Project Development Services for Solar Facility on Former Brownfield Site
As solar engineering consultant to the Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo), Weston & Sampson provided a broad range of project development services for the 1.8 MW solar facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the largest operating solar facility in New England.
The project was constructed on a Brownfield site that had a long history of environmental impacts. Weston & Sampson conducted the necessary environmental activities to assess the nature and extent of existing environmental impacts, and integrated the solar facility design in a manner compatible with the required remediation activities and long-term site controls. The project design required the development of a number of PV system engineering alternatives aimed at maximizing the energy production from the site while maintaining compatibility with numerous site development constraints including environmental, flood plain, wetlands resources, and local bylaws. In addition, the project required the development of off-site shading easements and development restrictions to preclude future shading impacts to the solar facility.
The project required extensive local and state approvals with respect to floodplain development, wetlands resource impacts, and environmental remediation. Weston & Sampson led the local and state permitting effort, and prepared applications and supporting documentation for approval by the local planning board, conservation commission and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Weston & Sampson provided procurement support services including the development of an RFP for the installation of the project, and assisted WMECo with the evaluation of the proposals and the selection of an installation contractor. During installation, Weston & Sampson provided construction management services including oversight of installation activities. Working collaboratively with the installation contractor, Weston & Sampson also provided final engineering for geotechnical and structural elements, and provided electrical engineering for interconnection to the WMECo grid.