"I think one of the big challenges that we're seeing here is that solar power, wind power or renewable energy shouldn't just mean a higher cost (for ratepayers)," said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization. New state legislation requires regulation for large-scale solar projects through the Department of Natural Resources, an agency that oversees natural gas and oil drilling. Tim covered project development, legal issues and renewable energy legislation, as well as contributed to the daily Morning Brief. "'Cause if it's so good, why not wait a year and let us tell our residents just how good it is.". "Because with solar, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak, like you do with anything in life, but there's not big places in the country where you're going to get big chunks of land that you can dedicate to big solar projects like this and so that's why it's so attractive," Dismukes said. Check out our Major Solar Projects List for more notable installations. SWEPCO and sister company Public Service Company of Oklahoma also own and operate the 1,484 MW North Central Energy Facilities in north central Oklahoma. While natural gas remains the dominant power source in the state, with nuclear, coal and hydroelectric trailing far behind, solar is inching into play in a movement toward diversifying power sources and bolstering renewable energy to replace aging facilities and particularly coal to reduce emissions and fight climate change. "Studying land use and the impact industry may have on the surrounding area is reasonable, but in states across the country and in regions around the world, solar enterprises have developed cooperative relationships with neighboring communities that have made both parties profitable," retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honor said in a statement. Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map. Tripp Roy, director of development for D.E. "With over 400 megawatts of new solar power projects planned in Louisiana, (D.E. If utilities modernize the way they select the resources they run each day, they can save carbon and reduce energy prices. If you can lock in that long-term pricing then the customers have a better chance of receiving those benefits as opposed to shouldering those costs.". Some also called into question the local officials authority to grant the specific type of zoning exemption that was granted. Entergy Louisiana has already made its final decisions with undisclosed companies for the 300-megawatt proposal. The Iris Solar site comprises 492 acres and the St. James site spans approximately 218 acres. If so, couldnt this be raised to allow harvesting them? Silicon Valley has been the main high tech and venture capital hub in the US for decades. I am confident that it will provide reliable and inexpensive power to these Louisiana co-ops for years to come.. ; the 200.6 Note: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the spelling ofAndersen Windows and Doors., Solar power companies are proposing another seven large-scale solar-power projects valued at about $1 billion in rural areas of southeast Loui. The project would support 160 construction jobs and create five jobs once built by 2024. However, some residents have pushed back to include a local permitting process. San Francisco-based Ecoplexus, which owns 400 megawatts, looks to build Bueche PV1 LLC and Willis Pond PV I LLC. In February, SWEPCO announced plans to add 72.5 MW of solar energy through a power purchase agreement with the proposed Rocking R Solar project in northwest Louisiana. LSU baseball analytics: What technology, data do the Tigers use? Entergy Louisiana is purchasing the power generated by Capital Region Solar, a 50-megawatt solar plant constructed in West Baton Rouge Parish, under a 20-year Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat & Electricity, 2023 Global Energy Trends: Crisis, Contingencies, & Climate Change (Video Included! There was a problem saving your notification. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Overall, 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. This could power almost 21,000 homes. Currently, about 60% of Entergy Louisianas power comes from natural gas plants. The Vacherie Solar Energy Center will be a 150 MW AC facility in St. James Parish in Louisiana. That's being driven by environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives that institutional investors have embraced and by customer demand, he said.. Shaw Renewable Investments, is seeking to expand its solar operation on vacant fields like this one around the existing solar operation. As in St. James, the solar farms in Washington Parish are expected to improve local tax collections. Some votes head to rural residents. 