EPA and NREL See Renewables Potential in Brownfields

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are looking at some of the nation’s 15 million acres (6 mil-lion hectares) of contaminated or potentially contaminated land (“brownfields”) for siting renewable energy installations. Under EPA’s “Re-Powering America’s Land” program, which was established in 2008 to encourage renewable energy development on EPA-designated brownfields, the federal agency and national laboratory have now teamed up to conduct renewable energy feasibility studies on twelve sites in ten states and Puerto Rico, including decommissioned mines, landfills, refineries, and a variety of Superfund sites. For more on the program and to view the proposed sites, visit www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/.