Reactivate, an Invenergy company, and WM (formerly Waste Management) have announced a plan to develop solar energy projects on up to 50+ former landfill sites.
The companies say this will support grid resiliency and generate meaningful economic benefits in the communities where these projects are developed. Projects will be developed, constructed, owned and operated by Reactivate.
Reactivate told pv magazine USA it will prioritize projects based on local solar market and interconnection capacity in areas where robust community solar and distributed generation programs exist. The company expects the first phase of projects to be completed by late 2027.
Converting landfills into “brightfields”
Installing renewable energy projects on current and formerly contaminated lands is a growing trend supported by initiatives like the EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land. As of December, 2024, the program had tracked 624 renewable energy projects on formerly contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites, with a total capacity greater than 4.3 GW.
Capacity of solar PV systems at former landfill sites totaled more than 972 MW. Notable landfill solar projects tracked by the program include a 25.6 MW facility in Mount Olive, NJ, and a 25.4 MW facility in Pittsburg, CA.
However, landfill solar projects can be difficult to develop and don’t always proceed as expected. For example, a 50MW project slated for a site outside of Houston, TX was announced with much fanfare in 2021. As recently as 2024, the project was facing financial woes due in part to high interest rates, and construction has not yet commenced.
The EPA program’s best practices document says most landfill sites need to settle for 2 to 3 years before being developed, and solar installations on capped must often consist of ballasted systems, rather than the ground-mounted racking more typical of large greenfield projects, so as not to penetrate the barrier layer.
Reactivate is a partnership between global energy development firm Invenergy and Lafayette Square, an impact investment platform that provides capital and services to local businesses in overlooked or underserved communities.
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