CEP Renewables, NJR Clean Energy Ventures and CS Energy recently announced that they have completed the 19 MW dc grid supply Foul Rift solar project in Warren County.
The project, located in White Township, was built on a brownfield, a substantially environmentally impaired site, that had been the home to a composting facility for nearly 30 years. Prior to the facility ceasing its operations, the site had an extensive history of violations received from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection.
CEP’s development of this project resulted in the successful remediation of environmental damage at the site while also providing reliable, clean energy, pollinator habitats, and greater tax revenue for the local community.
Chris Ichter, executive vice president at CEP Renewables, said the project is a model for the state.
“This project demonstrates both New Jersey’s strong policy support for brownfield and landfill solar projects, as well as the power of developing a grid supply solar farm to remediate environmental damages that would not have otherwise been addressed,” he said. “We were able to draw upon our prior experience on similarly challenging brownfield and landfill solar projects to develop an effective public-private partnership with White Township that will positively impact generations to come.”
CEP leases the property from the Postma family, who were instrumental in achieving a successful project.
Not only has the Foul Rift project turned an environmentally hazardous site into a revenue generating asset, it also has contributed to New Jersey maintaining its ranking as the number one U.S. state for installed solar capacity per square mile. This project also further supports the state in achieving its goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050.
