Renewable energy supplied as much electricity as coal to Australia’s main power grid last week, with solar power meeting the majority of daytime demand during extreme heat.
Data from the national electricity market, which services the five eastern states and the ACT, shows solar energy provided about 30 per cent of total electricity over the past seven days. During daylight hours between 9am and 6pm, solar accounted for about 59 per cent of demand.
Rooftop systems installed on roughly four million homes delivered more than half of that solar output, with the remainder generated by large-scale solar farms. At its peak around midday, solar reached about two-thirds of total electricity consumption, rising above 70 per cent in New South Wales and South Australia.
Coal-fired power stations, which once supplied close to 90 per cent of Australia’s electricity, were reduced to a supporting role during the day as solar generation surged. Coal output increased after sunset, backed by wind, hydro, gas and battery storage.
The Australian Energy Market Operator reported renewable energy exceeded 50 per cent of total generation in the final quarter of 2025 for the first time, alongside a 44 per cent fall in wholesale electricity prices compared with the same period a year earlier.
Energy researchers say the grid remained stable despite record temperatures driving high air-conditioning use, highlighting how rapidly Australia’s electricity system is shifting toward renewable power.
