Australia’s power systems are advancing rapidly towards higher renewable energy contributions, as highlighted in the latest reports from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
The reports, one for the National Electricity Market (NEM) and another for Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System (SWIS), detail the technical changes required as coal generators retire and are replaced by renewable technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, hydro, and batteries.
According to AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman, electricity generated from the sun, wind, and water is already meeting 40 per cent of Australia’s energy needs throughout the year, with world-leading records above 72 per cent on the east coast and 84 per cent on the west coast.
“AEMO must be ready to operate the power system under all foreseeable conditions, including during periods of world-leading contribution from rooftop solar and grid-scale renewable energy,” Westerman said.
“We are working with leading international peers and local industry to remove the technical constraints to harnessing more renewable energy for the benefit of Australian homes and businesses.”
The 2024 NEM Engineering Roadmap update outlines the progress made in the past 12 months and details AEMO’s priority actions for the year ahead.
Achievements in the last financial year include developing specifications for grid-forming inverters and electric vehicle standards for grid operation, advancing rooftop solar inverter compliance and last resort rooftop solar backstop requirements, and providing input into the National CER Roadmap.
Meanwhile, the SWIS Engineering Roadmap presents the engineering actions required to support increased use of renewables in Western Australia’s largest grid.
This builds on AEMO’s previous reports and the WA Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy.
Westerman highlighted the initiatives with industry that helped South Australia meet all of the state’s electricity needs entirely from rooftop solar for a period on December 31 last year.
“South Australia’s world leading contribution from rooftop solar systems has been made possible through the installation of power system equipment to keep the grid secure, advances in the connection between rooftop solar and the grid, and the implementation of policies which protect consumers from unwanted disruptions.
“These initiatives are part of a broader effort to support the continuous increase of renewables in the energy mix, while ensuring a secure and reliable supply of electricity for consumers,” he said.
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