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Transforming Underutilized Land into Solar Assets: Benefits For All

One of the most effective ways to expand solar energy production is by transforming underutilized into solar assets (e.g. landfills and brownfields). It presents a sustainable solution that offers numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits.

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Many landowners and municipalities are unaware that vacant, degraded, or contaminated land can be repurposed into solar energy assets. These locations offer several advantages:

Why Underutilized Land is Ideal for Solar Development

1. Landfills & Waste Sites: Repurposing Unusable Land for Good

What they are: Closed landfills, capped waste sites, or degraded land with poor soil conditions
Why they work for solar: These locations can’t be used for farming, housing, or commercial buildings, making them perfect for solar energy generation
Key Benefits:
- Dual Benefit: Reduces environmental hazards while generating clean energy
- Leverages Existing Space: Instead of letting these sites go to waste, they are transformed into productive assets
- Long-Term Land Use Solution: Solar panels have minimal impact on capped landfills and extend the land’s usefulness

Syncarpha's North Adams Landfill Solar Project: In North Adams, Massachusetts, Syncarpha developed a 3.5 MW community solar project on a capped landfill, covering 14 acres. This project, in partnership with Borrego Solar, supplies power to municipal buildings and infrastructure, aiming to make the city 100% solar-powered — **Syncarpha’s North Adams Landfill Solar Project**: In North Adams, Massachusetts, Syncarpha developed a 3.5 MW community solar project on a capped landfill, covering 14 acres. This project, in partnership with Borrego Solar, supplies power to municipal buildings and infrastructure, aiming to make the city 100% solar-powered

2. Brownfields & Superfund Sites: Turning Liabilities into Assets

What they are: Brownfields are previously developed properties that may be contaminated, while Superfund sites are heavily polluted locations requiring environmental remediation
Why they work for solar: Many of these sites are unsuitable for commercial or residential development but can still support solar farms
Key Benefits:
- Land Revitalization: Solar projects help restore economic value to the land
- Government Incentives: EPA and state programs often provide grants and tax incentives for redeveloping these areas with renewable energy
- Minimal Impact: Solar farms are low-impact developments that do not disturb contaminated soil

Syncarpha's Palmer Airfield Solar Project: Syncarpha Capital has transformed the former Palmer Metropolitan Airfield in Massachusetts into a 6 MW solar installation, providing energy savings to the towns of Leicester and Spencer, as well as Worcester State University. This project, operational since December 2015, generates over 7.4 million kWh annually—enough to power approximately 1,100 homes—and offsets 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year. As the first and largest facility under Massachusetts' SREC II program, it exemplifies the successful redevelopment of brownfields into renewable energy assets — **Syncarpha’s Palmer Airfield Solar Project**: Syncarpha Capital has transformed the former Palmer Metropolitan Airfield in Massachusetts into a 6 MW solar installation, providing energy savings to the towns of Leicester and Spencer, as well as Worcester State University. This project, operational since December 2015, generates over 7.4 million kWh annually—enough to power approximately 1,100 homes—and offsets 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year. As the first and largest facility under Massachusetts’ SREC II program, it exemplifies the successful redevelopment of brownfields into renewable energy assets

Additional Benefits of Transforming Underutilized Land Into Solar Assets

1. Environmental Benefits

Pollution Mitigation: Repurposing contaminated sites for solar installations helps prevent further environmental degradation by containing pollutants and reducing the risk of soil and groundwater contamination
Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Solar energy projects on brownfields and landfills contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with clean, renewable energy

2. Economic Benefits

Enhanced Property Values: Redeveloping brownfields with solar facilities can increase nearby property values by 5-15% within roughly a mile of the site, transforming blighted areas into valuable assets
Revenue Generation: Solar projects on landfills can provide local governments with lease and tax revenues, contributing to the local economy and funding public services

3. Social Benefits

Community Engagement: Developing solar energy projects on underutilized lands fosters community involvement, empowering residents to participate in sustainable energy solutions and promoting environmental stewardship
Job Creation: These projects generate local employment opportunities during the construction and operational phases, boosting the local job market and supporting economic growth

4. Technical Considerations

Site Suitability: Landfills and brownfields often have existing infrastructure, such as access roads and grid connections, which can reduce development costs and facilitate project implementation
Engineering Challenges: Developers must address technical issues like land subsidence and ground stability, requiring specialized engineering solutions to ensure the longevity and safety of solar installations

5. Policy and Regulatory Support

Incentive Programs: State programs, such as Massachusetts’ Solar Renewable Energy Credit II (SREC II), incentivize solar development on contaminated sites by offering financial benefits, thereby encouraging the repurposing of underutilized lands for renewable energy projects
Streamlined Permitting: Policies that facilitate easier permitting processes for solar projects on brownfields and landfills can accelerate development and reduce administrative burdens for developers

Syncarpha's Tewksbury Landfill Solar Project: Syncarpha's Tewksbury Landfill Solar project is a ballast-mounted, community solar garden constructed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts on the 50-acre Sutton Brook Disposal Area also known as “Rocco Landfill”. The project became operational in February 2022 and provides clean energy to the City of Everett, Tufts University, and local National Grid residents. The project produces enough clean energy annually to power about 400 homes, equivalent to avoiding harmful CO2 emissions from about 3.5 million pounds of coal burned. — **Syncarpha’s Tewksbury Landfill Solar Project**: Syncarpha’s Tewksbury Landfill Solar project is a ballast-mounted, community solar garden constructed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts on the 50-acre Sutton Brook Disposal Area also known as “Rocco Landfill”. The project became operational in February 2022 and provides clean energy to the City of Everett, Tufts University, and local National Grid residents. The project produces enough clean energy annually to power about 400 homes, equivalent to avoiding harmful CO2 emissions from about 3.5 million pounds of coal burned.

Challenges & Solutions in Developing Solar on Underutilized Land

1. Environmental Remediation & Site Preparation

Challenge: Some sites require remediation before solar installation
Solution: Syncarpha partners with environmental agencies and engineers to ensure projects are compliant with EPA and state regulations

2. Interconnection & Grid Access

Challenge: Older industrial sites may lack modern grid infrastructure to support a solar farm
Solution: Syncarpha works closely with utilities to upgrade or optimize grid connections for seamless energy integration

3. Community & Regulatory Approval

Challenge: Some communities may not be familiar with the benefits of solar development on underutilized land
Solution: Syncarpha is focused on expanding its community engagement and education, showing howits solar developments can generate local economic benefits and clean energy access

The Future of Underutilized Land in Solar Development

As states set higher renewable energy targets, there is growing support for turning underutilized land into clean energy hubs. Syncarpha is committed to identifying, acquiring, and developing sites that can be repurposed for long-term solar energy production.

With advancements in solar technology, energy storage, and grid infrastructure, even more challenging sites will become viable for solar transformation.

If you’re a landowner, municipality, or business interested in exploring how your underutilized land can be transformed into a solar asset, contact Syncarpha today.

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Syncarpha Capital

Syncarpha Capital, founded in 2009, is a New York-based private equity firm dedicated to developing, owning, and operating solar and storage projects across the United States, aiming to remove barriers to the widespread adoption of solar energy and storage.