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Leader and Environment

What South Australia can teach the world about cutting carbon fast

Nearly 73 per cent of South Australia's energy comes from wind and solar, the highest of any major grid in the world. The state's remarkably rapid transition to renewables offers vital lessons, and hope

25 October 2023

2FM0KRW Aerial of heat sink type modern housing estate with private roads Kellyville Western Sydney Australia.

Lincoln Fowler/Alamy

WE NEED to urgently slash global carbon emissions to avoid catastrophic climate change. The scale of the task can seem overwhelming. But there are grounds for optimism in places where action to ditch fossils fuels is accelerating, offering vital lessons for the rest of us.

One such place is the state of South Australia. In 2007, just 1 per cent of its electricity came from solar and wind. Today, this proportion has risen to almost 73 per cent – the highest of any major grid in the world. It is tipped to become the first large-scale grid to run…

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