Rock River Generating Station, Beloit, Wisconsin
Background
After the closure of the coal ash landfill at the Rock River Generating Station, SCS Engineers (SCS) assists the owner of the solar power photovoltaic (PV) system with PV system design and site development of the landfill final cover. The design and construction of the PV system are required to meet the approval conditions from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).
Challenge
Installation of the PV system on the landfill cover system requires that the installation does not have an adverse effect on the performance of the landfill, which includes restrictions on burial depths within the two cover systems. The landfill final cover has two areas, a cover area consisting of topsoil overlying general fill and another cover area where the topsoil and general fill are placed over a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). The PV system consists of solar panels and racks installed on concrete grade beam foundations placed within the final cover, junction boxes, inverters, electrical conduit, and equipment enclosures.
Outcomes and Benefits
The installation is the first Wisconsin utility-scale solar installation located on a closed landfill site and helped the utility modernize their town of Beloit energy campus. When the facility went into service, it was the largest solar generating station in Wisconsin, producing 2.3 megawatts, enough to power 500 local households.
Services
