Natural gas is the primary fuel used for electricity generation in Louisiana. Coal was the second-leading source for decades, but now provides less generation than Louisiana's two nuclear plants. Both plants are located on the Mississippi river, and together they provide about one-sixth of the state's electricity. Less than 4% of the electricity produced in Louisiana comes from renewable sources.
Louisiana has abundant biomass resources, and more than two-thirds of the state's renewable generation comes from wood and wood waste. Some of Louisiana's wood is processed into pellet fuels, which are sold to European countries trying to meet the EU's environmental standards. Almost all of the rest of Louisiana's renewable energy comes from hydroelectric power plants. Solar energy has gotten off to a slow start in Louisiana due to restrictive government policies.
Louisiana Electricity Prices
Louisiana has a regulated electricity market, whereby local utility companies set and control electricity prices, generation, and delivery in their service areas.
Fortunately, Louisiana residents still benefit from lower electricity prices relative to the rest of the country. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average retail price of electricity for Louisiana residents in December 2016 was 9.12¢ per kWh, which is 3.09¢ below the average U.S. electricity price of 12.21¢ per kWh.
Louisiana Energy Mix
Net Electricity Generation By Source:
Source: Energy Information Administration, 2016
From 2010-2015, natural gas went from about 51% to 61% of total electricity production in Louisiana. Over the same period, electricity production from coal dropped about 36%.
Louisiana Energy Sector Employment
According to the 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report, Louisiana has around 7,174 workers employed in electricity generation. Despite being a small percentage of Louisiana's energy mix, solar energy creates the most jobs, with 3,648 full-time employees. Another 32,434 Louisiana residents work in the transmission, wholesale distribution, and storage of electricity. Some of the largest employers in Louisiana's energy industry are Halliburton Energy Services, Entergy, and Superior Energy Services.
Fun fact: more Americans are employed by renewable energy than coal, oil, and gas combined, despite wind and solar energy only making up 5% of the total U.S. energy mix. According to a study from the University of California, Berkeley, solar energy creates over 7 times more jobs than coal or oil per MWh produced. The employment estimates for wind power differ from source to source, but most agree that it also produces more jobs than fossil fuels.
Louisiana Utility Companies
The largest utility companies in Louisiana are Entergy, Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), and Cleco. Being in a regulated energy market, these utilities own the entire flow of electricity in their territories and also dictate electricity prices. As such, they are responsible for generating electricity, maintaining infrastructure, delivering electricity, and providing billing to all their residential and business customers across the state.
- Serves approximately 1.07 million electric customers in Louisiana
- Headquartered in New Orleans, LA
- Employs about 4,500 Louisiana residents
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO)
- Serves approximately 230,000 electric customers in Louisiana
- Headquartered in Shreveport, LA
- Employs about 1,700 Louisiana residents
- Serves approximately 288,000 electric customers in Louisiana
- Headquartered in Pineville, LA
- Employs about 1,200 Louisiana residents
Arcadia's Louisiana Renewable Energy Services
With Arcadia’s clean energy offerings, homeowners and renters across the state can now sign up to reduce their impact, be more energy efficient, and save on their energy bills while keeping their same utility company. Here are three programs currently available to Louisiana residents:
As an Louisiana utility customer, you can reduce your impact by matching your home’s electricity usage with renewable energy certificates from wind farms. You can sign up for our 50% Wind Energy plan for free, and begin service with your next utility bill. All you need is your local utility login to link up with Arcadia’s platform and start supporting wind farms each month at no extra cost to you.
We offer a community solar-savings program to homeowners and renters in Louisiana. No matter where you live, you can subscribe to community solar projects across the country and start saving on your utility bill each month. There aren’t any installations, site visits, or equipment necessary, and if you move, your savings will even move with you.
Zero-down Energy Efficient Products
Our pay-as-you-save energy program enables Louisiana utility customers to access energy efficient products for $0 down. We will offer LED light bulbs, Wiser Air Smart Thermostats, and other home energy products to help you be more efficient and save on your utility bills. As an Arcadia customer, you can simply pay for your efficient products over time using the energy savings you’ll start seeing each month.