WebTo date, we operate solar projects in 29 states, and the Beauregard Solar Project will be among the first solar projects in Louisiana. Shaw Renewable, also known as DESRI, said his company does not plan to appeal the St. James Parish Planning Commission's ruling but may seek to reapply once new rules are known. Of those that showed permanent jobs, four projects would create one job each; two of them five each; and another three permanent jobs. 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. But now he's. St. Jacques Solar LLC is proposing a 120-megawatt solar project in Vacherie, looking to spend $134 million supporting 300 construction jobs and one position once done in 2024. San Francisco-based Ecoplexus, which owns 400 megawatts, looks to build Bueche PV1 LLC and Willis Pond PV I LLC. Who's getting the real benefit of these solar panels," he added. The first batch of panels would create just three permanent jobs and ultimately six in all for the entire 3,900 acres planned for development, locking that land up for 30 years or more. D.E. 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. There was an intense competition of new and existing power options reviewed by the firm and the LPSC staff, he said. WebNotable Installations in Louisiana LA3 West Baton Rouge Solar Facility in West Baton Rouge was developed by DEPCOM and came online in 2020. 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. Smoke from burning sugar cane fields creeps into this part of the West Baton Rouge Solar Farm. 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. Your email address will not be published. Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy is leading the development, a 98 megawatt project on 1,000 acres for $98 million. The solar arrays are massive, with hundreds of thousands of individual panels collecting sunlight to generate electricity sent to the power grid. 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. Don't see your company listed? Capital Region Solar Project . St. James Solar III LLC is looking at the same intersection in Vacherie for a $100 million project to produce 90 megawatts of electricity. The project has drawn significant opposition from locals, however with more than 1,000 names being presented in opposition at the zoning meeting. 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. Canadian Solar's subsidiary told the state board that approves economic incentives that it already has an agreement with Entergy, which has said that the project is not contingent on a contract with the utility. 20. A $98 million solar farm in Morehouse Parish is looking for tax breaks for manufacturing renewable power, The Advocate reports. Parish officials hope to create new land use rules for the solar facilities. 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. 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. WebFor more detailed information on certain projects, click the links below. "You know, solar panels don't go fight with each other, or get in trouble. 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. The latest plans roughly double the number of solar power projects planned in Louisiana to more than a dozen. You don't have to hire new teachers or first responders; it's quiet, passive, creates revenue and actually preserves the land. Email David J. Mitchell at dmitchell@theadvocate.com. Two solar farms controlled by New York-based D.E. To put that 600 megawatts into perspective, solar power would amount to just 3% of the utility and public power generation capacity in Louisiana if it were part of the current mix compared to natural gas, 70.9%; nuclear power, 11.3%; coal, 9.6%; petroleum coke and liquids, 4.9%; and hydroelectric and biomass, 0.3%. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. The disruption of Russian gas to Europe has raised prices, encouraging developers and fueling the buildout along the Gulf. Cleco and Lafayette Utilities System are also in the market for renewable energy. American Electric Powers SWEPCO Adds 200 MW Solar Project in Louisiana, 150 MW Lund Hill Solar Now Powering the Grid in Washington, New Report Analyzes Power Losses at Solar Facilities, Lightsource bp Inks Another Huge Order with First Solar, Silicon Ranch Commits to Purchasing 1.5 GW of Thin-Film PV Modules, AEP Energy Partners Signs PPA with Lightsource bp for Honeysuckle Solar, OCI Solar Power, Mitsui USA Joining Forces on Texas Projects, New Illinois Law Wipes Out Local Government Ability to Squash Renewables Projects, Dozens of NY Clean Energy Transmission Projects Obtain Regulatory Approval, California Utility Turning to Solar, Storage for Demand Response Program, Offshore Wind Startups Get a Spotlight During IPF 2023, Volvo Trucks Introduces Connected Vehicle Analytics Tool. 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. Bayou Galion, which is also a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, estimated that it would create three permanent jobs to run the solar farm and support 150 construction jobs starting in July 2022. "Solar projects represent an excellent community development opportunity for our rural parishes. Web4 Utility-scale solar projects create an average of 3.3 jobs/MW according to SEIA. The solar and wind projects were identified through a competitive bidding process. Two solar farms are near completion in St. James Parish by D.E. Amid public opposition, the parish Planning Commission denied them in May. 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. