Canberra (ACT) reaches its 100% renewable electricity target

Wind farm near Lake George, NSW, part owned by ACT (photo: Julie May)

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government in Canberra reached its 100 percent renewable electricity target on October 1, 2019, when it started purchasing the electricity produced by the Hornsdale Stage 3 wind farm in South Australia.

Canberra has a range of renewable energy sources which it obtained through reverse auction processes. It includes wind farms in NSW, Victoria and South Australia as well as four solar farms within and near the Territory.

The ACT has become the first Australian state or territory – with the exception of hydro-rich Tasmania – to receive all its electricity from renewable sources. This means it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by around 40 per cent and given a boost to its economy.

Being a leader in the transition to renewables and a university city, Canberra has attracted many renewable and software technology businesses such as the leading French renewable energy producer Neoen which has established a number of power plants in Australia including the Hornsdale wind farm with the Tesla big battery.

The ACT government now has a goal of reaching zero net emissions by 2045. So it is turning its attention to other emission sources: it plans to go electric on transport and on buildings, which means a proposal to shift homes and businesses away from gas towards electricity. With more electricity required, and to service a growing population, the ACT is about to tender for another 250MW of wind and solar, including battery storage.

Read more: Canberra’s green machines: ACT reaches 100% renewable electricity target. RenewEconomy, October 1, 2019.