Dive Brief:

• The Siting Council in Bridgeport, CT approved a renewable energy project that will include the installation of 9,000 solar panels and a fuel cell constructed on a shuttered landfill.
• The proposed “Green Energy Park” will be orchestrated by The United Illuminating Co., who will also maintenance the project upon completion. 
• The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is currently reviewing the application, but those involved in the plan expect the project, if approved, to break ground in December and be in operation by August.

Dive Insight:

Thomas Judge, an engineer for The United Illuminating Co. said that the solar park has the potential to generate $7 million in tax revenues to the city over the course of a 20 year lease. The municipal landfill that is the centerpiece for the project has been abandoned for years. Construction debris was deposited onto the site and a sealant was used to cap the landfill in 2000.