Could Alice Springs reach 100% renewables by 2030?

It’s absolutely feasible before 2030 that we can work towards operation at 100% renewable energy at certain times of the day or year. It is an objective of the project to determine how we can transition Alice Springs to operate on 100% renewables: how frequently we do that and for how long will then become a question of economics.

Solar is currently the only viable renewable resource in Central Australia, and to reach 100% solar would require a very large (and prohibitively expensive) battery, to cover the overnight periods. Learning how to provide Essential System Services through renewable energy technologies is crucial to reaching 100% solar during the day. Future Grid's Wind Monitoring Study will help determine if wind energy is able to diversify the Alice Springs energy portfolio. Other factors that could assist - but are outside the scope of Alice Springs Future Grid - include the adoption of electric vehicles and their integration into the grid, and the development of a green hydrogen industry.