Let’s Find the Potential for Renewable Energy on Brownfields Sites

EPA and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory are collaborating on a project to evaluate the feasibility of siting renewable energy production on the current brownfield sites.

EPA and the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are collaborating to conduct a studies on the potential for solar power generation on:

• the former Kerr McGee Chemical Facility site in Columbus, Mississippithe 
  

  Standard Chlorine of Delaware/Metachem facility in Delaware City, Delaware

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  West Haymarket Brownfield Site in Lincoln, Nebraska

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  Farmland Industries Nitrogen Plant Site in Lawrence, Kansas

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  Municipal Farm Site owned by the City of Kansas City, Mo.

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  the Former Tronox Facility site in Savannah, GA

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  and others

Background

As part of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, EPA is investing approximately $1 million for projects across the United States aiming to decrease the amount of green space used for development while continuing to ensure the protection of people’s health, the environment and provide economic benefits to local communities, including job creation.

Superfund sites are the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified by EPA for cleanup. Brownfields are properties at which expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of contaminants. Contaminated lands can be ideal locations for developing renewable energy projects because they often can leverage existing utility infrastructure, and this redevelopment may be allowed under existing zoning.

How Much Solar For Round Grove Creek Landfill (As an example)?

The Round Grove Creek Landfill portion of the Municipal Farm site offers 14.3 acres of clear, level land located less than 500 feet from a public utility substation and power lines, giving it strong potential for solar energy production.

The Western Portion of the site contains 19 acres of eligible brownfield sites and an additional 120 acres of vacant, level property within a quarter mile of power lines and railroad lines, potentially making the site suitable for biopower development.

Which Sites Got Approval?

According to the EPA:

Projects will analyze the potential development of wind, solar, biomass, or geothermal at 26 sites. The analysis will determine the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology on the site, potential energy generating capacity, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects. The 26 sites are located in Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, California, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.

“Renewable energy is a vital part of America’s energy future. By using wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources, we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions from other sources of energy production,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

More information on the RE-Powering America’s Land initiative:
http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/