Earth Month Spotlight: How Landfill Solar Transforms Communities

Landfill solar represents one of the most transformative opportunities in the solar industry. While traditional greenfield installations deliver cost savings, reduced carbon emissions, and affordable clean energy to communities, landfill solar goes a step further—providing all those same benefits while also repurposing previously unusable land into valuable, productive assets.

With over 250 MW of landfill solar projects completed across the United States, CS Energy is the nations leader in delivering the added benefits of landfill redevelopment to communities across the country.

In celebration of Earth Month, we’re spotlighting the significant opportunities that landfill solar provides for community enrichment and responsible environmental stewardship. 

Maximizing Landfill Land Value 

Although landfills are necessary, they are typically considered blights to communities due to the limited options for developing the land, environmental liabilities, and the cost to operate and maintain a closed landfill. There are more than 10,000 closed landfills in the U.S. (source: RMI). These sites can cause environmental harm, even when inactive, and have limited re-use potential. Landfill solar projects provide a beneficial use for these sites, maximizing the value of the land and creating a positive community impact. 

From Fallow Land to Functional Revenue Source

Completed landfill solar projects can generate ongoing revenue for local townships and municipalities through a ground lease with the solar project, while also providing cost-efficient, renewable energy to residents and businesses. The benefits of landfill solar projects typically vary by state and by program, but there are multiple ways for communities to benefit.

If community solar programs are in place, households can offset their electric bills through energy generated by the solar array. In other words, residents can obtain discounted electricity, and the community benefits from a cleaner energy source. 

Publicly-owned sites can tap into a new revenue source from landfill solar. Previously contaminated properties become financial assets, bringing in local jobs and ongoing tax revenues and/or lease revenues. The revenue generated from brownfield solar can also offset the cost of maintaining the landfill cap, and the funding mechanisms can pay for public needs without reducing other program budgets.

Specialized Knowledge for Unique Challenges 

Landfill solar is not without its challenges. Brownfield projects have much more complicated permitting, design, and construction procedures than typical greenfield projects. For example, developers and EPCs need to make careful considerations in the design and engineering process to maintain the landfill cap’s integrity and prevent potential contaminants from being released into the environment. CS Energy’s expert team and consultants meticulously design and construct landfill projects to uphold environmental integrity and ensure that the sites are positive additions to surrounding communities. 

A Legacy of Sustainability 

One of the tenets of renewable energy is protecting the environment for future generations, and consideration of future use is an important factor in the EPA’s landfill program. Placing solar developments on brownfields is a land-efficient approach that keeps greenfield sites open for other future purposes. Landfill solar also enhances grid resiliency and balances energy load demands as communities grow, without requiring net new development sites. In brief, turning environmentally compromised land with minimal re-use options into a clean power source provides benefits for present-day communities and creates a sustainable legacy.

A Commitment to Landfill Solar Leadership 

CS Energy’s landfill solar experience spans 20 years and 43 projects, including installations on Superfund sites. All stakeholders—residents, businesses, municipalities, landowners, and the environment—benefit from landfill solar. Our CS Energy team is committed to ongoing landfill solar leadership, providing economic boosts, local benefits, and environmental stewardship for communities for decades to come.