Best Practices for Siting Solar Photovoltaics on Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
Reusing former landfills as large solar projects is a clear, growing trend. In 1988, there were nearly 8,000 landfills in the United States. In 2009, that number had dropped to below 2,000. The landfills that closed over the intervening years—plus portions of active landfills with closed cells—represent thousands of acres that may be suitable for siting solar projects.
Many landfills are particularly well-suited for solar development because they are often:
- Located near critical infrastructure including electric transmission lines and roads;
- Located near areas with high energy demand (e.g., large population bases);
- Constructed with large areas of minimal grade (0-2 percent) needed for optimal siting of solar photovoltaic (PV) structures;
- Offered at lower land costs when compared to open space; and
- Able to accommodate net metered or utility scale projects.
EPA and the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) jointly developed the Best Practices for Siting Solar Photovoltaics on Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. EPA and NREL created this document to provide assistance in addressing common technical challenges for siting solar photovoltaic (PV) on municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills.
- Best Practices for Siting Solar Photovoltaics on Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
This document provides best practices unique to siting solar photovoltaics on municipal solid waste landfills. Many stakeholders, including solar developers, landfill owners, and federal, state and local governments may find this information useful.