Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI) has completed a 7.1-MW solar + 4-MW battery storage project in Acton, Massachusetts, on a Superfund site formerly occupied by a chemical manufacturing facility.
Distributed Energy Infrastructure
DEI worked with Terrasmart to safely construct the system on the contaminated site. Excavation was minimized, with electrical infrastructure designed primarily aboveground to avoid disturbing contaminated soils. The system was designed around existing structures, including old concrete slabs, to reduce site disturbance.
“Projects like Acton show what it takes to responsibly bring clean energy to communities while addressing the challenges of building on historically contaminated land,” said Sean Harrington, President and CEO of Distributed Energy Infrastructure. “By transforming a brownfield into a productive solar and storage site, we’re expanding access to renewable energy, strengthening the local grid, and putting otherwise unusable land back to work.”
As a brownfield project located on formerly unusable land, the Acton project delivers significant community and environmental benefits. It repurposes a contaminated Superfund site for productive use, preserves farmland and open space, and created nearly 40 local jobs during construction. The project provides clean energy through a community solar model paired with battery storage, boosting local grid resilience. It also expands the town’s tax base through new revenue and supports Massachusetts’ SMART and Clean Peak Standard goals, since it reduces strain on the grid during peak seasonal demand times.
“Brownfield redevelopment is a powerful way to expand clean energy access while addressing the legacy of industrial contamination,” said Graeme Dutkowsky of Syncarpha Capital, the project developer. “This project demonstrates how DEI’s thoughtful, safety-first approach to building brownfield solar projects can turn an underutilized site into a long-term source of reliable power and local economic value.”
News item from DEI
