Solar FlexRack Mounting Technology Installed at Maryland Landfill

Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and a provider of photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, has been installed in the largest solar project on a closed landfill in Maryland.

The 18.1-megawatt (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 Holding. 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 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.

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.

Related:Building Energy Inaugurates Annapolis, Md., Landfill Solar Project

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

“EDF Renewables’ deep experience and technical capabilities make them an extraordinary leader in the field,” said Steve Daniel, executive vice president of Solar FlexRack, in a statement. “It was a pleasure to collaborate with them on the park, and we look forward to the next partnership opportunity.”