Repurposing landfills for green energy production

[ZZman]

I thought this was a pretty interesting idea. Your thoughts?

The largest landfill solar project in North America is now complete

A landfill site in Mount Olive, New Jersey, has been turned into a revenue-generating, 25.6 megawatt solar energy asset.

electrek.co

 

[joekingcorvette]

Very interesting. I know a lot of landfills are able to create and produce natural gas which is pretty amazing too. It's good to see the solar panels at use and making the environment and landfill productive.

 

[mrsilv04]

They're doing that here as well. In addition to stupidly covering up thousands of acres of some of the world's most productive cropland as well.

 

[Snagglefoot]

It’s a great idea. I hope they also have a methane recovery system. (Joekingcorvette beat me to it). They could actually use some of the solar power to compress the methane.

We have a 1 MW solar project on top of mine tailings close by.

 

[wpod]

They're doing that here as well. In addition to stupidly covering up thousands of acres of some of the world's most productive cropland as well.

Cropland is the most important asset this nation has. We hate farmers but love the food they grow. Repurposing?

 

[4WD]

Cropland is the most important asset this nation has. We hate farmers but love the food they grow.

They don’t grow food here - they grow what food eats

 

[bullwinkle]

I’m still surprised that wind farms don’t have crops growing on them-all you really need is a little access road with electric lines connecting them(?). Or at least have wind turbines with your solar array? The systems don’t seem to have much common sense, there’s agricultural solar popping up around here, in an area where solar isn’t extremely efficient.

 

[tcp71]

Here too. The amount of effort being put into installation doesn't seem to match it's output. It's window dressing at best.

Shepard Landfill Solar Project

www.calgary.ca

 

[andyd]

South eastern MA is lousy with solar panels. Windmills were a big thing7-8 yrs ago , but new ones are scarce. Wood piles abound. I bought a cord for $ 350 delivered. I've always maintained a stock of firewood even when I hadn't used the stove in yrs. At current prices, that would only buy about 75 gallons of heating oil

 

[stangguy]

I’m still surprised that wind farms don’t have crops growing on them-all you really need is a little access road with electric lines connecting them(?). Or at least have wind turbines with your solar array? The systems don’t seem to have much common sense, there’s agricultural solar popping up around here, in an area where solar isn’t extremely efficient.

Around here the windmills are all in the middle of cropland. From what I can see, once installed they use very little cropland. And the wires are underground.

 

[bluesmokertdi]

I thought this was a pretty interesting idea. Your thoughts?

The largest landfill solar project in North America is now complete

A landfill site in Mount Olive, New Jersey, has been turned into a revenue-generating, 25.6 megawatt solar energy asset.

electrek.co

the next big thing will be mining the old dumps to retrieve metals

Mining Landfills

 

[mk378]

There will never be as many acres under solar panels as there are in golf courses.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

There will never be as many acres under solar panels as there are in golf courses.

That still doesn't excuse the fact that we are putting solar panels on perfectly good farm land. If I had to guess it is the government subsidies and the energy kick back that sways the use of good farm land. We aren't getting anymore land so folks need to remember that with these green energy policies. I agree we need a plan for emissions but they also need to consider the "emissions" of green energy (like batteries and used solar panels) before we jump all in on these technologies.

just my $0.02

 

[MNgopher]

Having been involved in the permitting side of multiple solar facilities, some of you are kidding yourselves when you claim they are taking the world's most productive farmland out of production...

Around here, they end up on the marginal farm fields that typically have our poorer soil types, poor drainage, or other issues such as irregular shapes, etc... that makes them inferior to other production fields...

Next we could point out all the marginal land that has gone into production to support not food production - but fuel in the form ethanol and biodiesel. Direct production of electricity is the same animal - just without the intermediate steps all required.

Perhaps it has more to do with not liking this particular form of energy production. Also interesting that farmers, traditionally a group that says don't tell me what to with or on my land, has such strong feelings about what other farmers decide to do with their land when it doesn't align with their ideas... I've seen this one firsthand - with fellow farmers bringing their neighbor to tears in public hearings. Funny how we like capitalism except for when we don't...

 

[Snagglefoot]

the next big thing will be mining the old dumps to retrieve metals

Mining Landfills

This was already done. They couldn't find CAT operators willing to stand the smell.

 

[zzyzzx]

That still doesn't excuse the fact that we are putting solar panels on perfectly good farm land.

Especially since there are so much desert land that would be better to use for that.

 

[ZZman]

Especially since there are so much desert land that would be better to use for that.

The problem would probably be excessive heat, sand damage and expensive transmission lines.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

There will never be as many acres under solar panels as there are in golf courses.

Just this year, my county council decided to “ok” a 4,000 acre solar farm. On prime farmland. That’s probably worth at least 10 golf courses, of which there is only one in the county. So I think your claim will be easily eclipsed.

And that’s not even counting the farmland they’ve leased to the 150+ windmills in the area, of which not one single watt comes to benefit the county where it’s generated.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I’m still surprised that wind farms don’t have crops growing on them-all you really need is a little access road with electric lines connecting them(?). Or at least have wind turbines with your solar array? The systems don’t seem to have much common sense, there’s agricultural solar popping up around here, in an area where solar isn’t extremely efficient.

Every windmill around here has the access road and a 1-acre plot tied to the lease.

 

[andyd]

This was already done. They couldn't find CAT operators willing to stand the smell.

Robots/ self operation equipment