Even in Louisiana, where fossil fuels have long been the dominant energy source, utilities and industrial power users continue to place more emphasis on tapping a renewable power supply — whether forced to do so by regulators or driven by environmental reasons.
The Legislature has been asked to consider policy to pave the way for alternative energy, which has led to some resistance from lawmakers with deep ties to oil and gas. While legislation for wind energy infrastructure has been embraced, thanks to its overlap with offshore exploration, solar energy hasn’t enjoyed the same warm welcome.
This was evident during a joint meeting Thursday of the House committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources on solar energy development. Summoned through a study resolution approved earlier this year, the hearing was rife with misinformation, unsubstantiated statements and contradictory data.
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