Wind output overtakes hydro power for first time in Tasmania

Tasmania reached a new milestone on Friday when wind output overtook hydro output, likely for the first time.

Woolnorth wind farm, Tasmania.

According to OpenNem, operated by the Climate and Energy College, wind output totalled around 350MW (37 per cent) in the early hours of Friday morning, while hydro was scaled back to just 216MW (23 per cent) – see graph below.

The balance was made up from imports from Victoria. Tasmania has been importing in the morning, and exporting back to the mainland in the afternoon and evening.

It is believed to be the first time that wind power has overtaken hydro power in the island state, and comes after the recent additions of the 148MW  Cattle Hill wind farm, which starting sending power to the grid in January, and the 112MW Granville wind farm, which began operations in February. They join the existing Musselroe and Woolnorth wind farms, with others on the way.

Read the story from RenewEconomy by Giles Parkinson - “Wind output overtakes hydro power for first time in Tasmania.”