A trash collection facility in Lorton is the first Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) building to install a rooftop solar system.
The Newington Collections Facility’s 150-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array will reduce carbon emissions “the same amount per year as recycling the contents of nearly five garbage trucks full of waste,” DPWES announced in a news release on Wednesday (July 31).
Installed by Mountain View Solar, the project cost $543,000 but is also expected to generate more than $19,000 in yearly savings that will offset the cost within 19 years, according to DPWES.
“Solar isn’t just a reliable source of energy — it’s better for the environment and for our operating budget,” DPWES Solid Waste Management Deputy Director Eric Forbes said. “The energy from these solar panels will provide nearly 76% of the building’s power needs and reduce the carbon emissions by 91 metric tons.”
The emissions reductions will be equivalent to taking 22 cars off the road or recycling 32 tons of trash instead of putting it in a landfill, according to Forbes.
The project was completed by the end of July.
The release notes that the Newington solar array represents another step forward in the county’s Operational Energy Strategy, including towards its goal of making all operations, facilities and fleet vehicles carbon neutral by 2040.
Last year, five county buildings were equipped with solar panels, including the Reston and Woodlawn fire stations, and over a dozen more solar projects are planned this year. Fairfax County Public Schools also recently approved panels for nine elementary schools.
Planned DPWES solar projects include a 5-megawatt array at the I-95 Landfill Complex and a rooftop system at the I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road), which provides waste dumping and recycling services.
Last August, the public works department added two electric refuse trucks to its vehicle fleet and installed two electric vehicle charging stations at the Newington facility (6901 Allen Park Road).
