Our energy journey

Building from strong foundations

Over two decades, strong government leadership and ambitious renewable targets have helped shape today’s modern energy system that powers our homes, cities and industries.

Timebound targeted energy initiatives were instrumental in attracting dynamic energy solutions, expanding capability, knowledge and adoption:

In 2008 South Australia became the first state to legislate a solar feed-in tariff to encourage the adoption of solar.
South Australia attracted strong investment in wind power that changed market dynamics such that in 2016 coal-fired generation was turned off.

Additionally, targeted grants, loans and programs over the past 20 years helped to support:

utility microgrids across Adelaide and the regions, examples being the Adelaide Produce Market, and Ikea Store, Tonsley and policy to support off-grid power generation in the regions
the adoption of home batteries
the roll-out of community batteries to address energy equity
the Smart Charging EV Network with a $12.35 million grant. RAA constructed and now operates the network, expanding the initial target of more than 50 preferred locations and 500 charging stations to 140 locations, and about 550 charging stations with 75% of charging locations in regional South Australia
EV charging demonstrations trials to give consumers price signals that support them and the grid
the installation of solar across public facilities including, hospitals, schools and SA Water
time-of-use price signals through demand trials to shift electricity demand, with successful approaches adopted by energy retailers and offered to customers.

A modern record-breaking energy system

South Australia’s renewable energy and storage sector continues to set new records. Winter 2025 was a record-breaking period.

In June 2025:

South Australian generators delivered the state’s highest renewable generation in a day (48,546 MWh).
Batteries recorded the highest charge in a day (2.2 GWh on 30 June).

In July 2025:

the highest wind generation recorded over a calendar month (74.4 GWh)
the highest wind generation in a day and in a 30-minute interval (25 July)
the highest battery charge and discharge over a calendar month.

As renewable generation has increased, South Australia worked closely with national market bodies, network and transmission providers to manage the technical challenges of a largely variable system, while maintaining reliability and supporting energy equity.

Batteries are becoming more visible. They make a measurable contribution to smooth the energy system, storing excess electricity when supply is high and releasing it during busy periods. This helps to reduce price spikes and the reliance on more expensive generation.
Synchronous condensers have been placed on strategic parts of the network and continue to stabilise frequency and support voltage management.
Gas plays an integral role. As well as addressing peaking supply and demand and shortfalls, it also provides long duration supply is needed over 2 to 4 days.
Additionally, the South Australian Government introduced the Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM) in 2025. It functions as a long-duration storage procurement mechanism that can dispatch or supply electricity for at least 8 hours. The first tender has targeted 700 MW of capacity to be operational between 2028 and 2031.

Other technical innovation and system design measures have included:

enabling distributed energy integration allowing solar exports to respond to grid capacity and conditions. Technical innovations can enable as much as 10 kW to be exported to the grid at in return for customers having their exports adjusted to the capacity of the local network
in the instance of extreme shock events, new solar systems have the capability to be remotely disconnected and reconnected to manage risks.
strengthening the transmission network to improve overall system resilience.

Clean hydrogen

South Australia has the wind, sun, land, infrastructure and skills to be a world-class producer, user and exporter of hydrogen.

South Australia was the first Australian jurisdiction to work with industry to develop a comprehensive plan to accelerate development of a hydrogen economy.

Early feasibility work, international collaboration and industry engagement laid the foundations for South Australia.

Introduced in 2023, the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act, established a clear regulatory framework to progress large-scale hydrogen developments.

Further information about private sector hydrogen projects, the Port Bonython Hub and the Hydrogen Export Prospectus is available from this webpage: Hydrogen in South Australia

Clean technology minerals

Minerals are critical to powering the world’s clean energy and technology transformation. South Australia’s major export – copper – is leading this transition with around two-thirds of Australia’s copper resources.

As we move from 75% to 100% net renewable electricity, South Australia is growing ‘green’ minerals and processing industries to supply copper and other critical minerals across the globe, for low emissions technologies including electric vehicles and renewable energy technology. There is strong demand well into the future for our natural resources, boosted by the world’s largest zircon mine, 34% of Australia’s graphite, cobalt and magnesite deposits, and new rare earth element discoveries.

Explorers and miners are supported by a modern regulatory system and a willingness to actively pursue a sustainable pipeline of mineral products aiming for low impact activities, zero emissions mines of the future, and sharing the benefits with communities.

Responding to climate change

South Australia's leadership in transitioning its energy system, abundant natural resources, skilled workforce and research sector provide a strong base from which to transform its economy and achieve its twin goals of reducing state greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to more than 50% below 2005 levels, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

South Australia’s Net Zero Strategy 2024-2030 outlines the government’s objectives, policy priorities and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the economy while creating new jobs and developing new industries.