If Louisiana Wants to Be Like Texas, It Must Embrace Solar Energy – 10/12 Industry Report

In recent years, there has been talk in Louisiana of a so-called “industrial renaissance” – a boom in economic development along the industrial corridor stretching from Lake Charles to New Orleans.

But how can the state hope to keep energy costs low when a vast majority of the energy consumed in Louisiana is consumed by large commercial and industrial users? During Monday’s meeting of the Press Club of Baton Rouge, District 3 Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis shared his insights.

According to Lewis, Louisiana needs to start thinking about its industrial renaissance through the lens of renewable energy.

“What we face is the challenge of how to continue to provide electricity at a low cost while protecting our environment and our people,” said Lewis.

Only 3% of the energy currently produced in Louisiana comes from renewable sources, but Lewis said the state has the potential to generate up to 13,000 megawatts of solar energy – a figure equivalent to Louisiana’s total electricity demand – when important investments are made. With approximately 216 sunny days per year, the state’s climate makes it an ideal location for solar energy generation.

Lewis also warned against falling into the “old way of thinking” that diversifying Louisiana’s energy mix would pit renewable energy producers against already established players.

“Solar energy is not an enemy of oil and gas,” Lewis said. “Solar is actually not even a competitor to oil and gas. … Our industrial users desperately want renewable energy to meet their sustainability and investor goals.”

Lewis then recognized the $156 million grant recently awarded to Louisiana by the EPA to facilitate the development of sustainable solar energy programs as a big step in the right direction when it comes to the state’s energy transition.

“We see the federal government looking to Louisiana as a leader in solar energy,” Lewis said. “I often hear that Louisiana is competing with Texas. Well, let me tell you, Texas is currently producing solar energy at a record pace. If we want to be like Texas, Louisiana must embrace solar energy.”

Ramping up solar energy production in Louisiana and encouraging battery storage could also help shorten the duration of outages caused by severe weather — an issue that is top of the agenda for many in the state given the dire predictions for this year’s hurricane season.