Politics & Government

Hauppauge Landfill Goes Green With Solar Panels

Town of Islip breaks grounds installing photovoltaic solar panels at Islip Town Landfill on Blydenburgh Road.

After years of emitting methane gas, Hauppauge's landfill has a future as a renewable energy source. 

Islip Town officials broke ground Thursday on the installation of a photovoltaic solar project at the Islip Town Landfill on Blydenburgh Road in Hauppauge. 

"We are taking a piece of property with no use other than a lot of expenses and using it to generate clean, renewable energy," said Islip Supervisor Phil Nolan.

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The field of upright Schott solar panels will be installed at the Hauppauge Landfill over the next 8-10 weeks, according to Nicolas Feldmann, president of Eldor Electrical Construction and Maintenance, who is director of the project. 

The solar system has capacity to produce a 50 kilowatt output. It is enough to fulfill the landfill's energy needs and allow the Town of Islip to sell some of the energy produced back to LIPA or convert into energy credits, Islip Councilman John Edwards said. 

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"We are displacing foreign oil with solar power, reducing Islip's taxes by reducing the town's energy bill. We are replacing oil from foreign dictator with energy from solar power made in America," said U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-Huntington. 

Edwards said he first brought up the idea of installing solar panels in the landfill after taking a tour of the Hauppauge facility in 2008, shortly after taking office. He then presented Israel with a 12-page perspective that contained research on various solar systems, their costs to install and potential benefits. 

Israel helped Islip Town officials obtain a $475,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the project. These funds will pay for both the solar panels and construction necessary to install them, producing local jobs. 

In addition to the solar panels, Edwards said the project contains an educational component designed to teach local students on alternative energy production. Information kiosks about solar energy product will be installed among the field with real-time energy meters to show its production output. 

"With alternative energy, you need to start with the next generation so it's not something atypical but something that's everyday for them. We need to show energy can come from not just natural gas, oil and coal but renewable sources like wind and solar," Edwards said. 

Student educational program at the Blydenburgh landfill is expect to be in place by fall 2011. 


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