Solar projects are similar to any other real estate development with landowners, leases and even property flippers active in the market. This 74.5 MW project produces enough electricity to power 7,991 homes. This is a part of the West Baton Rouge Solar Farm. Some parishes have sought more control over solar project development, even going so far as to issue moratoriums on incentives and require special permitting.. It could produce 50 megawatts of power. 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. Though St. James Solar sailed through the approval process in 2019, the new, larger additions have run into headwinds. Next Era Energy, which has a significant renewable energy portfolio, particularly solar, dubbed the project as Beauregard Solar. Who owns all these solar 'farms' across Louisiana? "So you know before we just hurry up and jump up and approve all these things, we want to know what the long-term effect is going to be for St. James Parish," Dufresne said. 2023 www.thenewsstar.com. The Morehouse facility would open in 2023, while the St. Landry site is planned to be online by 2024.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "It's been a pretty amazing transformation of our industrial customers over the past couple years about their sustainability goals.". We've already went through the dairy farms having to sell out and shut down. A state board that oversees economic development incentives for manufacturers previously voted to pause any new property tax incentives for solar farms, but recently reversed course and approved contracts to be reviewed at the local level for 10-year tax breaks. Smoke from burning sugar cane fields creeps into this part of the West Baton Rouge Solar Farm. Other developers would have two projects each in West Baton Rouge and Morehouse parishes and one each in Washington, Pointe Coupee, Lafourche, East Feliciana and Beauregard parishes. Instead, it's likely the new electricity generation cost, as with the addition of any other new capacity, would be added to monthly bills spread across all ratepayers. Louisiana is a rare Deep South state with a climate plan. Two solar farms controlled by New York-based D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments) is enthusiastic about the opportunity to invest in a welcoming state economic environment while working in close partnership with local communities," said Hy Martin, commercial development officer for the company. The facility was recently acquired by Helios Infrastructure, a joint venture between Sol Systems and publicly traded Nationwide Insurance. The project includes 199 MW Sundance, 287 MW Maverick and 998 MW Traverse wind projects. Campbell said the Recurrent solar plant was one of nearly 200 energy options considered by the 1803 Electric Cooperative. A $98 million solar farm in Morehouse Parish is looking for tax breaks for manufacturing renewable power, The Advocate reports. Kontiki Holdings LLC. "With over 400 megawatts of new solar power projects planned in Louisiana, (D.E. The latest plans roughly double the number of solar power projects planned in Louisiana to more than a dozen. Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO), a subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP), is adding three renewable energy projects totaling 999 MW, representing a $2.2 billion investment. Dufresne said he isn't against green energy and recognizes the short-term revenue benefits, but said he is looking at another bottom line. Neither of those companies were the original developer of the project. concerns from these residents generally regard the size of the project, its impact on the local environment, damage that project hardware could cause as debris in the event of a hurricane destroying it, and why their town was specifically chosen. Louisiana farmers already have complained that they cannot compete with the per-acre lease price solar companies are willing to pay for land. She also gardens, collects interesting minerals and can be found on TikTok. Some votes head to rural residents. I would hate for that to be what Washington Parish is known for.". The farm is located just north of La. Rocking R represents DESRIs first contract with SWEPCO, DESRIs first solar project in northern Louisiana, and the first utility-scale solar project built in the parish. The publicly traded utility that serves 1.3 million customers in the state has pledged to becarbon neutralby 2050. 50 MW solar facility consisting of approximately 197,000 solar panels Location: West Baton Rouge Parish Completed: October 2020 Projected to bring approximately $6.4 million in tax revenue to the region over the next 30 years Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat & Electricity, 2023 Global Energy Trends: Crisis, Contingencies, & Climate Change (Video Included! THIBODAUX SOLAR: The Bayou region's first utility solar array, Thibodaux Solar Project, also known as Sunbeam 2, is proposed in Lafourche Parish. . Shaw Renewable Investments, supplies power to Entergy New Orleans. Complete our National Solar Database Survey! The West Baton Rouge Solar Farm being tied to Entergy has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off Rosedale Road. 3127 and west of La. Together, the projects represent the largest solar facility currently under construction in Louisiana and will produce a combined 70 MW of power. Of the 16 solar power farms proposed in Louisiana, nearly half are controlled by an East Coast hedge fund with an appetite for solar and wind projects contained in a growing $15 billion renewable power portfolio. . A petition in opposition of the Chalkley Solar Project on change.org was able to garner 681 supporters before closing, calling the project a metal/mirror wasteland that can potentially destroy or at least harm vast amounts of wildlife.. "The calls for further evaluation by the Council is especially rich given how freely its members have allowed the petrochemical industry to expand in majority Black areas.". If so, couldnt this be raised to allow harvesting them? Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. ; 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. 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. A second solar project of previously unforeseen capacity could be coming to Louisiana, as local officials in Calcasieu Parish on Lake Charles, midway between New D.E. Shaw has backed financially across North America is the nation's first offshore wind project, Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island, which drew offshore and fabrication expertise from companies in Louisiana. Check out our Major Solar Projects List for more notable installations. Yes, but it's not cheap. I am confident that it will provide reliable and inexpensive power to these Louisiana co-ops for years to come.. That requires big tracts of land, often former family farms, which has created pushback from farmers in Louisiana, who say they can't compete with the solar industry's lease payments for land. The existing, smaller St. James Solar plant serves Entergy New Orleans to meet mandated renewable power goals in that city. The Valley is typically viewed as San More wind energy and interregional transmission could have mitigated the impacts of rolling blackouts experienced during Decembers winter storm. A newly constructed 50-megawatt solar farm on 560 acres in West Baton Rouge Parish that has a supply contract with Entergy Louisiana has been . The Iris Solar project in Washington Parish and St. James Solar project in St. James Parish represent the largest solar facility currently under construction in Louisiana Businesses which rely on oil and gas activity off Louisiana's coast fear that fossil fuels could track a similar demise as the coal industry a, The climate task force created by Gov. Rocking R is expected to deliver significant community benefits, including the creation of construction jobs. Shaw now has nearly 700 megawatts in construction and contracted clean power projects in Louisiana, the statement said. Other energy options chosen to be part of the 1803 collection include solar plants in central and south Louisiana, a gas-fired power plant to be built in Iberville Parish and a power-supply component by the Exelon Corp. Our commission staff took several months to review this plan, Campbell said. "We have a whole lot of interest from our customers," he said. The officer of the Louisiana incorporated business is John Clifford, an executive at Galehead, records show. The other such installation is the 345 MW Ventress Solar project, set to start construction by the end of this year and slated for completion in 2023. All Rights Reserved. Kelsey is managing editor of Solar Power World and host of the Contractor's Corner podcast. 20 and La. The $100 million investment made by a single solar facility will generate very significant tax revenues for the parish, school board and sheriff. Entergy Louisiana has already made its final decisions with undisclosed companies for the 300-megawatt proposal. The owner of the farm, D.E. The five co-ops banded together to develop a replacement for their soon-to-expire power-supply contract with CLECO Cajun, a Louisiana company that is part of CLECO Power in Pineville. Likewise, major corporations that are big users of electricity are looking to be more environmentally friendly by sourcing more of the power they use from the sun, wind or water. ECOPLEXUS:A West Coast solar developer wants to drop $348 million across two solar projects in West Baton Rouge and East Feliciana parishes. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. There are various owners from around the world involved in the projects, some of the next-generation of wildcatters leasing land on the speculation projects can be financed, developed and the electricity generated can be sold to the highest bidder. Following state regulatory approvals, AEP will file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to transfer the projects from Invenergy. Those jobs would end by December 2024. Entergy is following a similar plan to hit "net-zero" emissions by 2050 and stop the use of coal that represents 4% of its owned and leased electricity generation portfolio. This summer, Cleco sought help from an independent consultant to structure its new venture into building a solar farm portfolio, according to Louisiana Public Service Commission records. You have permission to edit this article. ", The statement said the states Board of Commerce and Industry, which oversees incentives, "will respectfully and fairly consider the expansion of solar power as part of its objective to help grow and retain jobs in Louisiana. 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. Only one of the 16 is operational so far, with two of D.E. The projects could support 1,000 construction jobs if built, but yield only two full-time positions once completed. 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. Official SEIA State Affiliate - Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Association (GSREIA), DSIRE Incentives Database - Louisiana - Search a public clearinghouse for specific solar energy incentives in Louisiana and across the United States, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources- Find a wide variety of information on state government energy programs, policy, projects, energy-saving strategies and energy-related statistics, Louisiana Public Service Commission - Learnabout the governing body that regulates the electricity rates and services of Louisiana public utilities, Louisiana State Legislature - Track pending legislation affecting solar energy, locate and contact individual legislators, and stay up to date on current legislative issues in Louisiana, Louisiana Solar Panels Overview- Learn about thehistory of solar policy in Louisiana, along with up-to-date pricing information onEnergySage, National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Louisiana, Solar Panel Cost in Louisiana- Learn about the history of solar policy in Louisiana, along withup-to-date pricing informationonEnergySage, Solar Rebates & Incentives in Louisiana- Check out EnergySage's list of keysolar incentives in Louisianato see what programs you can benefitfrom, U.S. Energy Information Administration Louisiana State Profile - Explore official energy statistics, including data on electricity supply and demand, from the U.S. government, 1All data from SEIA/GTM Research U.S. Rural residents have complained the solar farms are unsightly. You have permission to edit this article. Overall, D.E. Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map. Shaw Investments, which has emerged as the developer of seven of Louisiana's 16 proposed large-scale solar farms. Tim Sylvia was an editor at pv magazine USA. For example, D.E. In the Gulf South, however, the large, open tracts of agricultural land allow for a cheaper upfront cost to set up capital intensive solar installations near a market and on an existing electrical grid with a growing demand for renewable power, Dismukes noted. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Cleco and Lafayette Utilities System are also in the market for renewable energy. 3127 and west of La. The nearly 600 megawatts of electricity the Entergy-linked solar farms will generate for the power grid would match the production of one smaller-scale natural gas-fired power plant and be a small portion the power produced in the state. Information on the projects was contained in documents seeking state economic incentives through the Industrial Tax Exemption Program for manufacturers, which could mean an 80% property tax abatement for up to 10 years on the projects if approved by the school boards, sheriffs and councils in those parishes. The disruption of Russian gas to Europe has raised prices, encouraging developers and fueling the buildout along the Gulf. Each project would support a range of 160 to 300 construction jobs, developers said. Shaw is nearing completion of Iris Solar and the first St. James Solar project for an eventual tie-in to the power grid. Walmart, for example, has sustainability goals and a sizable footprint in Louisiana. New York City-based D.E. SWEPCO is seeking approval from regulators in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to acquire the 200 MW Mooringsport solar project in Caddo Parish, La. Solar projects like this are being developed all over the state and nation, and they are a critical new part of our countrys energy industry.. DESRI will be the long-term owner and operator. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Solar power companies are looking to build at least seven big projects in rural Louisiana, including three in one unincorporated community. Many are also seeking eligibility for the state's Quality Jobs program, which is acash rebate to companies up to 6% for no more than 10 years in addition to state sales and use tax rebate on capital expenditures., As a geologist, Kirk Barrell has studied what lies below ground for decades on the hunt for oil and gas pockets across Louisiana. For example, a 20-megawatt solar farm in New Orleans added about $1.50 to the monthly bill of ratepayers there. Of those that showed permanent jobs, four projects would create one job each; two of them five each; and another three permanent jobs. Use SolarReviews to get company reviews and estimates for solar in your area. Lighthouse already has more than 400 megawatts of solar connected to the grid with another 616 megawatts of power under construction. In response to the latest round of projects seeking property tax and Quality Jobs program incentives, the Louisiana Economic Development department said in a statement that LED works to increase and retain jobs across all of Louisiana, including rural communities. 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. Parish officials estimate that Pointe Coupee probably has room for one more solar farm at least for the next decade. The projects proposed in Vacherie would produce 120, 90 and 80 megawatts, with a 50-megawatt facility proposed for Franklinton. DESRI has executed a 20-year Renewable Energy Purchase Agreement (REPA) with SWEPCO to support the utilitys growing renewable energy portfolio and help power local customers electricity needs. Bayou Galion Solar Project LLC will build the Morehouse Parish solar plant. But now he's. Shaw Investments are under construction: the Iris project in Washington Parish on LSU AgCenter property and in St. James Parish totaling another 70 megawatts of solar power for the grid in 2021. At least two of D.E. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. 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. "The resources that will replace this low-sulfur coal-powered generation will be a diverse mix of power generation, which will include zero-carbon renewable energy resources.". The firm is part of Recurrent Energy Development Holdings, a North American solar-power and energy-storage developer. Web4 Utility-scale solar projects create an average of 3.3 jobs/MW according to SEIA. Bob Marshall: Could solar panels keep the lights on after a hurricane? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The Washington Parish solar farm is estimated to cost $75 million and in St. James $30 million, according to state economic incentives records.. Walmart has been at the table for discussions through the Louisiana Public Service Commission about the potential for what is called a green tariff option that allows customers to tie their electricity purchases to renewable energy sources. LSU baseball analytics: What technology, data do the Tigers use? Looking for a local installer? Please be mindful of our community standards. Has already made its final decisions with undisclosed companies for the next decade fueling the along... 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