Former Verona landfill eyed for solar energy site, Dane County announces - Madison.com

Dane County eyes Verona landfill for solar energy

Dane County is seeking help to develop a solar energy site on the grounds of a county-owned former landfill in Verona.

The county hopes to install a solar array on the site to power its campus in Verona, which includes a nursing home, a food pantry and a food service facility.

Since the mid-1990s, the county has used methane from the landfill to generate electricity. But the amount of methane there is declining, prompting officials to explore how to best repurpose the site.

"It makes sense to host a solar array at the Verona Landfill," County Executive Joe Parisi said in an announcement that coincides with Earth Day. "The site isn't suitable for most activities but it has served us well."

To move the project forward, the county plans to put out a request-for-proposal to identify a partner to help develop the site.

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Currently, 17 county facilities use solar energy and the two other county sites, the Dane County Regional Airport and a site in the town of Cottage Grove, host large solar fields. In recent years, the county has received numerous local and national accolades for its solar energy initiatives, including from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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