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"Even if the electricity were sold to an off-taker outside the state the economic benefits would stay in the parish," said Bryan Garner, director of communications for NextEra Energy Resources. New solar farm in West Baton Rouge with Entergy electricity contract sold; more under construction, Lafayette Utilities System trying to go green with solar energy push; seeking proposals, West Baton Rouge leaders pump brakes on solar farm construction to address resident complaints, With more solar farms in the works, West Baton Rouge leaders move to require permits, A reeling Louisiana oil and gas industry anticipates another setback: Loss of federal subsidies, Economic incentives unanimously approved for $410M ExxonMobil project, new $308M solar farm, New $98M solar farm pitched in Louisiana as utilities look to buy more renewable power, Louisiana businesses face reality of no new federal offshore leases anytime soon. Created by, the average costs for installing solar in Louisiana. 3127 and west of La. Though St. James Solar sailed through the approval process in 2019, the new, larger additions have run into headwinds. Like any other industrial project, it's possible that not all the projects will be constructed. Shaw Investments is supporting seven utility-scale projects in Louisiana, while eight other businesses from startups to big players from inside and outside the United States are behind nine other large-scale solar projects in various stages across the state. THIBODAUX SOLAR: The Bayou region's first utility solar array, Thibodaux Solar Project, also known as Sunbeam 2, is proposed in Lafourche Parish. The company said "as existing resources are retired, replacement capacity is expected to come primarily from new renewable technologies.". Louisianas first utility-scale solar farm, which is 50 megawatts, is in West Baton Rouge Parish and is being connected to the power grid under a 20-year power supply contract with Entergy, which has two open requests for proposals. The second recently opened for 500 megawatts of power. Email David J. Mitchell at dmitchell@theadvocate.com. Entergy Corp.has emerged as an important source of solar power demand. The St. James Solar farm in Vacherie collects the rays of the sun and turns them into power for the New Orleans area on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Meanwhile, institutional investors are eager to snap up market share for their investment portfolios to meet sustainability commitments. The St. James Solar farm in Vacherie collects the rays of the sun and turns them into power for the New Orleans area on Thursday, July 7, 2022. But that's what Entergy Mississippi is doing with their green pricing programs and I think there's a push to do that in Louisiana as well, a premium on top of your existing bill for a percentage of renewable resources. Shaw has signed deals with utilities such as Entergy New Orleans,but also with business customers such as Facebook for solar projects out West. The projects will create more than 5000 jobs and avoid more than 900,000 tons of CO2 Madrid, 1 March 2023 Lightsource bp, a world leader in the development and Ecoplexus has deals with customers such as Fortune 500 companies Medtronic and Ecolab, in addition to privately held businesses like Andersen Windows and Doors. SWEPCOs long-term plan calls for more than one-third of its Southwest Power Pool accredited capacity to be satisfied with wind and solar resources. D.E. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/10/06/hurricane-resistant-solar-and-energy-storage-microgrid-to-be-built-in-puerto-rico/#respond, Court rules that inverter sizing guides grid connection, Retaining value for solar customers under California NEM 3.0 rule change, California pulls the plug on rooftop solar, U.S. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Nearly 1 In 3 Homes In Australia Covered In Solar Panels, In Ultrathin Layers, NREL Researchers Find A Path To Better Materials, Solar Installation Growth Expected to Reach 700 GW by 2025, Green Hydrogen Project Is New Worlds Biggest, Utility-Scale Wind, Solar PV, & Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Increased From 467 MW In 2013 To 6,230 MW In 2022 In South Africa, Energy Security Amid Heightened Global Tensions. Our DESRI team is pleased to partner with SWEPCO to deliver cost-effective clean power to customers across Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, said Hy Martin, chief development officer of DESRI. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. If so, couldnt this be raised to allow harvesting them? Get SEIA emails and stay on top of the latest solar news in your state. 3127 and west of La. The Vacherie Solar Energy Center (Vacherie) will be a 150-MW AC facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana; The SJ Louisiana Solar Project (SJ Solar) will be a 150-MW AC The project has drawn significant opposition from locals, however with more than 1,000 names being presented in opposition at the zoning meeting. Tripp Roy, director of development for D.E. The startup "identified the sites best suited to host a solar project" for the unidentified customer and is "actively working with this partner to develop a utility-scale solar project," according to its website. Pointe Coupee Parish President Major Thibaut has been through the approval of a large solar facility in Ventress, the worries from his parish's large agricultural base and the creation of an ordinance addressing some of those issues. 20 and La. Shaw is nearing completion of Iris Solar and the first St. James Solar project for an eventual tie-in to the power grid. There was a problem saving your notification. You can also view the average costs for installing solar in Louisiana, based on real price data from installed systems and solar quotes. The project would support 160 construction jobs and create five jobs once done in 2024.. Local governments have been left to balance those concerns against the rights of landowners seeking lucrative solar leasing arrangements and the demand from utilities and big users, including major industrial operations, for more renewable power. It is planning a $145 million solar project in Beauregard Parish to start construction in 2023 and wrap up in 2024, supporting 250 construction jobs and yielding three permanent jobs. Last month, Lightsource bp started construction on Ventress Solar, the largest solar farm in Louisiana, which it will own and operate on 1, 800 acres of land in Pointe Coupe Parish. The solar farm has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off of Rosedale Road. Local elected leaders will direct these new tax revenues to meet their current or future needs," LED Secretary Don Pierson said in the statement. SWEPCO expects to issue another request for proposal (RFP) in the near term for additional renewable energy consistent with the companys integrated resource plan for its energy and capacity needs. The answers may surprise you. Mostly through subsidiary Entergy Louisiana, Entergy has reached power agreements for the more than 4,200 acres of solar projects built or proposed in St. James. Power from those farms would go to Entergy Louisiana, which supplies power to St. James, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and many other parts of the state. 