A big solar project is starting in four U.S. states, three of which currently have minimal solar.
CleanTechnica reported last month that energy firms Entergy and NextEra Energy Resources have partnered to create “4.5 gigawatts’ worth of new solar energy generation and storage projects over the next five years” in “Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.”
While Texas is ranked No. 2 in the country for solar projects, just behind Califonia, the other three states lag far behind. Arkansas only ranked 27th in the first quarter of 2024, with Louisiana at 36th and Mississippi at 37th, according to The Solar Energy Industries Association per CleanTechnia.
While it seems that solar projects have stalled in some areas of the U.S., “anything can happen at any time,” as CleanTechnica’s Tina Casey put it, “and it just has.” Casey wrote that the 4.5-gigawatt “solar revolution” is set to shake up the solar landscape, with the article carrying the headline of “The Solar Energy Gloves Finally Come Flying Off,” to give a sense of how eye-opening the development is.
Entergy and NextEra — which are far from solar-only companies, generally more well-known for operating nuclear and natural gas power plants with increasing wind investment — have yet to say how they will allocate the kilowatts, but the new project has a lot of potential for state residents. It also shows that these major energy companies see the value in diversifying their energy offerings to include more renewable options as an investment in where the world is heading.
“We believe the power sector is at an inflection point, and growing electricity demand will be met by low-cost, renewable generation and storage,” NextEra president and CEO Rebecca Kujawa said, according to CleanTechnica.
According to the World Resources Institute, expanding solar projects can benefit state residents by saving them money, creating green jobs, expanding access to those who can’t install it on their property, and increasing the community’s resilience during natural disasters.
As the World Resources Institute said, solar projects are a great way to create jobs. For example, in West Columbia, South Carolina, 600 jobs are being made at a factory to develop microinverters, which are used in solar panels to create power.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy stated that solar energy is a key component in reducing polluting gases, which can improve air quality and the health of communities.
If you want to make the switch to solar power yourself, there are two ways to do so: get solar roof panels or join a solar community program.
Solar energy is a great way to cut down on your utility bills, but there are other ways to save money, including washing your clothes in cold water, switching to LED bulbs, and upgrading to a heat pump.
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