Are Landfill Sites Good for Solar Farms?
What Happens to Decommissioned Landfill Sites?
There’s a lot of aftercare that comes with decommissioned landfill sites. A closure report must be carried out which will then be sent to a local environment agency officer. Aftercare is planned for things that require management like leachate, landfill gas as well as ground and surface water. A final cap will be installed across the entirety of the site which might be clay, concrete or a vegetative layer. This isolates contaminates for reasons like protecting people and wildlife. It also works against weather conditions for purposes like wind blowing contaminated materials away from the site.
This is all a complex process, but once it’s been sorted, proper decisions can be made for the future of the site. A lot of the time, the site will be forgotten, but they’re great in many instances for solar farms.
What are the Benefits of Landfill Solar Farms?
Old landfill sites being used as a location for solar farms is becoming more popular and there are many reasons why. Using decommissioned landfill sites for solar farms can turn unused land into something useful in a number of different ways.
- It’s a sustainable solution: Solar farms are good for the local community so they can have less reliance on power grids. Building them, particularly on unused ground, means you’re recycling the land rather than it just sitting there. Because places like schools and houses can’t be built in these areas, it makes sense to put solar panels here and save healthier land for projects like this. People are more likely to be happy if you make this kind of decision too.
- It’s convenient: Because old landfill sites are unused, having solar panels here means minimal impact on the nearby areas. Some people also think solar panels are unattractive and complain about their appearance. If built on a landfill site, the solar farm should be far away enough from residents so they can’t see it.
- It can create economic growth: Maintaining and constructing solar farms means job opportunities can arise.
- Landfill sites take up space: Lots of room means more area for solar panels to be housed. This makes landfill sites a great location for making a large solar farm.
- They’re often unshaded: Open land is a great place for solar panels to relish so they can get as much daylight as possible. Solar panels are a dependable source of power but are even better in areas full of sunlight.
- They’re usually in proximity to relevant infrastructure like substations: The solar panels will still be close to transmission lines so they can receive the energy produced as well.
Should More Landfill Sites Be Used for Solar Farms?
At Mypower our focus is installing on commercial, industrial and agricultural buildings’ rooftops, which in our view is the ultimate brownfield and underutilised site. However, for utility scale ground mounted solar installations former landfill sites can prove to be a option that avoids using greenfield land. They’re a great solution of turning brownfield land into something that has a positive purpose. There are many benefits of doing so, but there are also a few challenges to consider like being careful of the landfill cap. It’s very important that the cap over the old landfill site isn’t broken as this could mean dangerous contaminants being released. Working around this can create engineering challenges which can be a nuisance. Because these risks must be avoided, in some cases, installing on a decommissioned landfill site can end up costing more money.
Mypower Solar Panel Services
We design, supply and install award winning PV systems across the industrial, agricultural and commercial industries. We know all about green energy and partnering with us can give you peace of mind as we’re knowledgeable and professional about everything solar panel related. This sustainable solution is becoming more and more popular across the UK and the world. With us, we can enable you with the power to generate your own electricity to help reduce climate change.