Page 10 - USGBC Louisiana 2017 Green Report Online
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Energy Production The Louisiana Public Service Commission initiated a
renewable energy pilot program in 2010 to determine
Louisiana energy production is dominated by fossil fuel whether a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) was suitable
combustion with 48% coming from petroleum and 37% for the state. In 2013, the commission concluded that
from natural gas. Coal, nuclear, renewable sources, and Louisiana did not need a mandatory RPS. Louisiana has
importation of electricity from out of state add 3 to 5% other policies designed to encourage renewable energy
each. and energy efficiency, including voluntary electric utility
efficiency programs, energy standards for public buildings,
Renewable energy and net metering. Distributed installations of up to 25
kilowatts using solar PV, wind, biomass, and other
Louisiana obtains less than 4% of its net electricity by renewable technologies are eligible for utility net metering,
generation from renewable sources compared to 10% but total consumer capacity connected to the system is
nationally. Biomass is abundant in Louisiana, and limited to 0.5% of each utility's load. Because customer
electricity generated from wood and wood waste accounts demand for distributed connections has exceeded that
for more than two-thirds of the state's renewable limit, the state is considering how to accommodate
generation. Hydroelectric power provides almost all of the additional distributed facilities.
remaining renewable generation. Sugar cane waste, called
bagasse, and other agricultural residues can provide Energy Use
additional biomass resources. Facilities to convert bagasse
into pellets for power plant fuel and other products are The energy consumption is dominated by industrial users,
being developed. who account for 71% of the state total resulting in an
industrial consumption that is 6½ times the national per
Louisiana has a small amount of distributed (customer- capita average.
sited, small-scale) solar photovoltaic (PV) generation,
which provided all of the state's solar electricity generation Residential and commercial energy usage is near the
in 2015. State tax credits for installation of distributed solar national per capita averages. Per capita transportation
systems, which were first available in 2008, are fully usage is about 60% above the national average.
subscribed and the program will end on mid 2017.
Louisiana has little wind potential. In 2013, the state Analysis by US Energy Information Administration
legislature repealed state tax credits for the development of
wind systems.
