
South Portland officials say the installation of a 2,944-panel solar array on the city’s former landfill off Highland Avenue is ahead of schedule and power generation may start in October. Staff photo by Kelley Bouchard
SOUTH PORTLAND — Installation of a solar array on the city’s capped landfill is suffering none of the setbacks experienced by a similar project planned in Portland.
Portland-based ReVision Energy is installing 2,944 photovoltaic panels on the 34-acre former landfill, which is behind the city’s solid-waste transfer station and the public services facility that’s being built at 929 Highland Ave.
Sustainability Coordinator Julie Rosenbach said there are “no issues” with the South Portland project. The installation is ahead of schedule and the array likely will be operating in early October, she said.
Rosenbach developed the project with ReVision in tandem with Portland officials, who negotiated a similar agreement for a solar array on that city’s capped landfill off Ocean Avenue. As a private, for-profit company, ReVision can build the arrays using federal tax credits that aren’t available to municipalities, which are nonprofits.
Each community will purchase the electricity from ReVision at rates higher-than-market prices for the first six years, before being able to buy the equipment outright for nearly $1.6 million.
In the long run, the cities could save money – and possibly even make money – because they would generate their own power rather than purchase it from the grid.
But before Portland can install its 2,800-plus solar panels – it hopes by the end of the year – city officials there must address longstanding problems at its 35-acre closed landfill.
Portland officials said last month they must repair the landfill cover, which has settled over the years and been compromised by recreational uses, lack of maintenance and erosion. That will cost more than $150,000.
They also must install several vents – similar to those at South Portland’s landfill and for an additional cost – to release methane gas that’s collecting in the landfill.
ReVision started installing South Portland’s solar array on July 18, with the expectation of completing the project by September. Four long rows of panels are now visible on the landfill mound from the city’s solid-waste transfer station.
The solar array is expected to generate 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year, about 12 percent of the electricity used by South Portland’s school and municipal buildings.
Kelley Bouchard can be contacted at:
Correction: This story was revised at 9:43 a.m., Sept. 5, 2017, to reflect that Portland’s closed landfill occupies a 35-acre site.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
-
Columns
J.P. Devine Podcast: The house always comes before toys
-
Letters to the Editor
CMP corridor remains bad deal for Maine
-
Local & State
Young people driving case counts higher in Maine, other New England states
-
Letters to the Editor
State of Augusta tennis courts is appalling
-
Arts & Entertainment
Guitar sales soar as COVID-19 keeps Mainers playing at home
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi {SUB NAME}, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have one? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.