RWE has officially completed construction of its first solar project in Louisiana: the 100 MW Lafitte Solar facility in Ouachita Parish, just outside Monroe. The site was celebrated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 13, attended by Monroe’s mayor, local officials, RWE leadership and its EPC partner, McCarthy Building Companies. The company expects to have the solar farm fully online and generating power by the end of this year. With this project, RWE is anchoring its U.S. “Growing Green” strategy and marking a significant expansion into a new state.
Partnership and corporate backing
Lafitte Solar was made possible through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta, which secures all environmental credentials associated with the project. Meta receives the renewable energy certificates (RECs), helping the company meet its ambitious sustainability goals. This collaboration reflects RWE’s strategy of working with major tech players to drive clean-power generation.
Project Factsheet
Developer / Owner: RWE Clean Energy
Location: Ouachita Parish, near Monroe, Louisiana, USA
Capacity: 100 MW
Power Offtaker: Meta, via long-term PPA
Environmental Credits: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) go to Meta
Construction Partner: McCarthy Building Companies (EPC)
Jobs Created: 150+ full-time construction jobs at peak
Lifetime Regional Tax Revenue: ~US$ 32 million
Land-Use Strategy: Native vegetation for biodiversity + agrivoltaics with 600+ sheep grazing
Expected Operational Date: Fully online by end of 2025
Community Engagement: School donations, playground funding, food bank support
Energy Impact: Enough energy for ~17,000 homes and businesses
Economic boost and local employment
During peak construction, the project supported more than 150 full-time jobs, working with RWE’s EPC partner McCarthy. These workers injected economic value into the local community by supporting shops, restaurants and other area businesses. Over its operating life, Lafitte Solar is projected to generate roughly US$ 32 million in tax revenues, which will benefit public schools, emergency services and law enforcement in Ouachita Parish.
Beyond construction, RWE has engaged meaningfully with the community: it partnered with Roy Neal Shelling Sr. Elementary School to improve classroom resources. RWE and McCarthy also committed to funding a new playground at Tanglewood Community Park, reinforcing their long-term social investment in the region. During the holidays, they made one of the largest food donations in the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana’s history, helping local families.
Sustainable land-use and agrivoltaics
Lafitte Solar has been designed with sustainability in mind: native vegetation surrounds the site, promoting biodiversity and conserving local habitat. Even more innovatively, RWE is using a flock of over 600 sheep to graze the site. This maintains healthy vegetation while reducing mowing costs. This agrivoltaic system not only supports sustainable land management, but it also strengthens relationships with local farmers.
Energy impact and grid contribution
Once fully operational, the 100 MW Lafitte Solar plant will deliver low-cost, homegrown energy into Louisiana’s grid. According to Andrew Flanagan, CEO of RWE Clean Energy, the facility will generate enough electricity to power about 17,000 local homes and businesses. The new generation capacity contributes to grid resilience and supports clean energy adoption across the region.
Completing Lafitte Solar underlines RWE’s commitment to scaling its U.S. clean energy footprint, aligning with the company’s broader momentum across its renewables portfolio — including offshore wind, where RWE recently installed the first turbine foundation for its 1.6 GW Nordseecluster project. The PPA model with Meta may serve as a blueprint for future corporate clean-energy offtake agreements. Plus, the successful integration of renewable generation with agrivoltaics demonstrates a scalable path for combining energy infrastructure with land stewardship. As RWE pursues further growth in wind, solar, and storage, the Lafitte project stands out as both a symbol and a springboard for long-term sustainability and regional economic development.
