Top 5 Solar Companies in louisiana

Below you’ll find the top solar companies in Louisiana as ranked by us and reviewed by verified solar customers. To learn more about what goes into our “Best Rank” score for each company, visit our How We Rank page. For our full Louisiana Solar Overview, keep reading:

#4

LGCY Power

7.4

Overall
Score

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Louisiana Solar Overview

Like most southern states, Louisiana enjoys high amounts of sunshine throughout the year; however, also like most southern states, Louisiana is far behind in terms of pro-solar policies and incentive programs, despite having a fruitful history of residential solar energy, which in recent years has waned due to the repeal of key solar policies.

Read on to learn more about the ins and outs of going solar in Louisiana.

Pros and Cons of Going Solar in Louisiana

Here's an at-a-glance description of the current benefits and drawbacks of switching to solar in Louisiana:

Benefits of Going Solar in Louisiana:

  • High Sunshine Levels
  • 30% Federal Tax Credit
  • Average Solar Prices

Drawbacks of Going Solar in Louisiana:

  • No Solar Incentives
  • No Pro-Solar Policies
  • Low Utility Prices
  • Minimal Long-Term Savings

Cost of Solar in Louisiana

The cost of going solar in the Bayou State is thankfully on par with most of its southern neighbors, with levelized costs per kilowatt-hour coming in around 6 cents over 25 years compared to 21 cents per kWh for non-renewable energy. A typical 5 kW solar array can cost up to $21,000, but can be significantly less depending on variables such as available space, panel efficiency, and other energy needs.

Because electricity rates are so low, however, the payback period for solar in Louisiana is somewhat longer than in other states, even as high as 20 years in some cases.

Louisiana Solar Financing Options

In terms of financing options available to homeowners in Louisiana, there are two: cash purchase and solar loans. Solar leases and power purchase agreement (PPA) options, meanwhile, are not yet available in the state.

Cash Purchase

To purchase a 5 kW solar energy system in Louisiana, solar customers should expect to pay up to $20,000 upfront. That doesn’t include the 30 percent federal solar tax credit, which can reduce the maximum price down to $14,000. Despite this significant reduction, customers could still expect to spend the next 20 or so years before the annual savings finally offset those upfront costs.

After 25 years, the expected lifespan of the average solar panel system, customers can expect to net about $5,000 in total savings. While that number may not seem like much, home value for solar panel owners can increase up to an additional $14,000 over 25 years.

Solar Loans

Homeowners seeking to finance their solar array through a solar loan, while enjoying zero upfront costs, may find they’re waiting even longer for their system to turn profitable than the cash purchase crowd. Assuming a $20,000 loan with a 15-year repayment term, customers will enjoy thousands of dollars of savings for the first five or so years of system operation.

Unfortunately, as projected loan payments remain higher than projected utility costs, those savings will diminish after year five, and borrowers will find they’re paying more for solar than for traditional electricity over the next decade. After 25 years, solar borrowers could end up netting negative on their total savings — just another example of how difficult going solar in Louisiana can be. 

Louisiana Solar Incentives

Apart from the federal solar tax credit, which reduces the overall cost of a solar panel system by 30 percent, Louisiana residents have little to look forward to in terms of solar incentives in the state. Louisiana currently offers solar customers no solar power rebate program, no state-level solar tax credits, and no sales tax exemption; however, the state does exempt the increased home value added by a solar panel system from being assessed as part of annual property taxes, which can save homeowners hundreds of dollars.

Louisiana Solar Policy Information

Solar policy in Louisiana tells a similar story. The state has not set a renewable portfolio standard, and consequently a solar carve-out, for utility companies. Neither has the state established a solid net metering policy or clear, accessible standards for connecting solar panel systems to the grid. And with average electricity prices at around 10 cents per kWh (about 3 cents below the national average), utility customers have little incentive to make a sizable investment in solar energy.

Louisiana Solar Statistics

Despite a major spike in residential solar installation projects in 2014 and 2015, citizen-owned solar in Louisiana has been trending down in recent years. That said, Louisiana utility companies have successfully installed more than 70 megawatts of solar energy in the form of solar farm projects in 2020 alone — accounting for nearly half of all solar output in the state (approximately 180 mW).

Currently, 55 manufacturers and solar installers operate in the state, employing over 5,000 people and providing solar energy to more than 17,000 homes.

Interested in a solar quote? Check out the top-ranked solar companies in Louisiana and read reviews from verified solar customers.

Sources

  • solarpowerrocks.com/louisiana/
  • solarreviews.com/solar-panels/louisiana
  • seia.org/state-solar-policy/louisiana-solar
  • solar-nation.org/louisiana
  • solaractionalliance.org/solar-panel-installation/louisiana/

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