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Location
Lexington, Kentucky
Start Date
6-5-2026 3:00 PM
End Date
6-5-2026 3:30 PM
Description
Closure of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) surface impoundments and landfills offers unique opportunities for conversion to solar power sites with the potential to offset costs of post-closure care via generation of clean electricity. In 2023 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collaborated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to create a report entitled “Coal Ash Disposal Sites and Opportunities for Solar Photovoltaic Development” (EPA Publication #540-S-23-004). The purpose of this document was to identify closed CCR units and provide key factors for their potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) development. In 2022, the EPA’s RE-Powering Initiative identified 772 current CCR landfills and surface impoundments for conversion of brownfields to “brightfields” analyzing site-specific characteristics, such as site ownership, access to transmission, and current redevelopment plans. Beyond EPA and NREL efforts, a novel geospatial tool has been developed to assess risks and opportunities of solar generation sites. PV-IMPACTS evaluates sites for interdependent factors in one centralized platform by simultaneously evaluating multiple risk layers including erosion potential, soil health, land use, flooding potential, and proximity to wetlands, impaired waterways and protected areas. This predictive geospatial program has remotely analyzed over 14,000 existing, developing and planned solar sites for erosion potential, soil health and ecological benefits. This comprehensive tool creates prognostic Site Assessment Scores, providing solar developers, engineering procurement contractors, utilities, and industry stakeholders a pathway to realizing greater economic and environmental opportunities. The presentation will offer intricacies of the PV-IMPACTS tool to assist in the successful conversion of CCR closures to productive ecosystems that support both our natural environment as well as a foundation for maximizing photovoltaic energy production.
Document Type
Presentation
Archival?
Archival
Included in
Energy Systems Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons, Structural Materials Commons, Sustainability Commons
A Novel Geospatial Tool for Assessing Risks and Opportunities for Conversion of CCR Closures into Productive Solar Energy Generation Sites
Lexington, Kentucky
Closure of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) surface impoundments and landfills offers unique opportunities for conversion to solar power sites with the potential to offset costs of post-closure care via generation of clean electricity. In 2023 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collaborated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to create a report entitled “Coal Ash Disposal Sites and Opportunities for Solar Photovoltaic Development” (EPA Publication #540-S-23-004). The purpose of this document was to identify closed CCR units and provide key factors for their potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) development. In 2022, the EPA’s RE-Powering Initiative identified 772 current CCR landfills and surface impoundments for conversion of brownfields to “brightfields” analyzing site-specific characteristics, such as site ownership, access to transmission, and current redevelopment plans. Beyond EPA and NREL efforts, a novel geospatial tool has been developed to assess risks and opportunities of solar generation sites. PV-IMPACTS evaluates sites for interdependent factors in one centralized platform by simultaneously evaluating multiple risk layers including erosion potential, soil health, land use, flooding potential, and proximity to wetlands, impaired waterways and protected areas. This predictive geospatial program has remotely analyzed over 14,000 existing, developing and planned solar sites for erosion potential, soil health and ecological benefits. This comprehensive tool creates prognostic Site Assessment Scores, providing solar developers, engineering procurement contractors, utilities, and industry stakeholders a pathway to realizing greater economic and environmental opportunities. The presentation will offer intricacies of the PV-IMPACTS tool to assist in the successful conversion of CCR closures to productive ecosystems that support both our natural environment as well as a foundation for maximizing photovoltaic energy production.
