It has been many years since Bristol’s Minturn Landfill, a capped Superfund site, has seen any activity beyond its service as the site of the Town Transfer Station on a sliver of land on its western edge. Which makes sense — you can’t sell or develop land that is so polluted; you can’t build homes or plant corn.

But you can build a solar array — in fact, renewable energy advocates say capped landfills are a perfect site for solar projects, and this one has quietly been in the works for over four years. NuGen Capital Management, a renewable energy investment firm headquartered in Warren, initially signed a lease agreement to install 16,000 solar panels on the landfill east of Minturn Farm Road in late 2019.

Finally, construction began in May of this year, and is expected to be complete by the end of 2023.

It’s a big one: upon completion, it will be the largest landfill solar project in Rhode Island. With an estimated annual production of over 8,500,000 kilowatt hours, the solar project will provide clean electricity to power approximately 1,000 homes and businesses, significantly reducing CO2 emissions by 6,000 tons annually.

Reflective of Rhode Island’s goals to facilitate renewable energy development on land with limited alternative options, NuGen Capital received a Brownfield Grant from the Renewable Energy Fund at Commerce Rhode Island.

"We are thrilled to break ground on this important solar project in Bristol, Rhode Island," said David Milner, Chief Executive Officer at NuGen Capital Management. "Our commitment to renewable energy, sustainability, and responsible land use results in positive impacts on our local communities. We are proud to contribute to a cleaner and greener future right here in our own backyard."

Project construction employs local and union labor, including construction workers, civil contractors from the Bristol-based C. B. Utility Company, electricians from Mass. Electric Construction Company (MEC), among others. The project will be connected to the grid in partnership with local utility Rhode Island Energy.

“We are proud to be a part of a project that helps the town and state meet its climate goals,” said Chris Noyer of MEC.

Once completed, project advocates say the site will continue to provide local jobs in ongoing operation and maintenance.

“We are excited to see all the hard work for the solar project on the closed landfill come to fruition,” said Diane Williamson, Bristol’s Director of Community Development. “This project will transform a closed landfill into a source of additional revenue for the Town and a source of clean energy for the State.”

There doesn’t seem to be much of a downside for the town, which, according to the 2019 lease, will be renting the land to NuGen for $125,000 per year, with no associated costs.

Another interesting possibility: back in 2019, Milner mentioned his hopes that having a large solar array in town could provide some opportunities for collaborating with the schools, developing curriculum and programming around the facility.

“There are a lot of subjects you can tie in to solar: math, science, sustainability, industry exposure,” said Milner. “There’s so much you can do on site.”

“NuGen has been a great local partner in this project,” said Williamson. “We are all proud to help support the Town becoming a cleaner and more resilient community.”