3127 and west of La. You don't have to hire new teachers or first responders; it's quiet, passive, creates revenue and actually preserves the land. Campbell said the Recurrent solar plant was one of nearly 200 energy options considered by the 1803 Electric Cooperative. Bob Marshall: Could solar panels keep the lights on after a hurricane? RECURRENT ENERGY:Outside of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish, a subsidiary of publicly traded Canadian Solar, which manufactures solar panels and constructs projects, is buildingBayou Galion Solar Project. Shaw Renewable Investments, supplies power to Entergy New Orleans. Currently, about 60% of Entergy Louisiana's power comes from natural gas plants. This information came from an advance notification filed with Louisianas economic development office. That's enough to provide electricity for about 220,000 homes in Louisiana, according toestimatesfrom the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, and would constitute about a quarter of Entergy Louisiana's current total power production. 2023 "It's been a pretty amazing transformation of our industrial customers over the past couple years about their sustainability goals.". Solar Industry offers industry participants probing, comprehensive assessments of the technology, tools and trends that are driving this dynamic energy sector. Cleco,Lafayette Utilities System and a number of electrical cooperatives, includingDEMCO, which operates in the Baton Rouge area, have signed deals for commercial-scale solar power or announced plans to do so. There was a problem saving your notification. They also want to find more consistent and relatively cheap prices for power as a hedge against the fluctuations of fossil fuel-based electricity, these watchers say. Yes, but it's not cheap. Thibaut said he believes his parish has struck a balance between protecting agriculture and allowing some economic diversification in strategic locations with an industry that has a low impact on water, roads and local services, like fire and police. Two solar farms controlled by New York-based D.E. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. If you're looking for information about local solar companies, check out EnergySage'slist of solar companies in Louisiana, where you can check out information about each company and see real customerreviews. "It's about striking a balance. Recurrent Energy has completed more than 70 projects since 2006, with customers such as Google, GE Energy, Duke Energy and Dominion Energy. To make that happen, the company expects in the future to stop using coal at Nelson 6 in Louisiana and at its Arkansas coal plants by 2030. This solar project will deliver economic development benefits to Caddo Parish and the surrounding communities for years to come.. The facility was recently acquired by Helios Infrastructure, a joint venture between Sol Systems and publicly traded Nationwide Insurance. Washington Parish officials are looking at infrastructure and recreation with the new money, Parish Council member Carley King said. Here's a glance at the other proposed projects in the state and their developers: HELIOS INFRASTRUCTURE:Its 50 megawatt project cost $67 million to construct in West Baton Rouge Parish and is operational. Solar panel technology is not new but the cost to build solar farms has dropped significantly in recent years. "It's a low-impact, high-value project. Diversion is expected to reach commercial operation in December 2024. 20. Shaw's known projects total 410 megawatts, while other players propose an additional $1.6 billion worth of projects producing more than 1,500 megawatts. DESRI will be the long-term owner and operator. John Bel Edwards' climate initiative calls for a vast "decarbonization" of Louisiana's industrial sector which contributes about 62% of Louisiana's greenhouse gases powering boilers and other equipment and sees the push toward renewable power as one of the ways to drive the state to "net-zero" carbon emissions by 2050. Two are already constructed in West Baton Rouge Parish and New Orleans East; two are under construction in Washington and St. James parishes; and three more were put out vying for a contract with Entergy for proposals in West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana and Morehouse parishes. Thats right, Louisianas politicians who are owned by the fossil fuel industry suspended financial incentives for utility-scale solar projects. D.E. Add to that, more than 100 megawatts of electricity already being generated from privately-owned solar panels sitting on the rooftops of individual residences or on commercial buildings. Both projects are expected to reach commercial operation in mid Capital Region Solar is a planned 50-MW facility being built in West Baton ; the 200.6 ; the 200.6 MW Diversion wind project in Baylor County, Texas; and the 598.4 MW Wagon Wheel wind project in Logan, Garfield and Noble counties, Okla. Invenergy is developing the three projects. That's the most valuable real estate, accessible to rail and river, and it's just taking away so many opportunities that could be other clean projects, as well, you know, that could actually bring jobs, and that's what our concern is," Dufresne told a few solar, utility and media representatives after a recent Parish Council meeting. The farm is located just north of La. Shaw's Louisiana projects are among a much larger nationwideportfolio controlled by the hedge fund producing more than 2,900 megawatts of power generated from the sun and more than 500 megawatts from wind, records show.. 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