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. Will state leaders follow through. Entergy noted that it is exploring using existing coal facilities for solar generation or solar generation with gas-powered backup under a directive from a Louisiana Public Service commissioner. Use SolarReviews to get company reviews and estimates for solar in your area. "We want to work with the parish to address their concerns and find a middle ground," he said. This solar project will deliver economic development benefits to Caddo Parish and the surrounding communities for years to come.. The project is being developed by San Francisco-based Lightsource Renewable Energy Development LLC, which is the renewable energy arm for BP. Mark Kleehammer, vice president of regulatory and public affairs for Entergy Louisiana, said it is Entergy's big industrial customers who are calling for the greater renewable power mix. 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. ", 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. 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. Some votes head to rural residents. 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). pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. 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 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. Meanwhile, utilities and businesses are pursuing renewable sources of energy to help counter their use of power generated from fossil fuels. 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. Some votes head to rural residents. Since Entergy announced it would be buying solar power, the demand for solar farms has increased. Read our policy. Please be mindful of our community standards. Solar Energy Industries Association. The $89 million project would produce 80 megawatts of power, support 250 construction jobs and employ one person once completed in 2023. 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. If all of them are built, the statewide total 1,908 megawatts is enough to power 190,800 homes, or a midsized city, based on estimates of 100 homes for each megawatt in a formulation used for Louisiana by the Solar Energy Industries Association.. The West Baton Rouge Solar Farm being tied to Entergy has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off Rosedale Road. The company estimates tax revenue for Beauregard Parish at $26 million over the "lifetime" of the project. You can also view the average costs for installing solar in Louisiana, based on real price data from installed systems and solar quotes. Those jobs would end by December 2024. Photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays capable of generating up to 100 Army Of Spiral-Welding Wind Turbine Tower Trucks Sets Forth FromTexas? 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. Bayou Galion is hoping for an up to 80% property tax abatement for 10 years through Louisianas Industrial Tax Exemption Program. 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.". "It's a huge ag industry. After a California company applied to build a second, larger solar farm in West Baton Rouge Parish, local leaders tapped the brakes on the pro, Solar energy farm builders will now need to submit their plans before building in West Baton Rouge Parish after the parish council approved a , Federal subsidies for fossil fuels are expected to be pulled back while more investment goes toward clean energy and water, with a hefty porti, A state board unanimously approved economic incentives Friday for ExxonMobils proposed $410 million Baton Rouge refinery modernization and fo. Depcom Power, also based in Arizona, did the engineering, procurement and construction in addition to operations and maintenance for the solar project. 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. 3127 in Vacherie. "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. Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map. D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) announced the signing of a long-term renewable energy off-take agreement with Southwestern Electric Power Company You have permission to edit this article. Two solar farms are near completion in St. 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 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. Washington Parish officials are looking at infrastructure and recreation with the new money, Parish Council member Carley King said. Shaw's hedge fund is known among those in California's Silicon Valley and has prominent investors but is managed by an external board of executives. The farm is located just north of La. One of Louisianas largest solar power projects ever is now under construction. 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. 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. The owner of the farm, D.E. 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 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 electricity produced for the Beauregard Solar project is being marketed to a variety of customers from industrial sites to utilities inside and outside Louisiana. 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. 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. "It's a low-impact, high-value project. Some of the groups involved in the fight over industrial operations, like the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, say the parish should apply the same level scrutiny over petrochemical plants as it's applying to solar farms. Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of millions of monthly readers. 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. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. 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. 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