New Solar PV Array in Maynard, MA!
 

This is really neat - they are installing a large solar photovoltaic array on the capped landfill, here in Maynard, MA. When it is up and running and connected, it will have a total capacity of ~1MW, which is enough power for about 200 homes! It is being installed at zero cost to the town, and we will be paying just 2.5¢ per kWh for the first 10 years, and for 11-20 years, just 7.5¢ per kWh.

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I'll post more pictures as thing progress. Very cool...

The company that is leasing the use of the space is paying for the installment and the maintenance, etc. Wicked Local has this info:

Landfill project moves forward in Maynard - Maynard, MA - The Beacon-Villager

I was not remembering the output correctly - it is less than I thought it is. The total capacity is ~1MW and the site is 14 acres. According to the article, the output is only enough for part (~25%) of the town's buildings. That doesn't sound right though - it should be enough for about 200 homes. If the town buildings are using as much electricity as 800 homes, I'd like to know why it is that much.

I also think that the article badly misstates the total annual output. A 1MW system can put out as much as 12MWh per day, so that would total ~4.3GWh per year. (Maybe my math is off?)

Wow! That's a whole lotta panels! Humm, do they have a tall fence around the site? ;)

Sounds like a nice install. Its been a few weeks, got any updates?

Yes, the panels are all installed, and the cabling has been started; though it appears they have yet to install the inverters - though maybe, they will use a couple of centralized units?
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Putting PV on a landfill makes me wonder.. Do they built the mounts so they will flex,
when the footing blocks start sinking of sliding sideways?

The elevation looks adjustable! I wonder if they are going to tweak them twice a year?

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The footing blocks are meant to float, but that is a relative term. The pea stone (or fine crushed stone?) and stone dust under the concrete blocks looks like it is compacted and leveled (though at different heights).

I don't think they will change the angle, though I could be wrong. It is fairly flat which makes me think that they are optimized for the summer so they can be at their highest output during the peak power demand for A/C.

Any updates on this?

No, but I found out that Concord, MA has plans for a total of 25MW of solar PV in the next 25 years, on half a dozen or so sites. See page 23 on this PDF:

http://www.concordma.gov/Pages/Conco...1%20-%20V1.pdf

Concord, MA - Comprehensive Sustainable Energy Committee

And there is a 5MW system getting installed in Douglas, MA as well.

Those look like the Patriot Solar adjustable racking which is made for uneven surfaces. They don't seem to care much about winter production as the shading seems a bit tight. They must have got a sweetheart deal on the materials as 2.5cents is quite low.