Northern States Metals’ Solar FlexRack has installed its Solar FlexRack Mounting Technology at a solar project located on a closed landfill in Maryland, US.

Solar FlexRack Ballasted Racking Landfill

Image: Annapolis Renewable Energy Park in Maryland. Photo: courtesy of Solar FlexRack.

The 18.1 MW dc facility, known as the Annapolis Renewable Energy Park, is located in Anne Arundel County, west of Annapolis, and is owned by a subsidiary of Building Energy, a multinational company operating as a globally integrated independent power producer in the renewable energy industry.

The project was developed by BQ Energy, a company specializing in landfill and brownfield renewable energy projects.

Led by national engineering, procurement and construction firm EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions, the project development team was able to turn previously unusable land into a revenue-generating asset for the city of Annapolis. The enormous facility spans 80 acres and was completed in mid-2018.

The solar energy park will generate enough clean energy to power more than 12 percent of the city’s homes annually. In addition to gaining the reassurance of fixed, lower-cost clean energy for its clients and partners, the city is estimated to receive more than $250,000 annually by leasing the property to Building Energy.

The Annapolis Renewable Energy Park is remarkable for its size and complexity. Building a renewable energy project on top of a capped landfill is an intricate project, and the expertise of racking provider Solar FlexRack proved invaluable for EDF Renewables.

Unable to drill piles into the landfill’s protective membrane cap, Solar FlexRack utilized B3P-X pre-cast fixed tilt racking foundations for the more than 54,000 solar panels.

EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions CEO Jamie Resor said: “Solar FlexRack’s expertise in this important niche market makes the company a perfect partner for landfill projects.

“We are pleased to work with a firm that can provide the precise, high-quality product required to execute our vision for the Annapolis Renewable Energy Park.”

Solar FlexRack executive vice president Steve Daniel said: “EDF Renewables’ deep experience and technical capabilities make them an extraordinary leader in the field.

“It was a pleasure to collaborate with them on the park, and we look forward to the next partnership opportunity.”

Source: Company Press Release