Conti Solar begins construction on landfill solar project in Ohio

US-based solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm, Conti Solar has commenced construction on landfill solar project in Ohio.

Situated in Cuyahoga County, the 4MW solar project is owned and operated by IGS Solar, a commercial and residential solar provider and an affiliate company of retail energy supplier IGS Energy.

This project is being developed by Enerlogics and McDonald Hopkins, and once complete, it is expected to annually provide over 5,000,000 kilowatt hours of solar power to county-owned facilities.

Solar projects constructed on landfills can be complex; however, Conti Solar has installed over 133MW of landfill solar projects in the US.

The Cuyahoga solar project is located on 17 acres of previously unproductive land.

Conti Solar will be responsible for the construction of the solar array that will be installed at a closed-and-capped landfill.

Through a power purchase agreement (PPA), Cuyahoga County will buy 100% of the project’s energy from Cleveland Public Power.

Among the benefits offered by the project include reduced energy costs for the county, additional tax revenue, and an provision of 100 local jobs.

IGS Solar vice president Patrick Smith said: “It was essential that we partnered with a firm that has a proven track record in developing solar projects on top of sensitive landfill sites.

“It’s a unique niche, but Conti Solar’s vast experience, impeccable standards, and understanding of IGS Solar’s vision for the community has made Conti Solar the ideal partner for this project.”

Conti Solar CEO Matthew Skidmore said: “IGS Solar is helping Cuyahoga County reduce energy costs for the next 20 years. They have been a reliable energy partner supporting the efficient and cost-effective addition of clean renewable energy for the county’s benefit, both environmentally and financially. We hope to continue working with IGS Solar on projects like this in Ohio and other Midwestern states.”

This project is expected to be completed during the summer of 2018.