Atlanta Landfill Capped with 1 MW Solar Cover

05 October 2011

Phoenix, Arizona based Republic Services, Inc. has dedicated a solar energy cover at its closed Hickory Ridge landfill near Atlanta.

According to the company, the flexible solar cover technology will generate 1 MW of electricity - meeting the needs of 224 homes.

Republic claims that the 45-acre closure system, which includes 10 acres of solar panels, is the world's largest landfill solar energy cap and can be seen from aircraft planes using the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

As one of the largest solar projects in Georgia and only the third application of this type of solar landfill technology in the country, the company says that Hickory Ridge is now the state's first landfill solar farm, transforming a closed landfill into a commercial scale, solar energy-generating facility.

The cover, a Spectro PowerCap made by Carlisle Energy Services (CES), is a new dual-purpose landfill closure system that allows a landfill owner to close a landfill and also generate renewable electrical power.

According to Republic Services, the system meets regulatory requirements as an alternative closure system and features Carlisle's three-ply, scrim-reinforced GeoTPO Geomembrane that serves as both the closure system and platform for integrated solar photovoltaics.

The Hickory Ridge landfill cover uses nearly 7000 solar panels to generate more than 1000 MWh of renewable electricity annually. The solar panel area is located on the landfill's south slope and covers approximately 10 acres of the 45-acre site.

The company says that the solar array is configured to allow access to landfill utilities such as landfill gas collection wells, while also incorporating cost-effective wiring and efficient electrical operations.

The entire array of panels and their accompanying infrastructure are installed on the exposed geomembrane to produce year-round renewable electricity during the 30 year post closure long-term care period and beyond, according to the company.

The company says that the new solar cover will be also soon be complemented by a landfill gas-to-energy project. 

"This is a technologically advanced solution that is actually very simple at its core," explains Bob Boucher, senior vice president, operations for Republic.

"Given the choice of covering the site with clay and soil, or flexible solar panels, we made the choice that not only caps the landfill with an environmentally safe technology but also produces enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of 224 homes," he adds.

Furthermore, the company says that the roughly $5 million investment it has made is being offset by a $2 million grant of federal stimulus money awarded through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA).

Georgia received $82.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for state energy-efficiency and renewable energy programs.

"GEFA encourages renewable energy in Georgia by funding solar projects such as Hickory Ridge. In addition to funding, we provide technical assistance to state agencies, local governments and private sector companies in developing innovative energy resources,' said Kevin Clark, executive director, GEFA.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there are about 100,000 closed landfills in the United States, which could potentially represent hundreds of thousands of acres of property that could be used for renewable energy development.

Many of these landfills are close to urban areas and have infrastructure in place to deliver solar and other forms of alternative energy economically.

Also Read

Solar Landfills: the Future?
Landfill solar energy covers are now starting to be taken more seriously following the installation at a site in Texas, US. Mark Roberts looks at the advancements in geomembranes, cost and practical considerations for landfill owners.

Atlanta Landfill to Benefit from Solar Cap on Closure
Republic Services, owner of the Hickory Ridge, is closing the landfill and turning it into a solar farm, using $2 million in federal stimulus money

Solar Landfill Project in Massachusetts to Deliver 4.2 MW to the Grid
Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo) is to develop its second large-scale solar energy facility at a capped landfill site