Solar panels on capped landfills
As a land use/environmental attorney, I’ve worked on so-called brownfields projects that redevelop environmentally-compromised properties, such as toxic waste sites or dumps. Its the ultimate in recycling – re-using land that has already served its original purpose instead of spreading development outward from city centers.
I was especially excited to hear about solar panel installations on capped landfills. Unlike other brownfields projects, environmental concerns are diminished since human habitation does not need to be accommodated. In fact, locally-elected officials are considering reclaimed landfills as a way to get green energy credits by allowing for installation of solar panels.
As an example of this renewable energy brownfield development potential, 24,000 solar panels will be installed on top of a capped landfill in Canton, Massachusetts. While most people wouldn’t want to seriously consider redevelopment of a site that used to be home to trash and refuse, the capped landfill can house a solar array to produce clean electricity for the residents of Canton. In addition, the town will start collecting property taxes on the improved landfill. With the combination of property taxes and energy savings for the municipality, officials predict revenue savings of about $70 million over the 25-year life of the solar panel project.
Solar panels installed at the capped landfill will be finished by 2012. The project will be developed by Boston based Southern Sky Renewable Energy.
Other projects across the U.S. have already been developed with solar panels on capped landfills. You can find similar installations in Colorado, California and Hawaii. Turning an otherwise unusable site into a clean energy generating facility? That’s not trash talk!
Tags: brownfield solar, landfills solar, solar brownfield, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, solar power landfills
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