Rocketing power generation from Australian rooftops has driven down demand for electricity from the grid to a fresh low even as peak demand hit an all-time high for the time of year, underscoring the increasingly extreme forces in play in the transitioning energy system.

An 18 per cent year-on-year jump in rooftop solar generation in the fourth quarter of 2024 contributed to record low demand for power from the grids in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator.