CALHOUN, Ga. -- An old landfill here could soon find new life as a solar farm.
The 36-acre Harris-Beamer landfill, which closed in the 1970s, could ultimately become home to a large-scale, 5-megawatt photovoltaic system, officials said.
"What we're beginning with is just a very small solar farm to see what will happen, what we need to do (and) how to move forward," said Gordon County Commission Chairman Alvin Long. "Right now it's still on the drawing board as to what we can do and what we will be able to do over there."
Gordon County officials are working with Sentinx LLC, a renewable energy company based in Johns Creek, Ga., on the project.
Jeff Stubbs, senior project director for Sentinx, said the company helped the county apply for a $300,000 energy efficiency and conservation block grant through the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. They should find out this month if the grant is awarded, he said.
The stimulus funds would be used to install a 40-kilowatt ground-mounted solar installation, Mr. Stubbs said. It would produce energy that would offset a small part of the county's annual electricity costs, he said.
Gordon County now gets most of its power through the North Georgia Electric Membership Corp., which buys power from TVA.
Under its Green Power Switch Generation Partners program, TVA will pay 12 cents per kilowatt hour for the solar energy, electric membership spokeswoman Laura Sparks said. The county expects to save $8,000 to $10,000 off its $518,000 annual electricity bill, officials said.
Mr. Stubbs said his company would work to grow the project through third-party investors.
If the solar farm expands and produces more power in the future, Sentinx would hope to sell that power to TVA, said Mr. Stubbs.
"If we are eventually able to build on this, it could be a substantial savings in the future," County Commission Vice Chairwoman Judy Bailey said.
The site is atop an old landfill, which would allow the county to reclaim the space, she added.
Mr. Long said the project would create "clean, green energy" and draw tourists who are interested in solar technology.
"This is something you don't see in the South," he said.
Sentinx is working with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to secure permits. Mr. Stubbs said hopes are that the project will begin in six months to a year.