I spent this morning at the old I-95 Landfill for the groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of Fairfax County converting 37 acres of the dump into a 5 megawatt solar array that will provide enough power for 1,000 homes. And, yes, you can be sure I made some jokes while there that we were making the best out of a trashy situation.

The project, which is a joint venture between the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and Madison Energy Infrastructure, will be the largest solar installation in the county and several of today’s speakers mentioned how it’s been a multi-year effort getting state authorization and overcoming challenges with vendors. It was the 2020 Solar Freedom Act, after all, that authorized the project as a clause in legislation that made it so Virginia residents and businesses could purchase electricity from renewable sources.

“The concept for the project initially began in 2020 with the enactment of the Solar Freedom Act,” county officials said. “The legislation focuses on renewable energy. It allows residents and businesses to purchase electricity through renewable sources, such as solar energy. It also allows for virtual net metering for this project, in which power generated at the site can be credited to other county facility energy accounts.” 

The county also highlighted how the project “could save the county $12 million dollars over the 30-year partnership and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 136,000 metric tons over the same period.” In other words, it has both economic and environmental benefits.

While most of us could have done without the delays, we’re still excited about the progress the project represents. That’s especially the case with the creative land use policy that will now help protect our climate.

“This solar project represents a monumental step forward for Fairfax County’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy,” John Morrill, director of the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, said in a statement announcing the groundbreaking. “As the largest solar installation in the county and the first on a closed landfill in Virginia, this project not only sets a precedent for innovative use of space but also promises significant cost savings and environmental benefits.” 

I also think it’s important to note that every single speaker at today’s event highlighted how it was really a community effort that helped make the project a reality. I was there through my role as the Advocacy Director for an environmental organization, for instance, and there were representatives from several other non-profits there.

There was also a lot of good business partners, especially from Madison Energy Infrastructure (which is a local business) that really helped bring it into fruition. Part of what makes the project financially feasible is that Madison paid for the infrastructure, but there’s also a virtual net metering agreement between Madison, Dominion Energy, and the county that allows the county to receive credits for purchasing the energy produced by the solar array.

While this project alone represents significant progress, it’s not the only solar project the county currently has. I’ve had several meetings over the last couple weeks about the effort to get more solar installations on FCPS properties (including schools), for instance, and there are also some at the I-66 Transfer Station, the Newington Solid Waste Station, and several other county owned businesses. And I’m involved with some of the advocacy behind the ensuring these projects continue in the future, you can be sure I’ll be providing updates on them when as they’re available and relevant.