1. Rob Conley City of Hamilton
Life After Landfill
Rob Conley
City of Hamilton
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

2. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
In July of 2015 Samsung pulled the plug on a solar panel install in Flamborough after City council failed to support installation on farm lands.
Samsung proposed a 60,000 solar-pane farm in Flamborough, which would power the equivalent of 5000 homes. City of Hamilton Council would not endorse a green-field install essentially putting a halt to the application. Samsung stated they would respect the will of Council.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

3. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
City Council proposes the install of solar panels on closed landfill site in August of A motion was passed to investigate the potential for creating green-power on landfill sites.
While the City of Hamilton already operates a successful Landfill gas to energy plant at the Glanbrook landfill site, the addition of solar to this point was only comprehended at a high level. City Council directed passed a motion to perform a technical review of all closed landfill sites within the City for the potential of solar installs. I had the motion changed to include the buffer lands at the Glanbrook landfill site to include it in the technical review. Considering all power infrastructure was already in place to accommodate an install and the North East of the buffer lands was already zoned utility.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

4. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
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A map showing all closed landfill sites across the City of Hamilton.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

5. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
In October of 2015 a technical review was conducted by AMEC Foster Wheeler on all 12 closed landfills and the buffer lands at the Glanbrook Landfill Site.
The city requested an analysis be completed to evaluate the technical feasibility and business case for the solar project. The study included a preliminary solar PV feasibility assessment on the 13 sites based on criteria established by both AMEC and the City. This included a survey of the sites, Solar PV potential energy production, species at risk evaluation and The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) funding.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

6. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Larger sites were divided into parcels and evaluated separately. In total 18 different sites were evaluated. These sites were evaluated based on a number of factors.
The factors evaluated were Current/Planned use, Usable Area, Adjacent land Use, Topography, Vegetation and Shading, Unauthorized Access/vandalism, Connection Type (Existing 3 Phase, Connection to local distribution), Connection Capacity Availability, Existing Infrastructure, Landfill Cap Condition, Geotechnical Connections, Storm Water management, Leachate outbreaks, Environmental Receptors and Species at Risk.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

7. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
All 18 Sites were rated given a low, medium or high risk level based on the assessment of each criteria. Low indicates no alterations required; medium indicates moderate alterations and high indicates major alterations.
Low risk indicates there are few alteration required and/or few to no obstacles are present to proceed with installing a solar power generation facility. Medium risk indicates there are moderate alterations that may be required and/or moderate obstacles are present which need to be addressed prior to installing a solar power generation facility. High risk indicates major alterations would be required and/or major obstacles are present and installing a solar power generation facility may not be feasible.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

8. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Things to consider:
Current/Planned Use
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

9. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Park Development
A number of sites have end use plans already. This is the formal Ancaster Landfill site which in now has three soccer pitches established at the site. Other sites that have sporting end uses are Dundas and West Hamilton.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

10. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Connection Capacity:
Is there capacity in the transmission lines in the area of the potential site? Or room on the at the distribution grid to handle more capacity?
Some generation stations may already have a full load due to competition of other generation sources. Solar panels require 3 phase power. Local Distribution Companies (LCD) provided feeder station information to determine if the estimated solar capacity (kW) per site can be accepted at the feeder station. Is it worth while to run three phase power into the site?
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

11. Life after Landfill Useable Area
Large, continuous, relatively flat and unshaded areas were considered for array installation. The useable areas does not evaluate any mitigation measures required to recondition the land for solar panels such as removing isolated vegetation or regrading the land surface.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

12. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Landfill Topography
Solar panels require relatively even, flat terrain for installation. Uneven and significantly sloped areas would require expensive alterations such as regrading of the ground surface to accommodate installation.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

13. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Environmental Receptors
ECA Amendments?
Protected Natural Areas?
Permitting?
Existing ECA’s would require amendment to accommodate installation of solar. Environmentally significant or protected natural areas, wildlife habitat, water bodies and wetlands may prevent installation. Regulatory set-backs where permitting may be needed in such natural systems and adjacent to the site. Solar must be set-back 50 metres from environmental receptors.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

14. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Species at Risk
The City of Hamilton has recently established habitat sites at both the Upper Ottawa Landfill Site and 87 Acre Park. These sites are protected habitat for Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks. Both sites cannot be re-developed for 20 years, so these sites were off the table.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

15. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
Funding
City Owned?
Land Lease to Project Developer?
Joint Venture?
One option would be for the City to develop, finance and build the PV system. Land lease is a second option would be for the City to lease the land to a project developer. The developer would assume all associated risk. The third option would be a joint venture where all parties assume risk and expenses.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

16. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Life After Landfill
After consideration of all factors, only one site was recommended to move forward. The buffer lands at the Glanbrook Landfill Site!
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016

17. MWA Spring Workshop May 2016
Rob Conley – Senior Project Manager – Landfills
City of Hamilton
MWA Spring Workshop May 2016