"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. Among the wind turbine developments D.E. 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 Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) has approved a power purchase agreement for the 132 MW DC /98 MW AC Bayou Galion solar project developed by Recurrent Energy and located in Morehouse Parish in Northeast Louisiana. 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. 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. Dufresne's and other local officials' concerns reflect the unease that has arisen among some in rural Louisiana over the proliferation of solar farms over thousands of acres agricultural land. 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 Feliciana Parish and $240 million project in Bueche, north of Port Allen, in West Baton Rouge Parish. Capital Region Solar Project . Recurrent Energy has completed more than 70 projects since 2006, with customers such as Google, GE Energy, Duke Energy and Dominion Energy. Bayou Galion by itself will generate enough power to supply more than 20,000 homes. Smoke from burning sugar cane fields creeps into this part of the West Baton Rouge Solar Farm. pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Southeast Louisiana is emerging as the hub for six of seven solar farms that would produce nearly 600 megawatts of electricity combined. Companies, big plants and utilities want to cut carbon emissions to meet corporate sustainability goals often driven by investor demands for greener operations and to prepare for the potential of regulatory costs associated with carbon emissions. The projects would support hundreds of construction jobs but create only a handful of permanent jobs once completed. Kelsey is managing editor of Solar Power World and host of the Contractor's Corner podcast. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. The new and previously disclosed projects would cover tens of thousands of acres of largely farm and timber land, leased from landowners. Solar developers seem unfazed by the prospect of any hurdles and continue to be bullish on the future potential while rural parish economic development officials look forward to flipping agricultural land into industrial taxes.. The 1,970-acre project, which could produce 200 megawatts of electricity, is expected to be along Bucket Road in Singer. Looking for a local installer? The project encompasses approximately 1,970 acres. As in St. James, the solar farms in Washington Parish are expected to improve local tax collections. 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. The Prairie Ronde Solar project is expected to generate 327,000-megawatt hours, the average annual electricity consumption of 30,700 US homes. D.E. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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.. Like any other industrial project, it's possible that not all the projects will be constructed. The officer of the Louisiana incorporated business is John Clifford, an executive at Galehead, records show. The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) has approved a power purchase agreement for the 132 MW DC /98 MW AC Bayou Galion solar project developed This investment is another key step in SWEPCOs efforts to secure renewable, affordable energy and achieve a more balanced fuel mix, says Nicholas K. Akins, AEPs chairman, president and CEO. 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. Dufresne, who has with some parish council members so far unsuccessfully called for a moratorium on new solar farms, gained authority last week to negotiate with the parish's third-party planning agency to study the economic and environmental impacts of solar in St. James. Tim Sylvia was an editor at pv magazine USA. Bayou Galion Solar Project LLC will build the Morehouse Parish solar plant. 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.. Solar energy is sustainable and renewable and contributes to progress toward lower greenhouse gas emissions. It could produce 50 megawatts of power. Army Of Spiral-Welding Wind Turbine Tower Trucks Sets Forth FromTexas? You have permission to edit this article. When it comes to the Dieselgate Settlement, the most well-known outcome (at least among EV enthusiasts and investors) is probably Electrify America. Lafayette Utilities System is seeking to diversify its power sources into renewable energy by purchasing up to 300 megawatts of solar power. Shaw Investments, which has emerged as the developer of seven of Louisiana's 16 proposed large-scale solar farms. Fact check:False claim that replacing cornfields with solar panels exacerbates climate change. 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. Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Last year, legislators had directed the state Department of Natural Resources to create statewide rules for solar facilities, but this year, new legislation limited those efforts to ensuring solar farms set aside resources to remove solar panels once they are decommissioned. 20 and La. 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. Solar power is clean, its cheap, and its a great way to make electricity, Campbell said. Kontiki was registered in Delaware as of August 2020 on behalf of Next Era, which is the publicly traded umbrella company for utilities such as Florida Power and Light, records show. You can also view the average costs for installing solar in Louisiana, based on real price data from installed systems and solar quotes. Grid Constraints Stymie New Projects With many utilities and states in the Midwest and South (Louisiana most recently) aiming for 100 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. That was Eagle Solar Group, which hails from Arizona. Ecoplexus has deals with customers such as Fortune 500 companies Medtronic and Ecolab, in addition to privately held businesses like Andersen Windows and Doors. A 50 megawatt, $67 million solar power farm in West Baton Rouge Parish operated by Helios Infrastructure is operational. Stay informed. "Solar projects represent an excellent community development opportunity for our rural parishes. 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. Ventress Solar is proposed near New Roads and would span 2,732 acres. 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. Solar development is largely in its infancy in Louisiana, with only a handful of projects having been constructed to date. All Rights Reserved. I mean these thousands of acres of solar farms is not bringing any jobs, and who's getting the benefit? Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox. The disruption of Russian gas to Europe has raised prices, encouraging developers and fueling the buildout along the Gulf. Officials in rural Louisiana grapple with 'going solar' as utilities, industry drive demand. The owner of the farm, D.E. Lighthouse already has more than 400 megawatts of solar connected to the grid with another 616 megawatts of power under construction. The company said "as existing resources are retired, replacement capacity is expected to come primarily from new renewable technologies.". It has also reached power agreements with the Iris Solar and Sunlight Road Solar complexes in Washington Parish, the Capitol Region Solar complex in West Baton Rouge and others. There was a problem saving your notification. Join our newsletter. The existing, smaller St. James Solar plant serves Entergy New Orleans to meet mandated renewable power goals in that city. That's being driven by environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives that institutional investors have embraced and by customer demand, he said.. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. How to build a hurricane proof solar unit. WebWashington, D.C. Today, Helios Infrastructure (Helios), a joint venture between Nationwide and Sol Systems, announced its acquisition of the largest solar power project in Louisiana. "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. 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 . Shaw's projects were initiated by and acquired from other developers. Ecoplexus has done seven tax equity funds for financing 170 megawatts of solar projects worth $300 million since 2017. 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. Shaw is nearing completion of Iris Solar and the first St. James Solar project for an eventual tie-in to the power grid. But it's unclear whether the addition of solar energy to the grid, the cheapest new construction electricity option on the market, would drive down electric bills for commercial and residential customers. However, the process is not far enough along for companies to start submitting proposals for projects. 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. The company has developed and financed more than 75 projects in California, North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado and Minnesota, with more than $750 million in projects totaling 1 gigawatt around the world. Solar projects are similar to any other real estate development with landowners, leases and even property flippers active in the market. Copyright 2023 WTWH Media, LLC. The solar farm has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off of Rosedale Rd. However, some residents have pushed back to include a local permitting process. Reached for comment, Clifford said he's no longer involved in the project. The Chalkley Solar Project has raised the ire of Calcasieu Parish who are worried about the projects size, appearance, and environmental impact. 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 There was a problem saving your notification. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. State An economic impact assessment from D.E. Kontiki Holdings LLC. 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. 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. D.E. The farm is located just north of La. WebTo date, we operate solar projects in 29 states, and the Beauregard Solar Project will be among the first solar projects in Louisiana. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so. One of Louisianas largest solar power projects ever is now under construction. Washington D.C.-area technology startup Helios Infrastructure is a joint venture between Sol Systems and Ohio giant Nationwide Insurance. The answers may surprise you. Patrick Courreges, DNR spokesman, said the rulemaking process is expected to start in August. Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of millions of monthly readers. ECOPLEXUS:A West Coast solar developer wants to drop $348 million across two solar projects in West Baton Rouge and East Feliciana parishes. Yes, but it's not cheap. 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. This solar project will deliver economic development benefits to Caddo Parish and the surrounding communities for years to come.. 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.. :Climate change denial on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok is as bad as ever. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat & Electricity, 2023 Global Energy Trends: Crisis, Contingencies, & Climate Change (Video Included! 3127 in Vacherie. At least in his parish, early fears that solar panels would supplant farms across the parish don't appear to be realistic, Thibaut said. "With over 400 megawatts of new solar power projects planned in Louisiana, (D.E. The state has approved all of the solar farms proposed for economic incentives so far. Recurrent was chosen by the 1803 Electric Cooperative to be part of its portfolio of energy-supply projects to satisfy the next 20 years of demand from five Louisiana rural electric co-ops: Claiborne Electric, Northeast Louisiana Power, Washington-St. Tammany Electric, South Louisiana Electric Cooperative and Beauregard Electric. I would hate for that to be what Washington Parish is known for.". All Rights Reserved. Features of the Beauregard Solar project: Photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays capable of generating up to 200 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy. For example, D.E. "It's a low-impact, high-value project. 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. WebNotable Installations in Louisiana LA3 West Baton Rouge Solar Facility in West Baton Rouge was developed by DEPCOM and came online in 2020. Copyright 2023 CleanTechnica. You have permission to edit this article. If utilities modernize the way they select the resources they run each day, they can save carbon and reduce energy prices. WebFor more detailed information on certain projects, click the links below. Another big chunk comes from already carbon-free nuclear power, but the utility says it has been seeking solar developers since 2020 and hopes to have them to build 2,575 megawatts of solar power by 2025. John Bel Edwards. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. 3127 and west of La. 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