The City of Akron is putting out a request for proposals from solar energy developers to lease land at the city's Hardy Road Landfill, to construct, own, operate, and maintain a ground mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System and associated equipment necessary for interface with electrical distribution facilities.

The landfill, at 1505 Hardy Road, was closed in 2002, and is listed as a Superfund Site, by the US EPA.

In a press release, the City of Akron outlined the following goals for the project:

• Provide the City with a consistent and sustained revenue stream by leasing and/or otherwise utilizing a former City-owned landfill to a private company or developer to construct a Solar PV System on the Property.
• Provide greater access to renewable power capacity to the electric grid.
• Provide a positive re-use of the closed landfill where environmental or other attributes make traditional, alternate land uses difficult.
• Advance the City’s sustainability goals.

The City is looking for qualified vendors interested in the lease or other potential land-use of the landfill to allow for the construction and installation of a Solar PV System to be installed on approximately 77 acres of the property.

“We believe this could be a uniquely mutually beneficial project which would allow the city to lease land for an additional revenue stream, and for a solar energy developer to utilize currently vacant land for their business,” said Mayor Dan Horrigan. “I look forward to seeing the responses to our RFP.” 

Putting a Solar PV System on a closed landfill provides an important opportunity for increasing localized generation of renewable electricity on a parcel of land that is currently unused. In addition to the desired revenue stream, the City’s goal is to add resiliency to the electric generation system and promote further reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, by increasing local renewable electricity generation.

See the full RFP here. Applications, questions, and comments can be submitted through the city’s Bonfire system. To register and submit your proposal, click here. Applications are due by Sept. 19, 2023.