The high price of gas, not renewable energy, was the culprit behind the recent electricity shortage in South Australia which pushed prices to long-term highs.

That's the conclusion of a research report conducted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, looking at whether renewable energy sources were to blame for the state's recent price woes.

Renewable energy is not to blame for South Australia's recent price hikes, a report has found.

"It is erroneous and simplistic to just blame renewables for the recent price rises in the South Australian market," Kobad Bhavnagri, the group's Australian head, said.

Cold weather prompted a surge in electricity demand for a fortnight in mid-July. At the same time when there was limited output from the state's extensive wind turbines, while technical issues limited the amount of electricity sourced from Victoria.