Coal-fired generation falls below 50% of Australia's power for first time

Thanks to the rise in solar output.

Australian Energy Market Operator has reported that  the country’s reliance on coal has decreased, even reaching a new record.

“The rise in rooftop solar output, coupled with record low coal-generation availability, resulted in coal-fired generation contributing less than 50% of the NEM’s [National Electricity Market] total generation for the first time,” said AEMO Executive General Manager - Reform Delivery, Violette Mouchaileh.

Rooftop solar and grid-scale solar output both increased by 18% and 9%, respectively. This led to minimum demand records across the NEM and in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania.

In Western Australia, coal generation dropped by 19.5% due to reduced coal plant availability. This was offset by increases in rooftop solar (20.3%), gas (14.4%), and battery contributions (1,400%).

“Increased battery storage in Western Australia helped the state hit a new quarterly average renewable contribution record of 46.4% and a renewable energy peak of 85.1%,” Mouchaileh said.

Overall, renewable energy supplied 46% of the market’s electricity, peaking at 75.6% for a period on 6 November, driving emissions to record low levels, she said.