Solar energy is gaining momentum across the globe, but some of the world’s sunniest places have already adopted solar as a primary energy supplier. One of these areas leading by example in the field of renewables is the state of South Australia which just became the world’s largest region to meet all of its energy needs from solar power.
Although the moment was brief, solar power accounted for 100 percent of South Australia’s power needs on October 11 for an hour between noon and 1 pm. To put this in perspective, this means 379,725 square miles of land, an area more than 2 times larger than California, successfully generated enough renewable power to meet all their energy demands.
This achievement is in part due to the fact that one in three homes in South Australia has rooftop solar panels that complement the region’s large-scale solar facilities. Rooftop panels account for three-quarters of the solar energy generated.
Australian Energy Market Operator forecasts that instances of 100% solar power will become more common in the coming year thanks to the continued surge in demand for solar panel installation. A predicted 36,000 new rooftop solar systems will be installed in South Australia in the next 14 months.
Overhauling our energy systems in favor of renewables can seem like an overwhelming task, but South Australia is showing us that this transition is not only feasible but in fact already here.
