of the day electricity needs were supplied by wind and solar
  • On 28 November last year 110% of the state’s middle of the day electricity needs were supplied by wind and solar
  • On 11 October last year South Australia became the first major power grid globally to run on 100% solar

As more and more renewable energy projects come online, it is forecast to be an even bigger year in 2022/2023.

The South Australian Government will expand on South Australia’s world leading renewable energy with its $593 million Hydrogen Jobs Plan.