The ceremonial event marking the start of construction took place at the site of the old Somersworth Sanitary Landfill. Pictured from left to right: Somersworth Mayor Matt Gerding, Congressman Chris Pappas and Ameresco’s senior project development manager Ryan Fahey. Photo: Business Wire
Ameresco and the City of Somersworth celebrated the groundbreaking of a 2.58 MWdirect current solar installation at the Somersworth Landfill in New Hampshire. With the presence of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this historic event marked the start of the project, which will significantly boost community sustainability efforts and reuse city-owned land for generation of renewable energy.
“This solar project is an important step toward increasing sustainability efforts in our Somersworth community and joins other similar efforts in our region and across our state,” said Somersworth Mayor Matt Gerding. “It is important that we collectively welcome green energy as another part of our collective energy portfolio. On behalf of the City of Somersworth, I would like to express our excitement for this long-awaited groundbreaking as it reuses city-owned land that was otherwise in very limited use.”
The energy produced by this project will be sold to the City of Somersworth under the state’s net metering program. The project pays the city a lease and a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT). The project has already received necessary permits and approvals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES), and construction is expected to begin in mid-to-late August.
“We are proud to partner with the City of Somersworth on this innovative landfill solar project. This initiative demonstrates the potential of repurposing land for renewable energy and improving landfills to become more sustainable. We are excited to begin construction and contribute to the city’s bright, clean energy future,” said Jon Mancini, senior vice president of Ameresco.
The on-site groundbreaking event was attended by Congressman Chris Pappas, Mayor Matt Gerding, representatives from the EPA, NH DES, City of Somersworth officials and Ameresco executives, who all gathered to commemorate this important step toward a more sustainable future for the city .
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