A 4.7 MW community solar project enters service this summer on a landfill in Spanish Fork, Utah, just south of Provo. The project was designed and installed by Prometheus Power, and Solar FlexRack provided the mounting system. The 27-acre project is expected to provide enough power for 3,000 homes, said Solar FlexRack. Landfills are increasingly playing host to solar facilities, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reporting an 80% rise in such projects across the U.S. over the last five years.
While the projects work well to make use of otherwise compromised land, installing on a landfill comes with its own set of challenges. One big hurdle is that installers typically cannot penetrate the landfill’s surface, which means that mounting hardware and foundational structures must be adaptable and lighter.
Solar FlexRack said it used its Series B Cast-in-place (CIP) mounting technology, which offered customizable blocks and a two-support system that reduced block thickness. The mounting system’s lighter ballasts and array profile flexibility can translate to lower project costs, said FlexRack. The mounting system benefits from internal bracing and fewer components, making it faster and easier to install.
The EPA tracks solar landfill-topping installations as part of its RE-Powering America’s Land initiative. Nearly 60% of all the projects tracked by the initiative sit on landfills, and more than 90% of those are solar PV. Massachusetts leads the field with 30% of the country’s landfill projects installed there.