The Global Sanitary Landfill in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, is expected to become the first community solar project in NJR Clean Energy Ventures’ (CEV) portfolio in New Jersey. It is also expected to become the first Superfund site in AC Power’s ownership structure. The project, which has been in development since 2020, recently advanced with AC Power selling the solar project and its 25-year lease to NJR CEV.
Old Bridge community solar project turns brownfields into clean energy
The project faced many challenges, given the site’s history as a former non-hazardous municipal and industrial waste site, designated as a Superfund site by the U.S. EPA. Despite the many obstacles, AC Power and its partners persevered, securing solar generation for the community in October 2021. The project was awarded by the NJ Board of Public Utilities in the second year of their highly competitive solar community pilot program.
The 2.8 MWdc project is expected to power 400 local homes with clean energy, while helping to redesign brownfields and other beneficial use sites to create clean energy. The project will provide customers with the opportunity to reduce their electricity costs with local clean renewable energy, contributing to the state’s clean energy goals.
CEV has a portfolio of 64 commercial solar projects in New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut with a total capacity of over 430 MW. The acquisition of the Old Bridge project marks its first community solar project in New Jersey.
AC Power is a missionary solar development company in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a vision to redevelop undervalued land to provide renewable energy to local communities.
From landfill to solar: how this innovative project contributes to biodiversity and clean energy
The project also includes a workforce development program in partnership with Solar One and County College of Morris (CCM). Students who complete the program can earn an associate level certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), which will help them launch careers in the growing clean energy sector.
Construction of the solar plant is expected to begin in June of this year, with CS Energy, a leading renewable energy development company in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), overseeing the project. The environmental engineering consulting firm, VHB, designed a comprehensive ecological recovery plan for the site. It includes the creation of pollinator habitats to help improve landscape connectivity, restore natural processes, and increase biodiversity.
The development of the Global Sanitary Landfill into a solar power plant is a perfect example of how innovative solutions to environmental challenges can help create a more sustainable future. With the support of key partners and stakeholders, the project overcame many obstacles to become a win-win situation for all involved, transforming underutilized space into renewable energy for the benefit of local communities.
