Landfills for Commercial Solar Array Systems
At Michaud Law Group, we believe that solar at landfill sites bring new meaning for waste to energy. The firm is well-versed in assisting clients with solar on landfills. Solar panels can be installed on landfills to generate renewable energy and repurpose the land. Solar panels can be a good fit for landfills because landfills are large, flat, and open spaces that are well-suited for solar panels. They also typically have good sun exposure and limited other redevelopment opportunities. Also, solar panels on landfills can generate tax revenue and lease revenues for local governments. Some factors to consider when installing solar panels on a landfill include the age of the landfill: older landfills are more likely to be considered a liability and may be more open to solutions that turn the liability into an asset, and landfills with minimal grades are more attractive candidates for solar. The available acreage must be large enough to fit a decent-sized project.
The firm’s energy and environmental attorneys understand that remediating and redeveloping a brownfield site presents challenges, and installing a solar array at such a location presents several specific challenges. Closed landfills, which contain hazardous materials, are usually not suitable for traditional redevelopment. That means putting solar modules on these sites requires a different installation, with a ballasted system that does not drive foundations deep into the ground, where the system could pierce the landfill cap and disturb the waste underground.
We assist our solar developer clients in ensuring that the design and construction process is adequate for installing the solar array atop the landfill while avoiding damage to its protective layer. This analysis determines the settlement and stability of various landfill sections, helping specify which locations are best for the ballast, racking, modules, and electrical equipment. Construction also needs to allow for access to the site for ongoing landfill operation and maintenance activities.
There are several reasons why landfills are a good candidate for solar. First, the economic stimulus from solar on landfills benefits all stakeholders. Local governments and communities benefit from lease and tax revenue and new jobs. Landowners benefit from lease payments or the sale of the distressed property to the developer.
Second, landfills and brownfield sites have adverse effects on the surrounding communities. Odors, potential water supply contamination, and unappealing aesthetics impact the quality of life and can even bring property prices down. Turning these properties into revenue-generating, clean energy assets directly provides economic and environmental benefits to local neighborhoods, adding value to the community for the system's life.
Third, closed landfills carry ongoing environmental concerns, and there is little potential to repurpose the land for more beneficial uses, except solar and renewable energy. Solar on distressed sites provides the benefits of clean energy and offsets greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, placing solar developments on these properties instead of greenfields is a more land-efficient approach, allowing greenfields to be utilized for other purposes.
Fourth, responsible owners create value from closed landfill sites with carbon-free solar energy, enabling stakeholders to demonstrate leadership and meet greenhouse gas reduction targets measurably. Consideration of future use is a critical component of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) landfill and superfund programs. The EPA encourages nationwide solar and renewable energy development on contaminated lands, engaging with public and private partners.
Fifth, solar production is another solar on landfill benefit and can provide grid resiliency, helping meet ever-increasing energy load demands. Leveraging landfills and other distressed sites for solar energy production closes power gaps and provides a reliable and renewable energy source.
At Michaud Law Group, our energy and environmental attorneys have experience advising clients on the unique issues and requirements for successfully and economically developing solar energy on landfills.
