Caption: The 1.5-megawatt solar plant sits just 1,500 feet from a 2-acre solar array that fuels the Borough's power grid.
Source: Credit to Borough of Hopatcong
| Location | Borough of Hopatcong, NJ |
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| Project Sponsor / Borrower | Borough of Hopatcong |
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| Value Capture Techniques | Asset Recycling Solar Energy Use/Right-of-Way Use Agreements |
| Mode | Other: Solar Power |
| Description | The capped municipal landfill in the Borough of Hopatcong, New Jersey, lies between the Hopatcong High School and Durban Avenue Elementary School. It sits just 1,500 feet from a 2-acre solar array that fuels the grid. The landfill has been out of commission since 1995 but costs the Borough an average of $10,000 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water testing and fees each year. Local renewable energy developers partnered with Hopatcong to develop and build a 1.5 megawatt (MW) solar power plant on about nine acres of the Borough's capped solid waste landfill. The Borough entered into a 25-year lease agreement to cover the costs. The solar farm will contain 4,000 panels that each produce about 285 watts. They are 90 percent efficient and guaranteed for 10 years. Each monocrystalline panel costs about $250, measures approximately 78 inches &time; 39 inches, weighs about 39 pounds, and has 144 monocrystalline cells. These types of panels are constructed of single-crystal silicon. Upon completion, the solar system will sell its power to Jersey Central Power and Light, which serves around 1.1 million customers in central and northern New Jersey. The farm will generate $15,000/year per MW in revenue for the Borough. |
| Cost | $4 million |
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| Project Delivery / Contract Method | Lease-leaseback |
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| Duration / Status | The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted certification of the solar facility to receive Solar Renewable Energy Credits through the New Jersey Solar Act, which promotes the development of solar facilities on closed landfills in the State. The project started in late 2018 and, construction was completed in September 2020. |
| Financial Status | The $4 million solar project was jointly developed and financed by AC Power, LLC and Citrine Power, LLC in 2018. In 2019, the NJR Clean Energy Ventures acquired the project in 2019. |
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| Contacts | Ron Tappan |
