South Australia heads for 100% renewables by 2030

Source:  ABC

From RenewEconomy:

South Australia’s plans to reach net 100 per cent renewables within a decade, and help provide renewable power to NSW to offset the closure of its coal plants have received a major boost after the Australian Energy Regulator green-lighted the business case for a major new transmission line linking the two states.

The AER on Friday approved as “robust” the regulatory investment test for transmission (RIT-T) for the $1.5 billion, 900km Project EnergyConnect transmission line proposed between Robertstown in S.A. and Wagga Wagga in NSW, a project being led by network companies ElectraNet and TransGrid.

The approval is being celebrated as an important milestone, and not just by the project’s proponents: The South Australian government on Friday described the interconnector as “the foundation piece” of its stunning net-100% renewable plans.

The new link is critical for the development of more than 5,000MW of wind, solar and storage plants in South Australia and in south west NSW, including huge projects such as Neoen’s massive Goyder project mixing wind, solar and storage, and the Susan River solar and battery storage project, which has already signed a contract with Alinta Energy.

“This project will unlock huge new renewable energy zones in South Australia and NSW with AEMO (the Australian Energy Market Operator) reporting there are more than 5000MWs of planned renewable energy projects in close proximity to the interconnector,” South Australia energy minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said in a statement.

“South Australia is determined to be a good global citizen, and become a net exporter of renewable energy as part of our aspiration of net-100% renewables in the 2030’s.

The link is an important part of AEMO’s Integrated System Plan, which plots a 20 year blueprint for the national grid to reach between 70 and 90 per cent renewables by 2041/42. The new line means that South Australia, already with more than 50 per cent wind and solar, will be part of a grid “loop”, rather than at the end of a skinny network.

“The SA/NSW Interconnector will also improve South Australia’s electricity systems resilience to external shocks,” van Holst Pellekaan said. “With climate change leading to increased extreme weather conditions such as storms, floods and fires, being interconnected with just Victoria leaves South Australia at real risk of becoming disconnected from the rest of the market.”

What is particularly interesting about this project is that it is supported by South Australia's Liberal government.  In Australia, the Liberal party is a right-wing party, and at the Federal level, where it is the government, it denies that global heating is man-made and is resolutely opposed to renewables and electric vehicles.   "SA is determined to be a good global citizen"!  From the Liberal Party!  It makes one hope that when renewables reach 50% nationally (SA is now at 52%), the national right-wing parties might also become "environmentalists" as they see not just the economic but also the environmental benefits of renewables.