LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A decommissioned landfill in Lexington could get new life as a clean energy producer. Edelen Renewables announced a proposal to transform the former dump into a solar farm that could power thousands of homes.
"The reality is, we're going to need twice the power that we currently produce right now to drive the electrification of everything," Adam Edelen, founder and CEO of Edelen Renewables, said at a press conference.
The announcement aligns with Lexington's ongoing efforts to expand renewable energy sources throughout the city.
"Right now, we put solar on our fire stations and we’re building it into our senior therapeutic center. We want to look at how we can do more solar," Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said.
Edelen Renewables made their unsolicited pitch to the city on Thursday. The Lexington-based company, headquartered on Main Street, would lease the site from Urban County Government if approved.
"Not only is this not a cost to the city, it is a revenue generator to the city. There will be a substantial payment, deep six-figures every year for a very long time, and will relieve the city of its administrative and overhead burden at the site," Edelen said.
The project would repurpose 400 acres of closed landfill property that has been largely vacant since the 1990s. In its first year, the facility could generate 100,000 MWh of clean energy – enough to power approximately 5,300 Kentucky Utility homes, according to Edelen's team.
"It's a win-win for the city, it's a win-win for green energy advocates, and it's a big win for the taxpayers," Edelen said.
While solar farms often face opposition over the forfeit of valuable farmland, Edelen believes this proposal addresses those concerns by utilizing land that has limited alternative uses.
"Taking sites that can't be utilized for any other purpose because they're industrial sites, their brownfields, they're very much a stranded asset for the city of Lexington, and being able to reimagine that as a revenue-producing solar array I think is a grand slam home run for this community," Edelen said.
The Urban County Council will now consider the proposal, which includes a public comment period. If approved, Edelen hopes to have the solar facility operational by the end of 2027.
