Jun 8, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

GZA Retained by Kearsarge Energy for 2.8-MW “Brightfield” Solar Energy Project in R.I.

GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc. (GZA), a leading multi-disciplinary firm providing geotechnical, environmental, ecological, water, and construction management services, has helped Kearsarge Energy successfully develop and commission a 2.8-megawatt solar energy array on a former petroleum storage facility that is undergoing environmental remediation.

The project, on a 9.5-acre site on Dexter Road, includes 6,884 solar photovoltaic modules that will generate 3.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity yearly, or enough to meet the needs of more than 300 typical Rhode Island households.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) has agreed to purchase discounted net metered credits associated with the East Providence solar farm, which are projected to deliver RIPTA more than $5 million in savings over 20 years.

Kearsarge Managing Partner Andrew Bernstein said: “The GZA team was a critical component of our success as they led permitting, environmental compliance, and remediation and oversaw construction. The project adds to our nearly 80 megawatts of installed solar capacity across Rhode Island, and we are pleased that it proved to be beneficial for the landowner, the City of East Providence, The East Providence Waterfront Commission, RIPTA, and all involved stakeholders.”

GZA CEO Patrick Sheehan said: “There are few better examples of a ‘brownfield to brightfield’ solar redevelopment than Kearsarge Energy’s visionary and transformational East Providence solar installation. GZA is honored to have provided engineering, geotechnical, and permitting services to our longtime client Kearsarge and to help secure this site as a producer of clean energy, jobs, and local tax revenues.”

Under the oversight of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), GZA has been leading a cost-effective remediation of subsurface petroleum product at the site through controlled biodegradation, bioventing, and other technologies, with one-third of the site closed in 2016. GZA demonstrated to RIDEM that the Kearsarge solar installation would be fully compatible with the site’s conditions and ongoing remediation efforts.

The East Providence project created 40 construction jobs, $280,000 in new annual property tax revenue for the city, and $362,500 in local electric grid infrastructure upgrades. More than 60 percent of the 9.5-acre site is being preserved as open space with new shrubbery, turf and other natural vegetation.

GZA has, to date, helped clients develop more than 2,500 megawatts of solar energy capacity across 13 states, on sites including landfills, rooftops, parking garages, greenfield developments, brownfield redevelopments, and multi-use properties.

About Kearsarge Energy Inc.

Kearsarge Energy L.P., based in Boston, is a leading renewable energy project development, finance, and asset management company, with a dual mission to help build a more sustainable world and to provide superior returns to stakeholders and the environment. Kearsarge is focused on building and deploying sustainable renewable assets that will help local communities meet the growing demand for commercial and utility-scale renewable energy projects. Visit www.kearsargeenergy.com or contact us at (617) 393-4222.

About GZA

GZA is a multi-disciplinary, employee-owned firm providing Geotechnical, Environmental, Ecological, Water and Construction Management services. GZA’s more than 700 professionals are based in 30 offices in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Great Lakes States. Our corporate headquarters is at 249 Vanderbilt Avenue, Norwood, MA 02062.