Yes, but it's not cheap. 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. These projects would also outpace SEIAs expectations for solar capacity additions in the state over the next five years, which currently sits at 507 MW. Tim Sylvia was an editor at pv magazine USA. According to Auroras zoning exception application, the Chalkey project would use roughly one million solar modules and have a nameplate capacity between 300 and 400 MW. "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. West Baton Rouge Parish saw the state's first utility-scale solar farm, 50 megawatts, that is being connected to the power grid under a 20-year power supply contract with Entergy. When it comes to the Dieselgate Settlement, the most well-known outcome (at least among EV enthusiasts and investors) is probably Electrify America. Percentage of State's Electricity from Solar: 62 (5 Manufacturers, 29 Installers/Developers, 28 Others), 2,816 MW over the next 5 years (ranks 15th). 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. Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - In a press release Tuesday, Entergy Louisiana announced it will be purchasing 475 megawatts of additional solar power from four solar facilities across the state. Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map. "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. Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy. Hold Ctrl or Cmd to select multiple editions. Solar development is largely in its infancy in Louisiana, with only a handful of projects having been constructed to date. Only one of the 16 is operational so far, with two of D.E. Though Nationwide does not operate the solar array on a day-to-day basis, it does have a controlling interest as a financial backer, according to a federal master lease agreement on file. 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.". Officials in rural Louisiana grapple with 'going solar' as utilities, industry drive demand. "The cost to install has come down; the components and the financing costs have come down as it becomes more mature," he said, "and there's more interest from institutional investors." The cost of decommissioning is born by the developer.". "We want to work with the parish to address their concerns and find a middle ground," he said. We've already went through the dairy farms having to sell out and shut down. Use SolarReviews to get company reviews and estimates for solar in your area. Tim covered project development, legal issues and renewable energy legislation, as well as contributed to the daily Morning Brief. 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. Currently, about 60% of Entergy Louisianas power comes from natural gas plants. Depcom Power, also based in Arizona, did the engineering, procurement and construction in addition to operations and maintenance for the solar project. Gov. WebTo date, we operate solar projects in 29 states, and the Beauregard Solar Project will be among the first solar projects in Louisiana. For example, D.E. 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. 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. 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. Ventress Solar is proposed near New Roads and would span 2,732 acres. 20. Dismuskes, the LSU energy analyst, said that while it is true industrial operations are looking for renewable power, it may not be that all of them want that power from Entergy. The Rocking R Solar Project will be a 72.5-MWAC facility in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, which is anticipated to come online in late 2024. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. The hedge fund, also known as DESRI, is seeking to expand around the 210-acre farm by 3,900 more acres in the area with different investors. Photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays capable of generating up to 100 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. "'Cause if it's so good, why not wait a year and let us tell our residents just how good it is.". The hedge fund, also known as DESRI, is seeking to expand around the 210-acre farm by 3,900 more acres in the area with different investors. 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. 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. 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. 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. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. 20 and La. 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. Like any other industrial project, it's possible that not all the projects will be constructed. Amid public opposition, the parish Planning Commission denied them in May. 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. Ecoplexus has done seven tax equity funds for financing 170 megawatts of solar projects worth $300 million since 2017. Shaw Renewable Investments, is seeking to expand its solar operation on vacant fields like this one around the existing solar operation. Shaw once served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, according to the company's website. 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. . Savion Energy's Thibodaux project would be $200 million of investment for 200 megawatts of solar power. Two solar farms are near completion in St. An estimated 300 people will be needed during the peak period of construction. "It's a low-impact, high-value project. The 1,970-acre project, which could produce 200 megawatts of electricity, is expected to be along Bucket Road in Singer. 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. Capital Region Solar is a planned 50-MW facility being built in West Baton All rights reserved. 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. The publicly traded utility that serves 1.3 million customers in the state has pledged to becarbon neutralby 2050. Louisiana solar farms could see millions in incentives. 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. That was Eagle Solar Group, which hails from Arizona. Of those that showed permanent jobs, four projects would create one job each; two of them five each; and another three permanent jobs. The new and previously disclosed projects would cover tens of thousands of acres of largely farm and timber land, leased from landowners. 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. Next Era Energy, which has a significant renewable energy portfolio, particularly solar, dubbed the project as Beauregard Solar. "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.". Solar power companies are proposing another seven large-scale solar-power projects valued at about $1 billion in rural areas of southeast Louisiana at a time when the fledgling industry has drawn objections from rural residents and the scrutiny of parish officials, state lawmakers and regulators. Ecoplexus executives did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Shaw solar farms, said he and many of his constituents accustomed to the parish's pastures and forests don't want to see too many more solar panels popping up even with the new ordinance in place. The legislation passed. 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