NEW ORLEANS – In another move to harness the power of the sun, where empty commercial rooftops once stood, Entergy New Orleans and the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority have reached an agreement to install solar panels on the roof of the agency’s Carrollton Streetcar Barn. The 300-kilowatt system will feed directly onto the Entergy New Orleans electric distribution grid, which will benefit all customers.
The partnership, which was detailed in a press release, is part of Entergy New Orleans’ 5-megawatt commercial-scale rooftop solar project, which was approved by the New Orleans City Council last year. As part of that agreement, the company announced in February that it had installed panels providing approximately 2.5 MW of solar-generating capacity on a series of warehouse rooftops near the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal.
“RTA is the first public entity to participate in our distributed solar generation project and we appreciate their initiative in stepping up to the plate as we work to put renewable energy into action,” said David Ellis, president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans. “We thank them for helping to lead the way among city agencies, and we look forward to partnering with others as we move forward.”
Besides helping the Entergy New Orleans achieve its commitment to include up to 100 MW of renewable energy resources in its generation mix, the commercial-scale rooftop solar project will facilitate possible future energy-storage (battery) investments; create jobs in Orleans Parish; and preserve available ground space that can be used for commercial or economic development purposes.
“Through this effort, the company’s 1 MW solar power plant with battery storage in New Orleans East, and our hard work toward securing the New Orleans City Council Utility Committee’s recent approval of 90 MW of solar generation, Entergy New Orleans is demonstrating its commitment to carbon reduction through renewable energy resources,” Ellis added.
Entergy New Orleans provides electricity to more than 200,000 customers and natural gas to more than 106,000 customers throughout Orleans Parish. The company is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, boasting annual revenues of approximately $11 billion and more than 13,000 employees.
It continues to identify new sites for the installation of additional panels, focusing on buildings owned by educational institutions, government entities and nonprofit organizations in Orleans Parish. Ideal sites are buildings with a rooftop of 10,000 square feet or more and a height of three stories or less.
“The RTA is proud to be entering into this partnership to help the City of New Orleans become greener,” said RTA board chairman Flozell Daniels, Jr. “We are focused on conserving energy, reducing waste and doing our part to build a more sustainable community, while providing safe and reliable transportation services.”
