Australia's March Toward 100 Percent Clean Energy
17 hours ago
- #renewable-energy
- #grid-stability
- #australia
- Australia is on a realistic path to running its power grid entirely on renewable energy, driven by market forces and the retirement of aging coal plants.
- Renewables currently account for about 35% of Australia's electricity production, with coal still leading at 46%. The transition is expected to reach 90% renewable by 2035.
- Australia's geographical and policy advantages, including a national power market and high rooftop solar penetration, support its rapid shift to renewables.
- Key challenges include replacing the grid stability services provided by coal plants, such as voltage support and frequency regulation, with alternatives like synchronous condensers or retrofitted gas plants with clutches.
- Innovative solutions like Hydrostor's compressed air energy storage and Siemens Energy's hybrid grid stabilizers are being deployed to enhance grid reliability without fossil fuels.
- Australia's approach could serve as a proof of concept for other nations aiming to transition to 100% renewable energy, demonstrating the feasibility of a modern economy running on clean power.