ENR 2023 New York Best Projects
Award of Merit Energy/Industrial: Mount Olive Landfill Solar Array
Photo by Cole Kimball, courtesy of CS Energy
Mount Olive Landfill Solar Array
Mount Olive Township, N.J.
Award of Merit
Submitted by: CS Energy
Owner/Co-Developer: NJR Clean Energy Ventures
Co-Developer: CEP Renewables
Lead Design Firm: Kupper Engineering LLC
General Contractor: CS Energy LLC
Civil Engineer: Colliers Engineering
Structural Engineer: Terrasmart
Electrical Subcontractor: Scholes Electric and Communications
Consisting of about 57,000 ground-mounted solar panels, the 25.6-MW array is the largest of its type in the country atop a capped landfill. A comprehensive site settlement analysis was critical to ensure that the design and construction preparation was adequate to safely construct a solar array, including safeguarding the protective cap from inadvertent piercing.
The team’s comprehensive analysis determined site stability and slopes to find optimal locations for array foundations—maximizing solar generating capacity and ensuring that the panels would not be affected by heavy snowfall. Ground-penetrating radar was used to determine weight requirements.
The analysis led to the design of an innovative ballasted mounting system for the arrays, which also halved the number of foundation blocks and helped offset post-pandemic increases in concrete costs.
To provide a buffer around the landfill’s network of gas vents, the arrays were divided into sections, each with a perimeter cable tray for the feeder lines.
As a further safeguard, the contractor used only tracked equipment and low ground-bearing pressure machines during construction.
Overhead and underground feeder routing connects the array with the switchgear station. A former federal Superfund cleanup site now generates clean energy capable of powering more than 4,000 homes annually.
