Grid Constraints Stymie New Projects With many utilities and states in the Midwest and South (Louisiana most recently) aiming for 100 3127 in Vacherie. Currently, about 60% of Entergy Louisianas power comes from natural gas plants. 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. "We have a whole lot of interest from our customers," he said. 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. The subsidiary serves the Mississippi River corridor, including St. James, metro Baton Rouge and much of Louisiana outside New Orleans. Many are also seeking eligibility for the state's Quality Jobs program, which is acash rebate to companies up to 6% for no more than 10 years in addition to state sales and use tax rebate on capital expenditures., As a geologist, Kirk Barrell has studied what lies below ground for decades on the hunt for oil and gas pockets across Louisiana. 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. 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. Shaw's projects were initiated by and acquired from other developers. The farm is located just north of La. They could be looking to add renewable power generation on their own often expansive landholdings, potentially adding a future wrinkle to the land use questions raised by solar sites. The farm is located just north of La. "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.. Shaw is nearing completion of Iris Solar and the first St. James Solar project for an eventual tie-in to the power grid. Kontiki Holdings LLC. Solar energy is sustainable and renewable and contributes to progress toward lower greenhouse gas emissions. A $98 million solar farm in Morehouse Parish is looking for tax breaks for manufacturing renewable power, The Advocate reports. 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. 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 2023 www.thenewsstar.com. 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 You don't have to hire new teachers or first responders; it's quiet, passive, creates revenue and actually preserves the land. Wind projects create an average of 0.9 jobs/MW (50 projects/7,125 megawatts), and Louisiana (49 projects/6,714 megawatts). Thibodaux Solar Project LLC looks to spend $200 million on a 200 megawatt solar farm in Lafourche Parish near Rosedown Drive and Levert Road in Thibodaux. Shaw's projects near completion. In New Orleans East, the smaller 20-megawatt solar farm tied to Entergy cost $42 million, while a solar farm similar in size to the one in West Baton Rouge cost $78 million. Capital Region Solar is a planned 50-MW facility being built in West Baton 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. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Ecoplexus executives did not respond to repeated requests for comment. "It's about striking a balance. 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. 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. Lightsource bp is developing the project, which will be located 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge in Pointe Coupee Parish. The company said "as existing resources are retired, replacement capacity is expected to come primarily from new renewable technologies.". 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. 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). This solar project will deliver economic development benefits to Caddo Parish and the surrounding communities for years to come.. Washington Parish officials are looking at infrastructure and recreation with the new money, Parish Council member Carley King said. Like any other industrial project, it's possible that not all the projects will be constructed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Two solar farms are near completion in St. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. Patrick Courreges, DNR spokesman, said the rulemaking process is expected to start in August. 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. DESRI will be the long-term owner and operator. 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. Some parishes have sought more control over solar project development, even going so far as to issue moratoriums on incentives and require special permitting.. Solar Energy Industries Association. Bob Marshall: Could solar panels keep the lights on after a hurricane? I am confident that it will provide reliable and inexpensive power to these Louisiana co-ops for years to come.. 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. Shaw Renewable estimates the first 2,100 acres of the new solar complexes in St. James would spur around 300 temporary construction jobs and around $14.4 million combined in initial sales tax collections and property tax collections over the next 10 years. The existing, smaller St. James Solar plant serves Entergy New Orleans to meet mandated renewable power goals in that city. 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. Privately held Savion LLC is under Green Investment Group and an indirect subsidiary of publicly traded Macquarie Group in Australia. 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.. I would hate for that to be what Washington Parish is known for.". Louisiana is a rare Deep South state with a climate plan. 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. There was an intense competition of new and existing power options reviewed by the firm and the LPSC staff, he said. For example, there are more than two dozen solar projects being pitched for Louisiana, according to a grid operator planning map. Copyright 2023 WTWH Media, LLC. 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. 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. "That's the most valuable real estate we have. This could power almost 21,000 homes. The Washington Parish solar farm is estimated to cost $75 million and in St. James $30 million, according to state economic incentives records.. Solar panel technology is not new but the cost to build solar farms has dropped significantly in recent years. 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. Copyright 2023 CleanTechnica. Solar power is clean, its cheap, and its a great way to make electricity, Campbell said. Bayou Galion is hoping for an up to 80% property tax abatement for 10 years through Louisianas Industrial Tax Exemption Program. Entergy, which has been mostly interested in solar farms in southeast Louisiana, is one of Louisianas utilities that have been looking to buy renewable energy. LIGHTSOURCE: The single largest solar project proposed is for 300 megawatts in Pointe Coupee Parish. Rocking R is expected to deliver significant community benefits, including the creation of construction jobs. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. The agency hosted contentious hearings this week to solicit comments from landowners, farmers and solar developers about potential regulation. Johnna owns less than one share of $TSLA currently and supports Tesla's mission. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Thibaut said he believes his parish has struck a balance between protecting agriculture and allowing some economic diversification in strategic locations with an industry that has a low impact on water, roads and local services, like fire and police. Those jobs would end by December 2024. Bogalusa West PV I LLC seeks to spend $200 million on a 200-megawatt solar project in Bogalusa, near La. 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. Solar Industry offers industry participants probing, comprehensive assessments of the technology, tools and trends that are driving this dynamic energy sector. Use SolarReviews to get company reviews and estimates for solar in your area. 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. SWEPCO expects to issue another request for proposal (RFP) in the near term for additional renewable energy consistent with the companys integrated resource plan for its energy and capacity needs. Meanwhile, institutional investors are eager to snap up market share for their investment portfolios to meet sustainability commitments. Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat & Electricity, 2023 Global Energy Trends: Crisis, Contingencies, & Climate Change (Video Included! Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map. The seven new proposed projects are: Kontiki Holdings LLC. The cost of decommissioning is born by the developer.". Join our newsletter. ", 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 The Prairie Ronde Solar project is expected to generate 327,000-megawatt hours, the average annual electricity consumption of 30,700 US homes. State That's enough to provide electricity for about 220,000 homes in Louisiana, according toestimatesfrom the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, and would constitute about a quarter of Entergy Louisiana's current total power production. Among the wind turbine developments D.E. "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. Entergy Louisiana has already made its final decisions with undisclosed companies for the 300-megawatt proposal. 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. It is planning a $145 million solar project in Beauregard Parish to start construction in 2023 and wrap up in 2024, supporting 250 construction jobs and yielding three permanent jobs. 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. These tax benefits would normally be touted by local officials. At least in his parish, early fears that solar panels would supplant farms across the parish don't appear to be realistic, Thibaut said. Meanwhile, utilities and businesses are pursuing renewable sources of energy to help counter their use of power generated from fossil fuels. The retail giant has sought more access to renewable energy in the state, which has been a factor pushing the Cleco and Entergy moves forward. 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. Shaw Renewable Investments, supplies power to Entergy New Orleans. 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Bayou Galion Solar Projfect LLC, which is a subsidiary of Recurrent Energy Development Holdings, proposed building a 98.1-megawatt solar farm on 1,000 acres leased from landowners outside of Bastrop. Your email address will not be published. 50 MW solar facility consisting of approximately 197,000 solar panels Location: West Baton Rouge Parish Completed: October 2020 Projected to bring approximately $6.4 million in tax revenue to the region over the next 30 years Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. 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. Following state regulatory approvals, AEP will file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to transfer the projects from Invenergy. 20 and La. 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