Officials from the City of Richmond are clearly taking the phrase "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" to heart.
VPM News reported on their plans to transform an old landfill in Richmond, Virginia, into a solar meadow that will power 1,250 homes. The creative solution for the land overcomes the challenges of construction on a capped landfill. Such an area of land often can't support planting trees, let alone putting up new buildings.
The city council endorsed the initiative following neighborhood approval and expects to receive $2.7 million in rent over a 35-year span. Timing is of the essence for Ameresco, the project's developer.
To access a 30% construction credit, the project must start construction by July 4, 2026, and finish within four years. Alternatively, if the project starts late but is ready by the last day of 2027, it still unlocks the credit.
The solar meadow, covering 15 acres, is set to generate 5 megawatts of power. Meanwhile, the plans for clean energy don't stop at the landfill project's output.
Under Dominion Energy's shared solar initiative, up to 350 local homes can benefit. That can potentially save households around $160 annually on utility bills, according to city estimates.
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Additionally, $500,000 of the anticipated rent will be used upfront to support a Community Benefits Agreement aimed at neighborhood sustainability improvements. Suggestions for the outlay include pollinator gardens and electric vehicle charging stations, with residents getting a chance to propose ideas.
"There's going to be a lot of different things that we could see come out of this," touted Laura Thomas, Richmond's Office of Sustainability director.
All of these efforts align with Richmond's clean energy objectives under the RVAGreen2050 plan. The city's Joint Energy Team chalked up $362,000 in savings in 2025 alone through initiatives like subbing in LEDs for streetlights.
There's no question that getting an extra $500,000 to work with, along with the savings from the city's newest source of power, can help lower energy costs and cut down on pollution in Richmond.
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"We're excited that we're going to be able to raise up elements of sustainability and resilience," Thomas said.
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