Several Louisiana utilities have shown interest in solar. 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. I would hate for that to be what Washington Parish is known for.". Features of the Beauregard Solar project: Photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays capable of generating up to 200 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy. New Orleans plummets, Baton Rouge hits bottom of national clean energy rankings. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Mostly through subsidiary Entergy Louisiana, Entergy has reached power agreements for the more than 4,200 acres of solar projects built or proposed in St. James. 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. The state has approved all of the solar farms proposed for economic incentives so far. Solar Energy Industries Association. Privately held Savion LLC is under Green Investment Group and an indirect subsidiary of publicly traded Macquarie Group in Australia. Dufresne said he isn't against green energy and recognizes the short-term revenue benefits, but said he is looking at another bottom line. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. 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 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. 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 The new and previously disclosed projects would cover tens of thousands of acres of largely farm and timber land, leased from landowners. Louisiana farmers already have complained that they cannot compete with the per-acre lease price solar companies are willing to pay for land. Join our newsletter. 3127 in Vacherie. 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. 20 and La. It is planning a 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. 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. "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." "It would be difficult to make a prediction as of what percent of these projects, and or what other projects that are not listed here, move forward," said Greg Upton, associate professor at the Center for Energy Studies at LSU.. The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved a large-scale solar energy project in Morehouse Parish as part of a new power agreement involving rural electric cooperatives. 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%. Bayou Galion Solar Project LLC will build the Morehouse Parish solar plant. "LED recognizes that many of our rural communities are valuable agricultural centers. Shaw's projects are Iris Solar, 50 megawatts for $75 million, and Sunlight Road Solar, 50 megawatts for $56 million, both near Franklinton. 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. Mooringsport and Wagon Wheel are expected to come online in December 2025. 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. Louisiana is a rare Deep South state with a climate plan. Shaw Renewable Investments, supplies power to Entergy New Orleans. 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. Copyright 2023 CleanTechnica. 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. Galehead boasted one project with a "Southeastern U.S.-based landowner who owns approximately 400,000 acres across 500 distinct parcels spanning four states." Amazon is planning solar farms in St. Landry and Morehouse parishes as part of the online giants efforts to be entirely dependent on renewable energy by 2025. The project has drawn significant opposition from locals, however with more than 1,000 names being presented in opposition at the zoning meeting. 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. ", Rural Louisiana residents will vote on more tax breaks for solar farms popping up across the state., Most of the projects are seeking Industrial Tax Exemption Program incentives, which could be up to 80% property tax abatement up to 10 years. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by and do not necessarily represent the views of CleanTechnica, its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. For example, there are more than two dozen solar projects being pitched for Louisiana, according to a grid operator planning map. The solar farm has over 100,000 individual solar panels and is off of Rosedale Rd. SWEPCO is seeking approval from regulators in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to acquire the 200 MW Mooringsport solar project in Caddo Parish, La. 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. 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. A $98 million solar farm in Morehouse Parish is looking for tax breaks for manufacturing renewable power, The Advocate reports. Ecoplexus has deals with customers such as Fortune 500 companies Medtronic and Ecolab, in addition to privately held businesses like Andersen Windows and Doors. The project would support 160 construction jobs and create five jobs once built by 2024. THIBODAUX SOLAR: The Bayou region's first utility solar array, Thibodaux Solar Project, also known as Sunbeam 2, is proposed in Lafourche Parish. 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. 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. "You know, solar panels don't go fight with each other, or get in trouble. 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. Next Era Energy, which has a significant renewable energy portfolio, particularly solar, dubbed the project as Beauregard Solar. 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. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. One, released in June 2020, is for 300 megawatts. 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. 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. 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. Two solar farms controlled by New York-based D.E. 20. For example, D.E. Shaw's projects are in St. James Parish; its other two are in Washington Parish. D.E. If so, couldnt this be raised to allow harvesting them? 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. Parish officials hope to create new land use rules for the solar facilities. Ecoplexus executives did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The solar and wind projects were identified through a competitive bidding process. 3127 and west of La. 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. One of Louisianas largest solar power projects ever is now under construction. 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 $89 million project would produce 80 megawatts of power, support 250 construction jobs and employ one person once completed in 2023. Why these Louisiana fossil fuel land scouts are jumping into the solar power business, Who owns all these solar 'farms' across Louisiana? SWEPCO is seeking approval from regulators in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to acquire the 200 MW Mooringsport solar project in Caddo Parish, La. D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) announced the signing of a long-term renewable energy off-take agreement with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO). "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. State While some have welcomed the farms, several other parishes have tried to slow things down at least until better controls are in place. This site uses cookies. The cost of decommissioning is born by the developer.". Don't see your company listed? 20. 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. . It would support 250 jobs and one job once built by June 2024. 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. can you sell furniture on mercari, buffalato strain, Harvesting them ever is now under construction, or get in trouble two! Louisiana, according to a grid operator planning map photovoltaics news states. pay. 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