New Renewable Record Reached in the Land Down Under

Australia’s renewable energy generation reached an all-time high of more than 70% of its electricity grid thanks to rooftop solar, large-scale solar, and wind, a positive step in the right direction for the land down under to meet its climate and renewable targets.

Twice in one day, renewable energy generation reached 70.6%, beating the previous record of 69.1% set the day before, and reaching a new milestone in the country’s transition to an electricity grid powered mostly by wind and solar.

Rooftop solar accounted for more than half of the new record at 37.4%, utility-scale solar for 17.7%, and wind for 13%. On the other hand, coal generation reached a new record minimum with a 28.5% share of the electricity grid. In South Wales, it translated into a 22% share, and in Queensland, 34.6%. For Australia to reach its 2030 target of an 82% share of renewables average over a year – it currently sits at 37.5% over 12 months – the federal government needs to intensify its climate ambition, notably by setting a new target to curb emissions by 75% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions above pre-industrial levels by 2035.