Renewables influx a cooler change to summer energy mix
An influx of renewables into Australia's main energy grid has driven down emissions while helping counter price pressure from expensive coal, hydro and gas.
Solar and wind chipped in 43 per cent of the main grid's supply in the first three months of 2025, up from 39 per cent over same period in 2024, while coal availability slipped to new first-quarter lows.
Large-scale battery generation reached an all-time high, with output jumping 86 per cent to 98MW when averaged across all hours.
Wholesale prices were higher in the southern states and lower in the north during the summer months, electricity system updates showed from both the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Australian Energy Regulator.
AEMO's report found dry conditions impacting Tasmanian hydro were largely responsible for the nine per cent increase in overall wholesale electricity prices compared to the same period in 2024, averaging $83/MWh.
Yet mainland region averages slipped from $78/MWh to $76/MWh.
Compared to the last three months of 2024, average wholesale prices were six per cent lower.
Upward forces in coal and hydro prices were largely offset by downward pressures from higher renewable energy availability and fewer periods of extreme price volatility, AEMO executive general manager of policy and corporate affairs Violette Mouchaileh said.
"Additionally, the frequency of negative pricing increased during the quarter, particularly in the NEM's (National Electricity Market) northern regions, which was largely attributable to grid-scale solar and wind setting prices more often," she said.
Electricity prices tend to be very low or negative when the wind is blowing and sun is shining, allowing solar panels and turbines to generate.
Price spikes occur during unusually high demand or when lower-priced generation is not available, leaving dispatchable coal, gas hydro and batteries to fill the gap at higher levels.
AEMO said less coal in the energy mix and more from solar and wind drove greenhouse gas emissions to new first-quarter lows.
Total emissions dived 5.1 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2024.
The ongoing growth of rooftop solar continued to take pressure off the grid despite underlying demand breaking new first-quarter records as Victorians and South Australians fired up their air conditioners on hot days.
The quarterly snapshot of the energy system follows a convincing federal Labor victory at the polls that should continue the transition to renewables and the retirement of coal generators.
The opposition posited a nuclear pathway to an energy grid free from climate-warming emissions, yet a second term for the Albanese government should shut the door on the alternative technology for now.
East coast downstream gas market spot prices sunk by 2.8 per cent from the previous quarter, to $13.17 per GJ, but were 13.7 per cent higher than the same time in 2024.
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Sydney Morning Herald
15 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
US beef might be on the table, but we don't have to eat it
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People with fat super balances are also having trust issues after Labor announced its plan to raise earnings tax on accounts above $3 million. The government's extravagant tobacco tax seems to have backfired too, leading to a proliferation of illegal imported cigarettes and vapes. 'Labor's disastrous tobacco taxes are a timely warning about their proposed super taxes,' wrote William Lloyd. Albanese's rejection of American demands for Australia to jack up defence spending didn't inspire confidence among defence hawks. David Sinclair didn't mince words. On the matter of public security 'our PM either has his head stuck firmly in the sand, or in another part of his anatomy entirely.' The defection of Greens senator Dorinda Cox to Labor this week only created more suspicion. 'Albanese's welcoming of that political turncoat adds insult to injury,' said James Fliece. 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ABC News
18 hours ago
- ABC News
Federal politics: Anthony Albanese says he won't loosen biosecurity rules to secure US tariff exemption — as it happened
The Nationals leader and shadow trade minister say the Albanese government shouldn't trade away Australia's biosecurity to secure an exemption from US tariffs. The government is reviewing whether to permit the import of beef born and raised in Mexico and Canada but slaughtered in the US to Australia, but Anthony Albanese has said Australia will not loosen or compromise its biosecurity rules to secure an exemption. Take a look back at the day's coverage.
West Australian
18 hours ago
- West Australian
Keep the Sheep campaigned 'mothballed‘ for now but organisers say it is not the end
The Australian live export industry's Keep the Sheep campaign has been 'mothballed' for the time being, with contractors laid off and leftover funds set to be used to keep the group's website running. But Keep the Sheep leaders say it is not the end of the impassioned campaign that urged voters to 'put Labor last' ahead of the May Federal election and hoped to have the Albanese Government's plan to ban live sheep exports overturned. In a statement issued to farmers and stakeholders on June 4, the group's company secretary Mark Harvey-Sutton — who is also the chief executive of the Australian Livestock Exporters Association — opened up about the group's soul-searching after Labor's election win. He said the group had 'taken a hiatus' after the Federal election but wanted to 'be transparent' with its volunteers about the future of the organisation so many had poured their time and energy into supporting. 'To minimise our costs, we rolled off the contractors who were working on Keep the Sheep following the election,' he said. 'This is to ensure that our ongoing donor income is directed to maintaining the website and helping us stay compliant with our obligations under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.' Mr Harvey-Sutton said Keep the Sheep — which was funded by industry donations — did not have 'much left in the tank' in terms of cash flow and savings. 'We spent nearly all the money we raised on campaigning and pushing our message into key seats,' he said. 'What remains will be used to cover our debts and preserve our resources to ensure the company remains solvent and our key asset of the website is maintained. 'This essentially means we are mothballing Keep the Sheep for now. 'We realise this may be disappointing. But it is not the end.' While the campaign mobilised hundreds of volunteers and united WA's sheep farming industry, it failed to have the desired impact when Anthony Albanese' Labor Government stormed to a second term of power in May. Labor's plan to end live sheep exports from Australia by May 2028 now looks set to become a reality, despite the industry arguing it has modernised in recent years to have the best animal welfare standards in the world. Despite this, Mr Harvey-Sutton said he was proud of what Keep the Sheep had achieved — saying it had 'set the tone for agriculture advocacy into the future' in terms of bringing regional issues to the forefront. 'We originally started Keep the Sheep as a pressure movement to try to prevent the legislation for the ban passing the Parliament,' Mr Harvey-Sutton said. 'When we were unsuccessful, we pivoted to applying political pressure to attempt to reverse the ban, or reverse the government. 'The collective efforts of every one of our volunteers built a movement, gave agriculture a voice, and meant that our issue could not be ignored. 'We know there are challenges on the horizon that will require what we have built, to create an understanding for regional communities and bring their issues to the forefront, in both regional and metro areas.' Mr Harvey-Sutton said the organisation needed 'time and support' to develop and create something that 'honoured' the work of its volunteers and campaign managers, but exactly what that looked like was still being determined. 'We ask for your patience as we work through this process, so that we can create a powerful voice for rural communities that will echo around the country,' he said. Labor took its pledge to end live sheep exports to the last two elections, with legislation to ban live sheep exports by sea passing Federal Parliament on July 1, 2024. WA farmers are set to be hardest hit by the end of the trade, with 500,000 sheep exported from Australia last year, mainly to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Nearly all the export ships set sail from WA to markets mostly in the Middle East. Australia also ships about 750,000 head of cattle a year, with some of the cattle loaded on live sheep export ships.
