Next week, Louisiana is kicking off Clean Energy Transition Week to bring awareness for the need to get cleaner air for its citizens and good clean energy jobs for its citizens, as per an article by Wesley Muller from the Louisiana Illuminator. This will mark the 7th annual clean energy week for the state. Renewable energy is one important way of cleaning up the air. Solar PV power, solar rooftop, wind power, offshore wind power, energy storage, energy conservation with window film, and geothermal energy power are all ways that offer clean power that will help clean the air that everyone breathes and clearing up the skies.
Louisiana trails most other states in the renewable power industry where the state ranks 38th, but plans rapid acceleration in the industry over the next few years. Louisiana installed 311 megawatts of solar PV energy so far versus close to zero 10 years ago. The state has a few big solar energy projects under construction that includes a 300 megawatt solar plant and a 200 megawatt solar plant in Pointe Coupee Parish & Morehouse Parish; completion of both projects should happen this year. This will triple the solar power industry in Louisiana. There are also a number of wind projects in the pipeline including offshore wind projects that were just bid on in the Gulf a few weeks ago.
The national rise in renewable energy power is due to a number of factors, one being the decrease in cost. Solar power has reduced substantially over the past 10 years. The average residential rooftop solar system has fallen from $40,000 in 2010 to roughly $25,000 today. Energy storage, batteries, has also fallen significantly. Homeowners can now get solar panels & a battery to keep saving on their electricity bill.
Louisiana’s transportation industry has also seen an explosion in growth over the past 10 years with more EV’s on the road and more charging stations to support the EV’s. Electric bikes and electric vans are also growing. Energy storage is a much cheaper form of “peaker plants” and there is much from for growth in this area. Megapacks from Telsa & hydro storage are two examples of energy storage options.
Onshore wind power, offshore gulf wind power and solar PV power are now the cheapest forms of energy; when more renewable projects are installed, electricity rates should start going down for consumers. When more clean energy is added along with EV’s, energy storage & energy conservation such as adding insulation to attics & walls, sealing windows and doors and adding heat blocking window films to the glass in homes & buildings, citizens of Louisiana will see cleaner skies & cheaper energy bills.
Louisiana has stated that clean energy is important for the state’s economy because it will bring new jobs to the state and cleaner air for the residents. Louisiana has 31,000 jobs currently in the clean energy sector.
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