RE-Powering America's Land: Evaluating the Feasibility of Siting Renewable Energy Production on Potentially Contaminated Land Riverside, California EPA/NREL Partnership In September 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the RE-Powering America's Land: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites initiative. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are collaborating on a project to evaluate the feasibility of siting renewable energy production on potentially contaminated sites. EPA has provided more than $650,000 through an interagency agreement that pairs EPA's expertise on contaminated sites with NREL's expertise in renewable energy. The project will analyze the feasibility of siting renewable energy on 12 sites across the country. The analysis will include, among other things, the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal area to locate the renewable energy technology on the site, potential renewable energy generating capacity, the return on investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects. NREL will also pursue an analysis to explore the potential for siting alternative fuel stations (e.g., electric charging stations) at former gas station sites. Stringfellow Hazardous Waste Site The Stringfellow Hazardous Waste Site operated as a disposal area for industrial wastes from 1956 to 1972. During this period, up to 20 unlined surface impoundments for liquid wastes were located in the 17 acre disposal area. Approximately 34 million gallons of liquid wastes containing spent acids, solvents, pesticide-manufacturing byproducts, heavy metals and various organic and inorganic compounds were discharged into the surface impoundments during the operational period. In 1983, the site was added to EPA's Superfund National Priority List as California's highest priority hazardous waste site. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control is responsible for the monitoring and operation of remediation systems at the Stringfellow Site. These systems include three groundwater extraction and treatment systems extending from the waste disposal site into the community of Glen Avon. Feasibility Study: Winter- Spring 2010 NREL is conducting a feasibility analysis of the construction and installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system. The PV system would be connected to the Southern California Edison power grid and designed to offset most of the electrical load of the existing pretreatment plants. The study will: Identify possible PV system size and type; Review the economics of the proposed system; and Highlight financing options. Stringfellow Superfund Site 3540 Pyrite Street Riverside, California Site Facts: Site type: Superfund Renewable technology: Solar Generation potential: Utility scale and energy for remediation Contacts: EPA Region 9 Charnjit Bhullar bhullar.charnjit@epa.gov (415)972-3960 National Renewable Energy Lab Gail Mosey gail.mosey@nrel.gov (303) 384-7356 www.nrel.gov For more information, visit www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland or contact cleanenergy@epa.gov &ER U.S. EPA OSWER ------- |