There were smiles and sighs of relief at First Grace United Methodist Church Tuesday night as TNO’s Solar Captains gathered for the first time since a major piece of the Community solar puzzle fell into place.

Entergy New Orleans customers who support solar initiatives will soon see a single electricity bill under rules the New Orleans City Council approved Thursday after years of work.

Construction is well underway at the Sisters Community Solar site on Dwyer Road in New Orleans East. Crews are installing thousands of solar panels that will soon help New Orleanians lower their electricity bills through the city’s first community solar project.

Brett Duke, of Nola.com, visited the Sisters of the Holy Family’s motherhouse and solar site with Sr. Alicia Costa and Sr. Judith Barial, capturing beautiful images.

The first Community Solar project in the Deep South is creating more than lower energy bills: it is also creating local union jobs.

The New Orleans City Council’s Climate Change and Sustainability Committee reviewed progress on the city’s growing pipeline of community solar projects and key grid interconnection standards during a March 11 meeting. The discussion highlighted both the program’s potential economic impact and ongoing regulatory considerations for utilities and developers.

This week, Together New Orleans, organizing around a Community Solar project in New Orleans, is driving change across four states. 

A community solar program in New Orleans intended to lower electricity bills for low- and moderate-income residents has stalled for years, but it is now showing signs of progress after changes that have spurred interest from a full slate of developers.

“This is part of our mission to help the poor,” Costa said. “How do we continue to do that as things are changing through time?”

New Orleans city officials amended regulations Monday that should clear the way for an order of Catholic nuns and other organizations to build solar energy projects to help low-income residents.

Reforms position New Orleans for a big influx of federal funding tied to Community Solar.

A community solar program in New Orleans intended to lower electricity bills for low- and moderate-income residents has stalled for years, but it is now showing signs of progress after changes that have spurred interest from a full slate of developers.

A long-dormant “community solar” program could get new life after a New Orleans City Council committee agreed to changes that will allow developers to get a more favorable rate for solar energy in a bid to meet climate goals and help renters tap into solar benefits.