Kearsarge Energy 3.6 MW Solar Energy Project

Challenge

Kearsarge Energy wished to develop a solar array on a portion of the long-vacant, 55-acre landfill on Old Groveland Road. The project included construction of a new access road with a turnaround area at the end and a stone-lined stormwater channel running along the road. A third-party, independent Massachusetts-registered professional engineer knowledgeable in landfill design and construction was needed to supervise the overall construction of the photovoltaic system.

Solution

GZA served as the client’s third-party Construction Manager for services in accordance with the Post-Closure Use Permit’s (PCUP) conditions issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) for the site. GZA prepared and submitted a Notice of Construction (NOC) to MADEP including a schedule for completion with major construction milestones of the PV facility notated. The overall construction of the photovoltaic system was performed under the direct supervision of a MA professional engineer as required. After each visit, GZA produced a written field summary documenting the number of on-site personnel present, work performed during the visit, general site housekeeping, conformance to best practices, adherence to construction documents and permit conditions, construction means and methods, and equipment installed. GZA performed a detailed slope stability analysis that demonstrated the ballasted racking system with some ground improvement was stable on slopes up to 30%. At the completion of the solar array installation, GZA performed inspections of both the solar array and landfill cap on a quarterly basis for one year and submitted a report to MADEP summarizing the inspection.

Benefit

GZA fulfilled the MADEP’s requirement for an independent third-party construction manager, which allowed the client to complete its development and installation of a 3.0 MG solar array system on a closed landfill. The City of Haverhill stands to net approximately $3 million in revenue over the next 20 years. The slope stability evaluation was accepted by state regulators and allowed our client to maximize the power output of the system.