CME Energy and Hecate Energy LLC recently gathered with city and state officials to dedicate the opening of Phase 2 of the Forbes Street solar farm. The Forbes Street landfill site was one of the first examples in the State of a former landfill property re-purposed for use as a solar farm. Located on the city’s former municipal landfill, Phase 2 of this development provides an additional 4.1 MW of renewable power generation in addition to the 3.7 MW of energy the first phase of the solar farm has created. Each phase has the capacity to power 500 homes. This project is a model for how other disturbed and reused properties throughout the state can be repurposed into a productive and profitable renewable energy platform.  The site minimally impacts neighbors with sufficient buffering and the landfill reclamation has maintained natural resources and urban wildlife habitat. 

This property and the dedication of Phase 2 of the solar farm plays an important part in the burgeoning future of renewable energy in Rhode Island.  While no longer the largest facility in the region, this project has played an important role in framing the processes necessary to re-purpose landfills into productive renewable energy resources. As discussed in a recent NEREJ article, this property was recognized by Grow Smart Rhode Island as an outstanding Smart Growth Project and presented with an award at the Rhode Island Power of Place Summit held in March. Grow Smart Rhode Island recognized the project as “an excellent example of re-using developed and disturbed sites for renewable energy, while avoiding the loss of R.I.’s natural resources.”  The city is proud to be playing a part in promoting the development and expansion of responsible renewable energy development in the State of Rhode Island.

Those interested in learning more about the economic development activities occurring in East Providence are encouraged to visit the city’s economic development website at www.eastprovidencebusiness.com or the city’s Waterfront District website at www.eastprovidencewaterfront.com or contact the Department of Planning. 

James Moran is the economic planner for the City of East Providence, R.I.