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EPA/NREL Feasibility Studies
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2011 EPA/National Renewable Energy Laboratory Assessment Sites
As part of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are evaluating the feasibility of developing renewable energy production on Superfund, brownfields, and former landfill or mining sites. EPA is investing approximately $1,000,000 for the project that pairs EPA’s expertise on contaminated sites with the renewable energy expertise of NREL. The project aims to decrease the amount of green space used for development, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure EPA’s commitment to protecting human health and the environment, and provide economic benefits to local communities, including job creation.
The fact sheets below describe the sites where EPA and NREL are analyzing the potential for wind, solar, biopower, or geothermal production on potentially contaminated sites. The analysis includes determining the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology on the site, potential energy generating capacity, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects.
- Basketville Warehouse Site - Putney, VT (PDF) (1 pg, 100K)
- Vermont Asbestos Mine Group Site - Eden and Lowell, VT (PDF) (1 pg, 103K)
- Arcelor Mittal Tecumseh Redevelopment Inc. Property - Lackawanna, NY (PDF) (1 pg, 96K)
- Price’s Pit Landfill - Pleasantville and Egg Harbor, NJ (PDF) (1 pg, 106K)
- TechCity - Ulster, NY (PDF) (1 pg, 364K)
- South Buffalo/Buffalo River Area - Buffalo, NY (PDF) (1 pg, 106K)
- Standard Chlorine of Delaware/Metachem Site - New Castle County, DE (PDF) (1 pg, 104K)
- Former Tronox Facility - Savannah, GA (PDF) (1 pg, 105K)
- Former Kerr McGee Chemical Facility - Columbus, MS (PDF) (1 pg, 108K)
- Former Chanute Air Force Base Site - Rantoul, IL (PDF) (1 pg, 107K)
- Newport Chemical Depot - Newport, IN (PDF) (1 pg, 110K)
- Peru Mill Industrial Park - Deming, NM (PDF) (1 pg, 105K)
- Freeport McMoRan Chino Mine - Silver City, NM (PDF) (1 pg, 334K)
- Former Kaiser Aluminum Landfill - St. Bernard, LA (PDF) (1 pg, 102K)
- Farmland Industries Nitrogen Plant Site - Lawrence, KS (PDF) (1 pg, 105K)
- Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail Yard Company - Perry, IA (PDF) (1 pg, 176K)
- West Haymarket Renewable Energy Project - Lincoln, NE (PDF) (1 pg, 108K)
- Municipal Farm Site - Kansas City, MO (PDF) (1 pg, 111K)
- Property at the Northeast Corner of 6th Avenue and Tower Road - Aurora, CO (PDF) (1 pg, 101K)
- ASARCO Superfund Site - East Helena, MT (PDF) (1 pg, 103K)
- Crazy Horse Sanitary Landfill - Salinas, CA (PDF) (1 pg, 351K)
- Brisbane Baylands Site - Brisbane, CA (PDF) (1 pg, 106K)
- Former Fort Ord Army Base - Marina, CA (PDF) (1 pg, 106K)
- Vincent Mullins Landfill - City of Tucson, AZ (PDF) (1 pg, 108K)
- Uranium Mills Tailing Site - Lakeview, OR (PDF) (1 pg, 105K)
- Cathcart Landfill - Snohomish County, WA (PDF) (1 pg, 111K)
Applications for Renewable Energy Feasibility Studies on Contaminated Properties (PDF) (6 pp, 98K)
In early 2011, EPA solicited applications from states, tribes, regional governments, and communities that wanted to evaluate the potential development of renewable energy on potentially or formerly contaminated properties. This evaluation was in the form of a feasibility study conducted by the Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory that would determine the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology, potential energy generating capacity, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects.
Frequently Asked Questions on the RE-Powering Request for Applications (RFA)
2009 EPA/National Renewable Energy Laboratory Assessment Sites
Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Former St. Marks Refinery in St. Marks, Florida (PDF) (46 pp, 1.1MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: Lars Lisell and Gail Mosey
This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on a brownfield site in St. Marks, Florida. The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.08/kWh and incentives offered in the State of Florida and from the two accessible utilities, Progress Energy
Naval Station Newport Wind Resource Assessment (PDF) (73 pp, 2.9MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: Robi Robichaud, Jason Fields, and Joseph Owen Roberts, NREL
EPA is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate RE options at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport in Newport, Rhode Island where multiple contaminated areas pose a threat to human health and the environment. Designated a superfund site on the National Priorities List in 1989, the base is committed to working toward reducing the its dependency on fossil fuels, decreasing its carbon footprint, and implementing RE projects where feasible. This report focuses on the wind resource assessment, the estimated energy production of wind turbines, and a survey of potential wind turbine options based upon the site-specific wind resource.
Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at Massachusetts Military Reservation (PDF) (37 pp, 1.1MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: Byron Stafford, Robi Robichaud, and Gail Mosey
This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying photovoltaics (PV) systems on a superfund site located within the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.17/kWh and incentives offered in the State of Massachusetts, such as the solar renewable energy credits. According to calculations, MMR can place 8 MW of ballast-weighted, ground-mounted PV systems on the crowns of the three landfill caps and the borrow pit with the PV modules tilted at 30 degrees.
Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Refuse Hideaway Landfill in Middleton, Wisconsin (PDF) (45 pp, 1.1MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: James Salasovich and Gail Mosey
This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on a brownfield site at the Refuse Hideaway Landfill in Middleton, Wisconsin. The site currently has a PV system in place and was assessed for further PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.1333/kWh and incentives offered by the State of Wisconsin and by the serving utility, Madison Gas and Electric. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effective system in terms of return on investment is the thin-film fixed-tilt technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.
Guide for Identifying and Converting High-Potential Petroleum Brownfield Sites to Alternative Fuel Stations (PDF) (38 pp, 2.6MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: Caley Johnson and Dylan Hettinger; Gail Mosey, Project Manager
Former gasoline stations that are now classified as brownfields can be good sites to sell alternative fuels because they are in locations that are convenient to vehicles and they may be seeking a new source of income. However, their success as alternative fueling stations is highly dependent on location-specific criteria. First, this report outlines what these criteria are, how to prioritize them, and then applies that assessment framework to five of the most popular alternative fuels--electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol, and biodiesel. The second part of this report delves into the criteria and tools used to assess an alternative fuel retail site at the local level. It does this through two case studies of converting former gasoline stations in the Seattle-Eugene area into electric charge stations. The third part of this report addresses steps to be taken after the specific site has been selected. This includes choosing and installing the recharging equipment, which includes steps to take in the permitting process and key players to include.
Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (PDF) (75 pp, 4MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: James Salasovich and Gail Mosey
This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on brownfield sites in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All of the assessed sites are landfills. The sites were assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.119/kWh and incentives offered by Puerto Rico and by the serving utility, PREPA. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effective system in terms of return on investment is the thin-film fixed-tilt technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.
Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Stringfellow Superfund Site in Riverside, California (PDF) (39 pp, 1.7MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.
Authors: Otto VanGeet and Gail Mosey
This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on the Stringfellow Superfund Site in Riverside, California. The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.13/kWh and incentives offered by Southern California Edison under the California Solar Initiative. According to the assessment, a government-owned, ground-mounted PV system represents a technically and economically feasible option. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.
Solar Photovoltaic Feasibility Study: City of Nitro, West Virginia (PDF) (54 pg, 1.8MB)
A Study Prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites
Authors: Lars Lisell and Gail Mosey
The study described in this report assessed brownfield sites designated by the City of Nitro, West Virginia for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. The study analyzed three different types of PV systems for eight sites. The report estimates the cost, performance, and site impacts of thin film technology and crystalline silicon panels (both fixed-axis tracking and single-axis tracking systems). Potential job creation and electrical rate increases were also considered, and the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a system.
The fact sheets below describe the sites where EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are analyzing the potential for wind, solar, or small hydro development on potentially contaminated sites. The analysis includes determining the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology on the site, potential energy generating capacity, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects. These fact sheets were developed by EPA in cooperation with NREL.
- Doepke-Holliday Superfund Site - Shawnee, Kansas (PDF) (1 pg, 142K)
- Jeddo Tunnel - Drums, Pennsylvania (PDF) (1 pg, 143K)
- Keweenaw Bay Indian Community - Baraga, Michigan (PDF) (1 pg, 144K)
- Landfills Across Puerto Rico (PDF) (1 pg, 141K)
- Leviathan Mine Superfund Site - Alpine County, California (PDF) (1 pg 140K)
- Massachusetts Military Reservation - Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich, and Mashpee Massachusetts (PDF) (1 pg, 155K)
- Mille Lacs Band Tribal Community Dump Site - Onamia, Minnesota (PDF) (1 pg, 142K)
- Naval Station Newport -Newport, Rhode Island (PDF) (1 pp, 139K)
- Refuse Hideway Landfill Superfund Site - Middleton, Wisconsin (PDF) (1 pg, 143K)
- St. Marks Refinery, Inc. - St. Marks, Florida (PDF) (1 pg, 143K)
- Stringfellow Superfund Site - Riverside, California (PDF) (1 pg, 144K)
- Vacant Industrial Property Tracks - Nitro, West Virginia (PDF) (1 pg, 144K)
- Former gas stations across the country (PDF) (1 pg, 139K)