Australia Sets New Record: Solar Powers 25% of Nation’s Electricity in October 2024

New data from global energy think tank Ember shows that in October 2024, Australia reached a major milestone, generating 25% of its electricity from solar power for the first time, with total solar output hitting 4.7 TWh. This development has contributed to coal’s share of electricity generation dropping below half for the second consecutive month.

Data compiled by OpenNEM, drawing from AEMO and APVI sources, reveals that since September, Australia achieved a combined record for wind and solar, which collectively generated 40% of the country’s electricity. Rooftop solar installations have significantly driven this shift; the Clean Energy Council (CEC) reports that with a cumulative 24.4 GW of rooftop solar capacity added in the first half of the year, Australia is on track to exceed 25 GW by year’s end. Remarkably, rooftop PV capacity has already outpaced coal, which currently has 21.3 GW installed.

Despite these advancements, coal remains Australia’s primary power source, accounting for 54% of electricity generation from January to October 2024. Ember’s data highlights Australia as the highest per-capita emitter of CO2 from coal in the G20, though the ongoing rise in renewables is curbing fossil fuel dependence.

Ember’s latest report also emphasizes a key environmental concern: methane emissions from coal mining. Data suggests that emissions from Australian coal mines could be up to double what has been reported to the government, indicating substantial under-reporting. Furthermore, proposed regulatory changes that would allow unverified, company-led emissions estimates for open cut mines—comprising 85% of black coal production—pose a risk of leaving millions of tonnes of methane unaccounted for. Satellite data has intensified scrutiny around this potential under-reporting issue.

Australia’s renewable energy growth has been noteworthy. Since 2015, solar and wind generation have quadrupled, rising from 7% of electricity production (18 TWh) at the time of the Paris Agreement to 28% (77 TWh) by 2023, making Australia the ninth-highest nation globally for combined wind and solar output. This growth aligns with a global surge in renewables, with wind and solar capacity more than doubling since 2015, and renewables contributing 30% of global electricity in 2023, according to Ember’s Global Electricity Review. Solar has been the fastest-growing power source worldwide for 19 consecutive years and is anticipated to be central to future energy systems.

Looking ahead, Australia has set a target of generating 82% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, up from 32% in 2022. However, Ember emphasizes that this transition must include urgent measures to reduce methane emissions from coal mines, as cutting these emissions on existing mines could significantly reduce short-term climate impacts.

“Solar is doing what it is meant to do: replacing coal and cleaning up Australia’s electricity supply. Battery is a game-changer that will ensure solar can keep growing,” said Dave Jones, Global Insights Programme Director at Ember. “For a while, solar has been the cheapest daytime electricity. It is now set to become the cheapest anytime electricity.”

Chris Wright, Ember’s Climate Strategy Advisor, added, “Solar is already driving down prices and displacing coal emissions, but the energy transition needs to include our coal mining industry as well to tackle our biggest climate impacts.”