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. 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 "We want to work with the parish to address their concerns and find a middle ground," he said. 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. However, some residents have pushed back to include a local permitting process. A second solar project of previously unforeseen capacity could be coming to Louisiana, as local officials in Calcasieu Parish on Lake Charles, midway between New This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. 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. Please be mindful of our community standards. 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.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Washington Parish solar farm is estimated to cost $75 million and in St. James $30 million, according to state economic incentives records.. The Vacherie Solar Energy Center will be a 150 MW AC facility in St. James Parish in Louisiana. 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. 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. "We need jobs. 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. 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. Five of D.E. 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. "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 Investments, which has emerged as the developer of seven of Louisiana's 16 proposed large-scale solar farms. 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. Add to that, more than 100 megawatts of electricity already being generated from privately-owned solar panels sitting on the rooftops of individual residences or on commercial buildings. Some votes head to rural residents. Solar development is largely in its infancy in Louisiana, with only a handful of projects having been constructed to date. Solar developments on farm land are likely to be far less than 1% of Louisianas 7 million acres of land available for agriculture today. 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. 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 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. 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Next Era Energy, which has a significant renewable energy portfolio, particularly solar, dubbed the project as Beauregard Solar. The project would support 160 construction jobs and create five jobs once built by 2024. In St. James, the solar farms are popping up in a parish where, for several years, new petrochemical and oil storage facilities, like Formosa, Petroplex, Wanhua, South Louisiana Methanol and others, have been proposed in primarily Black communities, riling environmentalists and some residents. In Louisiana, with its long hot summers and wet chilly winters, one megawatt powers the equivalent of 100 homes. Louisiana solar farms could see millions in incentives. 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. The projects could support 1,000 construction jobs if built, but yield only two full-time positions once completed. "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. 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. 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. 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. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.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 supply contract with Entergy, which has two open requests for proposals. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Dufresne said he isn't against green energy and recognizes the short-term revenue benefits, but said he is looking at another bottom line. Will state leaders follow through. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Construction is expected to begin soon with operation to start in 2023. 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. The subsidiary serves the Mississippi River corridor, including St. James, metro Baton Rouge and much of Louisiana outside New Orleans. Science? WebNotable Installations in Louisiana LA3 West Baton Rouge Solar Facility in West Baton Rouge was developed by DEPCOM and came online in 2020. 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. Roy participated in fashioning the ordinance in Washington, which created buffers, screening requirements, long-term financial assurances for cleanup after panels live out their usefulness, among other issues. Diversion is expected to reach commercial operation in December 2024. 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. 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. An empty field sits Thursday, July 7, 2022, just south of the St. James Solar farm located off La. Web4 Utility-scale solar projects create an average of 3.3 jobs/MW according to SEIA. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Proposed $200 million projects in Thibodaux and Bogalusa would produce up to 200 megawatts of power each. You don't have to hire new teachers or first responders; it's quiet, passive, creates revenue and actually preserves the land. 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. 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. This solar project will deliver economic development benefits to Caddo Parish and the surrounding communities for years to come.. John Bel Edwards, the Deep Souths only Democratic governor, brought together people from across a broa. Louisiana farmers already have complained that they cannot compete with the per-acre lease price solar companies are willing to pay for land. D.E. The aesthetics of acres of reflecting panels, their hum as they track the sun, long-term cleanup, displacement of the agricultural economy and low long-term job potential have all emerged as worries, despite the short-term boost in construction jobs and sales tax collections and the long-term property tax rise over land under agricultural tax exemptions. John Bel Edwards. LIGHTSOURCE: The single largest solar project proposed is for 300 megawatts in Pointe Coupee Parish. Two solar farms are near completion in St. Solar facilities also help diversify Louisianas electric generation sector. 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. How to build a hurricane proof solar unit. Reached for comment, Clifford said he's no longer involved in the project. 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