The farm is located just north of La. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Over the next three years, there could be enough solar-generated electricity in Louisiana to power 60,000 homes in a state rich with oil and gas and crisscrossed with pipelines. As in St. James, the solar farms in Washington Parish are expected to improve local tax collections. Rocking R represents DESRIs first contract with SWEPCO, DESRIs first solar project in northern Louisiana, and the first utility-scale solar project built in the parish. 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. However, the process is not far enough along for companies to start submitting proposals for projects. 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. Who's getting the real benefit of these solar panels," he added. Amid public opposition, the parish Planning Commission denied them in May. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The Iris Solar site comprises 492 acres and the St. James site spans approximately 218 acres. 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. The projects proposed in Vacherie would produce 120, 90 and 80 megawatts, with a 50-megawatt facility proposed for Franklinton. 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. Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy is leading the development, a 98 megawatt project on 1,000 acres for $98 million. THIBODAUX SOLAR: The Bayou region's first utility solar array, Thibodaux Solar Project, also known as Sunbeam 2, is proposed in Lafourche Parish. Smoke from burning sugar cane fields creeps into this part of the West Baton Rouge Solar Farm. The Chalkley Solar Project, if approved, will become the second project in the 300 MW range coming to Louisiana, a state not historically known for its utility-scale solar. Parish officials estimate that Pointe Coupee probably has room for one more solar farm at least for the next decade. Shaw Investments, which has emerged as the developer of seven of Louisiana's 16 proposed large-scale solar farms. pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. In the Gulf South, however, the large, open tracts of agricultural land allow for a cheaper upfront cost to set up capital intensive solar installations near a market and on an existing electrical grid with a growing demand for renewable power, Dismukes noted. 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. Some parishes have sought more control over solar project development, even going so far as to issue moratoriums on incentives and require special permitting.. WebFor more detailed information on certain projects, click the links below. Read our policy. The owner of the farm, D.E. "With over 400 megawatts of new solar power projects planned in Louisiana, (D.E. Cleco and Lafayette Utilities System are also in the market for renewable energy. The $100 million investment made by a single solar facility will generate very significant tax revenues for the parish, school board and sheriff. The facility was recently acquired by Helios Infrastructure, a joint venture between Sol Systems and publicly traded Nationwide Insurance. 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. The farm, owned by the hedge fund D.E. 3127 and west of La. 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. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. The disruption of Russian gas to Europe has raised prices, encouraging developers and fueling the buildout along the Gulf. Shaw's projects are Iris Solar, 50 megawatts for $75 million, and Sunlight Road Solar, 50 megawatts for $56 million, both near Franklinton. If both end up completed, the projects would represent a nearly 400% increase in the states total installed solar capacity, which currently sits at roughly 190 MW, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). 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.. 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. Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat & Electricity, 2023 Global Energy Trends: Crisis, Contingencies, & Climate Change (Video Included! Don't see your company listed? Those jobs would end by December 2024. 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. Shaw was founded in 1988 by David E. Shaw, who holds a Ph.D. from Stanford and has expertise in computational biochemistry. At least two of D.E. Depcom Power, also based in Arizona, did the engineering, procurement and construction in addition to operations and maintenance for the solar project. SWEPCO is seeking approval from regulators in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to acquire the 200 MW Mooringsport solar project in Caddo Parish, La. The 1,970-acre project, which could produce 200 megawatts of electricity, is expected to be along Bucket Road in Singer. 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 20. All Rights Reserved. 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. The farm is located just north of La. Louisiana solar farms could see millions in incentives. The answers may surprise you, Rural Louisiana could see 7 new large-scale solar projects worth nearly $1 billion; see map, Entergy gave shifting rationales for New Orleans East plant at center of Ida response, Rooftop solar systems survived Hurricane Ida; in blackout, some powered neighbors, too. It could produce 50 megawatts of power. 20 and La. Photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays capable of generating up to 100 Washington D.C.-area technology startup Helios Infrastructure is a joint venture between Sol Systems and Ohio giant Nationwide Insurance. The seven new proposed projects are: Kontiki Holdings LLC. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Solar power companies are looking to build at least seven big projects in rural Louisiana, including three in one unincorporated community. The Chalkley Solar Project has raised the ire of Calcasieu Parish who are worried about the projects size, appearance, and environmental impact. Entergy Louisiana has already made its final decisions with undisclosed companies for the 300-megawatt proposal. Yes, but it's not cheap. 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. 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. D.E. 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. Galehead boasted one project with a "Southeastern U.S.-based landowner who owns approximately 400,000 acres across 500 distinct parcels spanning four states." John Bel Edwards' climate initiative calls for a vast "decarbonization" of Louisiana's industrial sector which contributes about 62% of Louisiana's greenhouse gases powering boilers and other equipment and sees the push toward renewable power as one of the ways to drive the state to "net-zero" carbon emissions by 2050. A 50 megawatt, $67 million solar power farm in West Baton Rouge Parish operated by Helios Infrastructure is operational. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Ecoplexus executives did not respond to repeated requests for comment. 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. Kelsey is managing editor of Solar Power World and host of the Contractor's Corner podcast. 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. Thibodaux Solar is not yet registered in Louisiana but is in Delaware, incorporated in mid-June this year as a shell business. Following state regulatory approvals, AEP will file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to transfer the projects from Invenergy. 21 and Parish Road 88. 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. Louisiana farmers already have complained that they cannot compete with the per-acre lease price solar companies are willing to pay for land. The solar arrays are massive, with hundreds of thousands of individual panels collecting sunlight to generate electricity sent to the power grid. 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. I mean these thousands of acres of solar farms is not bringing any jobs, and who's getting the benefit? The Morehouse facility would open in 2023, while the St. Landry site is planned to be online by 2024.. "It's a low-impact, high-value project. Bayou Galion is hoping for an up to 80% property tax abatement for 10 years through Louisianas Industrial Tax Exemption Program. The cost of decommissioning is born by the developer.". Email Kristen Mosbrucker atkmosbrucker@theadvocate.com. 3127 in Vacherie. 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