County Takes Step To Develop Solar Power At Landfills

San Bernardino, CA, March 16, 2011, noon – Landfills owned by the County of San Bernardino could soon double as solar power plants thanks to the Board of Supervisors’ approval of an option to lease part of the Victorville Sanitary Landfill site for solar energy development. Under the agreement, Axio Power, Inc. has an option to develop 90 acres next to the Victorville Landfill as a photovoltaic solar field, which could produce up to 21 megawatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 15,000 homes during peak production. In order to exercise the option, Axio must complete an environmental analysis of the project, obtain a power purchase agreement with a utility company, and negotiate lease terms with the county. If those requirements are completed, a long-term lease would be presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval. Axio is responsible for the development, design, financing, and construction of the solar project. The county owns 33 landfills that are closed or inactive and six landfills that are active. The program has generated great interest among renewable energy developers and it is anticipated that several additional sites will be developed in the near future.

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