CEP Renewables has started construction on its 19 MWdc grid-supply Foul Rift solar project in White Township, New Jersey.
The project is being developed on a brownfield - an environmentally impaired site - that has ben the host of a composting facility for nearly three decades. During that time, the facility received 92 separate notices of environmental violations from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
Most of these violations were due to contamination caused by the composting facility's operations. After extensive environmental investigations, it was found that the soil was contaminated with metals, including arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which require institutional control.
In order to bring the site into compliance with the NJDEP, CEP removed the remaining berm of compost and waste materials and worked with the NJDEP to resolve the remaining violations and terminate the solid waste permit.
"This project is the perfect example of the use of the renewable energy subsidy to not only reduce the regional carbon footprint but also remediate environmental damages that would not have otherwise been addressed," said Chris Ichter, EVP at CEP Renewables. "We are pleased to have been able to leverage our prior experience on similarly challenging landfill and brownfield solar projects to develop a successful public-private partnership with White Township that will positively impact generations to come."
The project development not only completed the environmental remediation at the site but will also provide reliable clean energy, pollinator habitats, and greater tax revenue for the local community. The fixed-tilt, bifacial solar module project is expected to be commercially operational by September 2024 and support the state in achieving 100% clean electricity by 2035.
