VHB partnered with Southern Sky Renewable Energy (Southern Sky) to develop a solar farm on the site of a closed municipal landfill in Canton, MA. Southern Sky looked to VHB for permitting and design assistance with developing a 5.8 MW facility layout that would maximize energy generation while minimizing the amount of existing vegetation that needed to be cleared. As the vegetation is a critical buffer that screens the landfill from neighboring properties, the team worked to create a fully ballasted support system for the panel racks that would rests on the surface, keeping the panels from penetrating the landfill cap.
As one of the largest solar electric developments in New England at the time of its construction, Southern Sky called this facility, “the crown jewel of solar projects on closed landfills in the Northeast.” It has given an unused parcel new life, while providing a significant source of revenue and a clean energy solution for the local community.
