Tasmania's renewable energy boast looking shaky with dry conditions affecting hydro electric output

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Despite Tasmania's claim of being fully sufficient in clean energy, renewables generation is on track for a 15-year low. The driest year since 1934 has forced hydro to conserve water by turning to gas power and mainland imports.

Transcript

00:00Tasmania proudly claims it's 100% renewable, powered mostly by hydroelectric energy.

00:09But what if it just doesn't rain?

00:11So far in 2024, Tasmania's renewables have only been able to meet 79% of our energy needs.

00:18In the last two years it was 93%, and in 2021 the state produced more power through renewables

00:24than it actually used.

00:26Hydro Tasmania says its catchments have had their driest year since 1934.

00:31It means the state's big batteries, the dams, aren't charged up.

00:36And to conserve water, we've been more reliant on other forms of energy.

00:40While solar and wind power have been stable, hydro generation is down by nearly a quarter

00:45on the average of the last five years.

00:47In June, Hydro Tasmania fired up the gas-powered Tamar Valley Power Station.

00:52It's met about 5% of the state's needs for the entire year.

00:56That's the most since 2017, and tripled the average of the past five years.

01:01The undersea Basslink cable allows Tasmania to buy or sell power to the mainland.

01:06This year there's been a lot more buying than selling, the extra making up 16% of our energy

01:11demand.

01:12Obviously, being a weather-dependent generator, dry years can be very challenging, but we've

01:18got a number of different levers we can pull to manage that.

01:20Hydro Tasmania says while a year like this is abnormal, climate change could affect its

01:25operations going forward.

01:26Variability is going to increase, we're going to have dry years, we're going to have wet

01:30years.

01:31Tasmania has a legislated target of 200% renewable energy by 2040.

01:37But a new wind farm hasn't opened since Granville Harbour in 2020.

01:41With several others stuck in the planning phase, the TCCI says our renewable status

01:46is slipping away.

01:47We need this energy now.

01:49This energy will turn off coal-fired power stations in the mainland, but more importantly

01:52see Tasmanians through.

01:54We are in an energy crisis that needs to be fixed.

01:57Energy Minister Nick Diagon says the state government's working on streamlining approvals

02:01processes, including by introducing a renewable energy approvals pathway.

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