Renewable energy record in Australia: Rooftop solar panels meet more than half of demand

Author / Editor: Hakan Bozkurt•12 October 2026

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In the Australian National Electricity Market, on Saturday, September 22, solar and wind energy accounted for 80.4% of electricity demand. For the grid covering the eastern states, South Australia and the Capital Territory, this recorded figure shows that rooftop solar panels alone provided more than half of the demand for around 30 minutes during lunchtime.

Some of the excess energy was taken up by pumped hydroelectric storage and batteries. A portion was curtailed by the system’s safety rules, network constraints, and low wholesale prices brought on by simultaneous excess supply. At the end of the same week, coal production in Queensland reached a record low.