Somerdale Road Solar Project Moving Forward

The township moved one step closer Wednesday night to entering a lease agreement with a solar-energy company looking to set up 12 acres of solar panels on a closed Somerdale Road landfill.

A resolution to authorize the agreement could be on Township Council's agenda as soon as the governing body's Sept. 26 meeting, according to Solicitor David Carlamere.

Project Navigator Ltd., a California-based company, would pay the township a total of $1.89 million over 20 years to lease the Owens Corning property on Somerdale Road, near Chews Elementary School, under the proposal, Council President Glen Bianchini said.

In addition to the lease revenue, township officials also pointed to the energy savings to be realized by residents on local school tax bills.

Project Navigator, which would partner with Chevron Energy Solutions and SunPods on the project, has agreed to sell electricity to Chews School at 5¢ per kilowatt hour over a 15-year period. The company would sell remaining energy generated by the solar panels to PSE&G.

"The key with all of the solar is what is the best way to maximize our amount of dollars to come back to the township," Bianchini said.

Energy consultant Blue Sky Power has recommended the township accept Project Navigator's proposal after reviewing bids from it and a second company, Syncarpha EFGI LLC.

Matthew T. Stanger, Blue Sky's chief development officer, noted that Syncarpha proposed to pay the township nearly $900,000 less than Project Navigator, or $1.014 million, over 25 years for use of the Owens Corning property.

The Owens Corning property, which became a superfund site after it was used for years as a fiberglass dump, is "capped," officials said.

The property is currently under the control of the state Department of Environmental Protection. The solar project would be monitored by the state agency and liability presumably shifted to the leaseholder during negotiations.

Bianchini noted Project Navigator has installed solar panels on closed landfill properties in Brick and Wayne townships.

Owens Corning currently pays the township about $23,000 in property taxes annually. It will sell the property to the township for $1, Councilman Dan Hutchison said, but that sale has not yet been completed.

Stanger and Carlamere agreed it would be prudent for the township to acquire the Somerdale Road land from Owens Corning before proceeding with the resolution authorizing the Project Navigator lease agreement.

The township is also exploring the viability of solar panels at the Gloucester Environmental Management Services, or GEMS, landfill.

Blue Sky Power is the township's energy consultant. The Camden-based company crafted the township's new energy master plan.

"This is the first (public solar) project (under the township's new energy master plan) besides the solar panels on the rooftop here at municipal hall," Mayor David Mayer said. "We're very excited about this project, and, of course, we're out in the street now for the very large shared-services agreement with our school districts."