Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

PVN plans to install PV atop New York’s landfills

PV Navigator (PVN) has announced its intentions to participate in New York's plan to install photovoltaic systems on the city’s abundant landfill space.

In April, Michael Bloomburg announced that solar would be installed atop some of New York's landfills. Image: Flickr/Jim Gillooly/PEI.

The Los Angeles-based company, the solar arm of Project Navigator, Ltd, specializes in installing photovoltaics on both closed landfills and brownfield sites. With projects already underway in New Jersey, Delaware and California, it is now planning to add New York to its list of locations.

In a statement, it says that it intends to "participate in RFPs [request for proposals] regarding New York City's plan to install PV solar facilities on thousands of acres of the city’s landfill space". A spokesperson additionally tells pv magazine that sites such as the Fresh Kills landfill represent "ideal opportunities". 


They go on to say that PVN expects New York City to release the RFP this year, which would then permit the installations to be in operation by early 2013.

"The processes of PPA agreements, permitting and approved/landfill compatible designs would take about one year to complete," they said, adding that the construction phase is relatively short in comparison to the planning, permitting and design phases. Overall, construction is expected to take between two to four months.

Solar on landfills

In April, New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announced that solar would be installed on 250 of the city’s 3,000 acres of shuttered landfills. The aim is to generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

"We were pleased to hear Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement prioritizing solar to reclaim previously unusable landfill space in New York," commented Ian Webster, president of PNL.

"Although the plan for solar is straightforward, implementing a streamlined process to address complex ‘solar-on-landfill-cap’ engineering and development requirements is challenging. We specialize in providing designs, which ensure that solar facilities on landfills and brownfields are constructible, reliable and economically viable, as well as facilitating a minimal-impact solar installation."

The company has said that it is also proposing and developing similar projects in California and New Jersey.