Solar Alternatives Installs Solar Power System on Mall of Louisiana
Jeff Cantin
August 13, 2018Solar Alternatives, the top name in solar power installation in New Orleans and beyond, has been working hard to get large commercial businesses and industries into the solar power age. We recently had a chance to complete a few major projects, including one for the famous Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. The shopping center spans 1.5 million square feet, and we put solar panels along the better part of its rooftop!
Commercial Solar Power Systems Are In
Louisiana is seeing a change in solar power customers. It used to be almost-entirely homeowners getting smaller systems installed on their rooftops, but now commercial clients are comprising about half of the consumer base.
One of the driving factors behind the growing trend of large-scale businesses and industries utilizing solar power is the continued decrease in the technology’s cost. As the years go by, solar panel technology and systems are getting less-costly to manufacture and maintain. Paired with Solar Alternatives and our competitive installation prices, the lower total costs are letting commercial clients take advantage of the tech and place huge systems atop or on their properties. Indeed, the cost of solar power per megawatt-hours has gotten so low, it is approximately $10 cheaper than using natural gas for the same systems.
Louisiana Consumes High, Produces Low
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has found through its research and data collections that Louisiana is the 45th lowest producing state in the country when it comes to renewable energy, like solar power. On the flipside, it is the 4th highest state for energy consumption. The disparity is clear, and companies like Solar Alternatives are aiming to fix it.
However, natural gas industry giants stand in the way. Louisiana has incredible stockpiles of natural gas under its earth. The companies that make money off using that gas to power homes, businesses, and industries will not move aside so readily for the solar power revolution. Utilities and regulators are also hesitant to turn away from natural gas companies.
Jeff Cantin, the owner of Solar Alternatives, recently had a chance to speak with The Advocate online newsgroup about the situation. He noted that while there were several projects in the works in Louisiana to implement more renewable energy sources, a general lack of interest and willingness to make major changes are holding the state back. In specific, he noted that people are waiting for more government-provided incentives to go solar, but those incentives are largely-unnecessary due to the technology being so cost-efficient now that it “pays for itself,” as Cantin put it.
(Would you like to know more about solar power use in Louisiana and how major commercial industries are now using it to save big? You can click here to view the full Advocate article featuring Mr. Cantin.)
Solar Installation & Energy Services in New Orleans, Houston & More
Solar Alternatives is headquartered in Louisiana, but we actually serve clients throughout multiple states, including Mississippi and Texas. If you would like to start saving money on your power bill while also saving the environment from the byproducts of traditional energy sources, contact us today. As the trusted name in solar power since 2008, we know we can set you up with a system that meets all of your expectations and your home’s or company’s energy demands.
