If a new report from Bloomberg is to be believed, coal has recently met a first-time marker Down Under: generating less than half of Australian power.
The report, which cited figures from data aggregator Open-NAM, said recent high winds in southeastern Australia have pushed coal-fired power beneath the 50% threshold. This has not happened before o the country’s power mix, it added.
The data revealed that fossil fuel accounted for 49.2% of electricity generation in the week through Monday, 2 September. Wind farms generated just over a quarter of power during the same period.
Bloomberg noted that Australia’s quick shift to solar and wind generation to replace aging coal facility fleets has made it a test case in the energy transition as well as a volatile power market.
The report noted that coal generation fell to 56% last year, from 87% in 2006, the highest level this century. Wind and solar’s combined output was 31% in 2023.
The Open-NEM figures reportedly cover the National Electricity Market, which supplies power to more than 80% of Australia’s population.
Source: Coal Generates Less Than Half of Australian Power for First Time (yahoo.com)