20 and La. But now he's. AEP remains focused on adding approximately 16 gigawatts of regulated renewables to our generation portfolio by 2030 and reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.. Published: Nov. 9, 2021 at 3:01 PM PST. News item from D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments. With the exception of Petroplex, however, which would have been in residentially zoned areas in Vacherie near where the solar farms are proposed, critics haven't seen parish officials as willing to oppose the facilities, make changes to the land use plan that targeted new industry in majority Black areas or consider a call for a sweeping moratorium on new industry in 2019. In Washington Parish, local officials said they adopted their own solar farm ordinance, triggering the end of a year-and-a-half-old moratorium. The governor's office announced that it has asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which oversees offshore oil leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, to create a federal, state and local task force to develop wind farms off the state's coastline. John Bel Edwards, the Deep Souths only Democratic governor, brought together people from across a broa. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. The Washington Parish solar farm is estimated to cost $75 million and in St. James $30 million, according to state economic incentives records.. Parish officials are worried the expanded solar farms could displace future homes, commercial businesses or industrial plants on the prime land near the Mississippi River. 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. All the projects have sought or are seeking public approval of 80% property tax breaks for up to 10 years through the state's Industrial Property Tax Exemption Program for projects on primarily agricultural land being transformed into industrial sites that typically last at least two decades. The aesthetics of acres of reflecting panels, their hum as they track the sun, long-term cleanup, displacement of the agricultural economy and low long-term job potential have all emerged as worries, despite the short-term boost in construction jobs and sales tax collections and the long-term property tax rise over land under agricultural tax exemptions. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Ecoplexus has deals with customers such as Fortune 500 companies Medtronic and Ecolab, in addition to privately held businesses like Andersen Windows and Doors. Shaw Renewable Investments, supplies power to Entergy New Orleans. 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. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Shaw has signed deals with utilities such as Entergy New Orleans,but also with business customers such as Facebook for solar projects out West. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Join our newsletter. New York City-based D.E. Louisiana solar farms could see millions in incentives. A $98 million solar farm in Morehouse Parish is looking for tax breaks for manufacturing renewable power, The Advocate reports. Together, the projects represent the largest solar facility currently under construction in Louisiana and will produce a combined 70 MW of power. David Dismukes, executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies, said solar developers are so interested in the Gulf South because in other parts of the nation where the regulatory push for renewables has been stronger and earlier, large pieces of land are less available. The legislation passed. Washington D.C.-area technology startup Helios Infrastructure is a joint venture between Sol Systems and Ohio giant Nationwide Insurance. Kelsey is managing editor of Solar Power World and host of the Contractor's Corner podcast. The second recently opened for 500 megawatts of power. Shaw was founded in 1988 by David E. Shaw, who holds a Ph.D. from Stanford and has expertise in computational biochemistry. Several Louisiana utilities have shown interest in solar. Along the Mississippi River, St. James' large tracts of agricultural land with roads, rail, pipeline and power have made the parish one of Louisiana's hot spots for industrial growth with the generally cheap natural gas prices of the past 10 to 15 years. The owner of the farm, D.E. KONTIKI HOLDINGS: A solar project in the town of Singer in Beauregard Parish owned by Kontiki Holdings LLC would span 1,970 acres and could produce 200 megawatts of electricity, at a construction cost of $145 million. Capital Region Solar is a planned 50-MW facility being built in West Baton Meanwhile, institutional investors are eager to snap up market share for their investment portfolios to meet sustainability commitments. Lafayette Utilities System is seeking to diversify its power sources into renewable energy by purchasing up to 300 megawatts of solar power. 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. Tangipahoa, Washington, West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, Calcasieu, Lafourche, Morehouse and many other parishes have been targeted for solar installations supplying utilities, eBay, McDonald's and other electricity buyers. Shaw Renewable Investments, has two in Washington also,Iris Solar and Sunlight Road Solar, and is one of several firms eying farms across the state. That solar movement in Louisiana, for now, is being driven by Entergy Louisiana as the purchaser of electricity through long-term contracts with companies that are building and operating solar farms. 3127 and west of La. The company said "as existing resources are retired, replacement capacity is expected to come primarily from new renewable technologies.". Ventress Solar is proposed near New Roads and would span 2,732 acres. "I think there's a point to where, you know, you don't want to have this just all over the parish and every time you turn around, you're seeing a solar farm," King said. Walmart, for example, has sustainability goals and a sizable footprint in Louisiana. