CEP Renewables completes New Jersey solar landfill project

CEP Renewables, Red Bank, New Jersey, and Luminace, New York, have achieved commercial operation of the 10-megawatt Burlington Environmental Management Services (BEMS) community solar landfill project, located on the Big Hill Landfill in Southampton, New Jersey.

The project is part of the state’s Community Solar Energy Pilot Program and has two 5-megawatt solar systems atop the landfill, spanning two utility territories. This fixed tilt project uses Terrasmart’s ballasted solar racking technology and bifacial solar panels. In addition to converting a previously limited use site into a solar power plant, CEP Renewables reports that the project has enabled the township to recoup approximately $2 million in back taxes and interest.

CEP Renewables developed the project and contracted CS Energy to be the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor throughout the construction phase. Luminace, a Brookfield Renewable company, is the long-term owner and operator of the project.

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“We are pleased to have converted yet another previously limited use site into a source of revenue as well as more affordable clean energy for local communities,” says Chris Ichter, executive vice president at CEP Renewables. “The BEMS project builds upon the success of our redevelopment project in Mount Olive, New Jersey, the largest solar landfill project in North America, through the use of a similar process with this project.”

Like CEP Renewables’ Mount Olive project, the BEMS project property was purchased through the redevelopment and tax lien foreclosure process. CEP Renewables says the Big Hill landfill site accrued millions of dollars in tax liens, which it addressed by brokering a public-private partnership with the township. The company acquired the tax liens from the township, paid back all past-due taxes and foreclosed on the landfill property.

“Luminace is pleased to work with CEP Renewables, CS Energy, the Southampton Township and the local community on this most recent community solar project in New Jersey,” says Luminace CEO Brendon Quinlivan. “This project continues to expand our New Jersey solar footprint that we’ve built over the last decade and contributes to our growth strategy across the U.S. to expand the decarbonization-as-a-service solutions available to our valued customers and communities that we serve.”

CEP says the BEMS project contributes to New Jersey’s ranking as the number one U.S. state for installed solar capacity per square mile and the most planned community solar capacity serving low-to-moderate income households. This project adds to CEP’s more than 100 megawatts of solar projects developed in the state, which it says supports New Jersey’s goal of achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2035.