Solar Power on Brownfield Sites

The commercialization of solar power faces many economic challenges. Foremost, irrespective of any regulatory mandates, the solar power generation technology needs to become more economical to compete with the traditional gas and coal fired plants.

The solar power plant siting dilemma is this: high solar intensity land is economically available in the deserts of the U.S. Southwest, yet these sites are typically distant from transmission and load, making the projects nonviable. In contrast, urban-located Southwest land, (for example in the Los Angeles basin) is too costly when computed into the economic forecasts for a solar facility. That is, the land is viewed by traditional land developers to have a higher and better use.

The solution revolves around siting solar on environmentally impacted land or restricted Brownfield sites, where in the foreseeable future (10 to 15 years) little else can be done with the land.

Project Navigator, Ltd. is working in the business niche of siting solar on landfills or former waste sites in the Los Angeles basin. This business opportunity is further explained in this presentation. We are also currently working on negotiating power purchase agreements with Southern California utilities.