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/10/06/hurricane-resistant-solar-and-energy-storage-microgrid-to-be-built-in-puerto-rico/#respond Is this craw-fish country? Science? At least one company, San Francisco-based Ecoplexus, has emerged as a potential bidder for two of the three solar farms: a $308 million project in Pride in East Solar Market Insight unless otherwise noted:http://www.seia.org/research-resources/us-solar-market-insight, 2Percentage of State's Electricity from Solar: Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly:http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/#generation, 3Solar Jobs: The Solar Foundation, State Solar Jobs Census:http://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solar-jobs-census/states/, 4SEIA, National Solar Database:http://www.seia.org/research-resources/national-solar-database, 5SEIA, Major Solar Projects List:http://www.seia.org/research-resources/major-solar-projects-list, 7SEIA, Solar Means Business:https://www.seia.org/solar-means-business-report. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The project has drawn significant opposition from locals, however with more than 1,000 names being presented in opposition at the zoning meeting. "LED recognizes that many of our rural communities are valuable agricultural centers. That meeting marked the first time that the 23 representatives of industry, environmental groups, various state communities, state government officials and scientists met to create a greenhouse gas reduction strategy that would result in the state's emissions dropping by between 25% and 28% by 2025, and meet a "net zero" emissions goal by 2050. "Solar is no longer experimental," the utility told the state Public Service Commission last month. A smaller 50-megawatt project in Washington Parish, located on Sunlight Road in Franklinton would cost $56 million, support 200 construction jobs and one job once done in 2023. 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.. 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. EDP RENEWABLES:A U.S. subsidiary of Portuguese electric utilities giant Energias de Portugal is behind a $78.5 million solar project in Morehouse Parish near Bastrop. Will state leaders follow through. At least two of D.E. "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.". The seven new proposed projects are: Kontiki Holdings LLC. Commissioner Foster Campbell, North Louisiana representative on the LPSC, said the Bayou Galion Solar Project will generate 98 megawatts of clean, renewable "As we retire our low-sulfur coal-powered generation, Entergy will evaluate the appropriate mix of replacement resources as part of our continued effort to reliably provide power at the lowest reasonable costs, while mitigating customers exposure to cost and reliability risks," Entergy has said. WebWe are planning to build, own and operate a privately funded $170 million renewable energy project that will deliver electricity into the local grid, helping with Louisianas energy independence and energy security. Kontiki Holdings LLC. "We want to work with the parish to address their concerns and find a middle ground," he said. 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. The project is expected to generate between $30 million and $40 million in property taxes over its 30-year lifespan, and would create 300 to 500 temporary construction jobs and three to four full-time jobs. 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. That was Eagle Solar Group, which hails from Arizona. When it comes to the Dieselgate Settlement, the most well-known outcome (at least among EV enthusiasts and investors) is probably Electrify America. Parish officials estimate that Pointe Coupee probably has room for one more solar farm at least for the next decade. Shaws Louisiana projects are among a much larger nationwide portfolio 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. Officials in rural Louisiana grapple with 'going solar' as utilities, industry drive demand. Solar facilities also help diversify Louisianas electric generation sector. 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. 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. McDonalds corporation announced it signed a power purchase agreement for the entire production of a 180 MW solar project in Louisiana. Following state regulatory approvals, AEP will file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to transfer the projects from Invenergy. The Sierra Club environmental group recently conducted a report that asserts it would be cheaper in the long-run to replace coal-fired power plants with utility-scale solar and wind projects in Louisiana. Patrick Courreges, DNR spokesman, said the rulemaking process is expected to start in August. Observers and analysts say the solar farms are being driven into rural Louisiana because of the simple economics of cheaper power and the broader drive to stem climate change, which a United Nations panel said in February would amount to an existential threat to south Louisiana over the next half century. Solar development is largely in its infancy in Louisiana, with only a handful of projects having been constructed to date. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. LIGHTSOURCE: The single largest solar project proposed is for 300 megawatts in Pointe Coupee Parish. 