### How Solar-Plus-Storage Solutions Are Transforming Hurricane Preparedness in Louisiana
When Hurricane season looms, communities prone to devastating storms are turning to innovative solutions to safeguard lives and ensure access to essential services. One such forward-thinking strategy involves leveraging solar power, specifically in the form of solar-plus-storage installations. These setups are becoming a beacon of resilience, especially in hurricane-prone areas like Louisiana.
#### The Role of Solar in Resilience Hubs
In New Orleans, a coalition of about 50 churches and community institutions has pioneered the concept of solar-powered “resilience hubs,” aptly named “community lighthouses.” These hubs are equipped with solar panels for your home or facility to provide a reliable energy source. By combining solar arrays for home use or communal purposes with substantial battery storage capacity, these installations function as lifelines during extended power outages caused by hurricanes.
For example, New Wine Christian Fellowship in Laplace, Louisiana, operates the largest of these resilience hubs. The facility pairs a 167.4 kW solar array with 440 kWh of battery storage across three buildings. This infrastructure ensures consistent power for critical needs, such as cooling centers, refrigeration, and mobile device charging, even when the power grid goes offline.
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Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/01/31/churches-become-solar-plus-storage-resilience-hubs-in-louisiana/
