WA's Solar Power Shines Bright During Record-Breaking Heatwave

Mar 6, 2024

2 min read

The sun in Western Australia (WA) isn't just hot, it's turning up the heat on the state's unique, isolated grid. While everyone's watching South Australia's solar show, WA is quietly crushing it in the energy game with cutting-edge battery storage.

Heatwave Smashes Records, Batteries Come to the Rescue

Imagine your air conditioner working overtime as temperatures skyrocket past 40°C. That's exactly what happened during WA's brutal heatwave, pushing grid demand to unprecedented levels. The top six highest demand peaks ever were recorded between January 31st and February 19th, 2024, reaching a scorching 4.2 gigawatts (GW).

Rooftop Solar Shines Bright, But Needs Backup at Night

While the heatwave sent demand soaring, rooftop solar panels were beaming, generating over 1 gigawatt (GW) of power at their peak. This impressive contribution helped slash daytime demand by over 1 GW. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, so did solar production, leaving a critical 1 GW gap that needed filling.

Enter the Battery Heroes, Saving the Day (and Night)

Here's where things get electrifying. WA's first battery champion at Kwinana, with a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) and 200 megawatt-hours (MWh), stepped up to the plate. This powerhouse pumped out a remarkable 87 MW during peak demand, tripling the output of diesel generators (35 MW) and showcasing the game-changing potential of battery storage in a renewable-powered future.

The Future is Bright (and Charged Up!)

This is just the beginning of the battery revolution in WA. Four more colossal batteries are scheduled to join the fight soon, significantly boosting storage capacity and flexibility. These batteries will act as energy guardians, capturing excess solar power during the day and releasing it during those crucial evening hours when demand surges.

A Glimpse into the Future of Energy

WA's recent heatwave served as a stress test for its grid, highlighting the critical partnership between renewables and storage in maintaining a stable energy supply. This successful integration offers a promising roadmap for other regions seeking a clean and sustainable energy future.

Here's a quick look at the key takeaways:

Heatwave: Pushed grid demand to record-breaking levels (4.2 GW).
Rooftop Solar: Reduced daytime demand by over 1 GW but couldn't meet peak evening demand (1 GW gap).
Batteries: The Kwinana battery (100 MW, 200 MWh) proved its worth, tripling the output of diesel generators (35 MW) by delivering 87 MW during peak demand.
Future: Four more large batteries are coming online, increasing energy storage capacity and flexibility.