Against the odds, South Australia is a renewable energy powerhouse. So how did they do it?

Less than two decades ago, South Australia generated all its electricity from fossil fuels. Last year, renewables provided a whopping 60 per cent of the state’s electricity supply.

The remarkable progress came as national climate policy was gripped by paralysis — so how did it happen?

Our research set out to answer this question. We analysed policy documents and interviewed major actors in South Australia’s energy transition to determine why it worked when so many others fail.

We found governments need enough political power to push through changes despite opposition from established fossil fuel interests. They must also watch the energy market closely to prevent and respond to major disruptions, such as a coal plant closing, and…