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 electricity produced for the Beauregard Solar project is being marketed to a variety of customers from industrial sites to utilities inside and outside Louisiana. "It's economics driven," said Richard E. Walsh, managing partner at Madison Energy Investments, a New York-based fund that invests in renewable energy projects such as solar. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. From raw materials straight through to end-user applications, we capture and analyze the critical details that help professionals stay current and navigate the solar market. State 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. All rights reserved. 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.. D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) announced the signing of a long-term renewable energy off-take agreement with Southwestern Electric Power Company State records show that previously undisclosed projects seeking economic incentives include three in the St. James Parish community of Vacherie and one each in Thibodaux, Bogalusa, Singer and Franklinton. The West Baton Rouge Solar Farm being tied to Entergy has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off Rosedale Road. Neither of those companies were the original developer of the project. 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. One of Louisianas largest solar power projects ever is now under construction. The company doesn't typically invest in projects unless "power purchase agreements" at least 15 years or longer are available to justify financing used for solar power development. Shaw Investments, which has emerged as the developer of seven of Louisiana's 16 proposed large-scale solar farms. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. In Louisiana, with its long hot summers and wet chilly winters, one megawatt powers the equivalent of 100 homes. Who owns all these solar 'farms' across Louisiana? A lifelong sugar cane farmer in his first stint at politics, St. James Parish President Pete Dufresne has been an ardent backer of new industrial projects as needed job producers and tax revenue generators for his rural, blue-collar parish between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. ECOPLEXUS:A West Coast solar developer wants to drop $348 million across two solar projects in West Baton Rouge and East Feliciana parishes. The project would support 160 construction jobs and create five jobs once done in 2024.. D.E. Entergy noted that new requests for proposals are expected in the coming years as part of a recurring series of RFPs for renewable resources to support ongoing Entergy Louisiana energy needs to capitalize on the improving economics of solar and potentially offer other technologies relative to conventional resources.. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. The exception was issued for the Chalkley Solar Project, named for a historic local family who founded the company that is leasing the land to Aurora. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Energy Information Administration Louisiana State Profile, http://www.seia.org/research-resources/us-solar-market-insight, http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/#generation, http://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solar-jobs-census/states/, http://www.seia.org/research-resources/national-solar-database, http://www.seia.org/research-resources/major-solar-projects-list, https://www.seia.org/solar-means-business-report. Two solar farms controlled by New York-based D.E. Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy is leading the development, a 98 megawatt project on 1,000 acres for $98 million. 2023 However, the process is not far enough along for companies to start submitting proposals for projects. 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.. 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. "We have a whole lot of interest from our customers," he said. The state has approved all of the solar farms proposed for economic incentives so far. Johnna owns less than one share of $TSLA currently and supports Tesla's mission. 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. 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 publicly traded utility that serves 1.3 million customers in the state has pledged to becarbon neutralby 2050. Near Vacherie would be St. James Solar, 20 megawatts for $30 million; St. James Solar II, for which further information was not available; St. James Solar III, 90 megawatts for $100 million, Vacherie Solar Energy Center LLC, 80 megawatts for $89 million; and St. Jacques Solar, 120 megawatts for $134 million. SWEPCO is seeking approval from regulators in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to acquire the 200 MW Mooringsport solar project in Caddo Parish, La. Rocking R is part of DESRIs growing portfolio of solar facilities in Louisiana, bringing the total contracted portfolio size to over 500 MW in the state. Vacherie Solar Energy Center is proposed at the intersection of La. Campbell said the Recurrent solar plant was one of nearly 200 energy options considered by the 1803 Electric Cooperative. Rural residents have complained the solar farms are unsightly. 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. 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