Renewable Energy Engineering
E&LP provides site planning and engineering services for both small and large scale photovoltaic (PV) solar installations. PV Solar system design and permitting services includes both utility scale direct grid connected systems and offsite power purchase agreement (PPA) systems. E&LP has assisted clients develop and construct many PV solar sites throughout New Jersey from the initial site investigation, selection, and due diligence phase through design, permitting and construction. To date, E&LP has designed and permitted PV facilities on over 225 acres that range in size from 0.5 to 10 megawatts of annual energy production.
Our Renewable Energy Engineering Services are built on the extensive site due diligence and the key management of the development project schedule which is crucial for the delivery of energy projects to market.
Case Study: Garden Solar
Site Location and Description
Flemington Solar, LLC, Consolidated Edison Development, Inc. 8 MW Utility Scale PV Solar Development. Raritan Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Key Project Elements
- Municipal Use Variance & Site Plan Approval
- County Planning Board Approval
- County Soil Conservation District Approval
- NJDEP Freshwater Wetlands General Permits
- NJDEP Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit
- Bridge Culvert Design & Storm Water Management Analysis
- Viewscape Analysis & Landscape Buffer Plan
- Historic Resources Assessment
- Geotechnical & Acoustical Impact Investigations
- Local Building Department Approvals
- NJDCA Approval for Solar Energy Facility
The Flemington Solar, LLC project was a major component of an overall portfolio of projects for which E&LP obtained municipal zoning and outside agency approvals. These projects were the first approved utility scale projects to initiate construction in Hunterdon County and were several of the first utility scale projects to be approved and installed in throughout the rest of New Jersey. E&LP has been on the leading edge of assisting their clients to bring these unique projects to construction. E&LP received the first NJDEP Wetlands/Flood Hazard Area Permits and the first NJDEP Highlands Preservation Area Approval (HPAA) for a utility scale solar project in New Jersey.
E&LP’s success on these projects are a result of the following critical components of the E&LP approach.
Initial Site Project Due Diligence and Preliminary Mapping for our clients has been a key part of identifying site viability at the beginning of the site development process. This task includes review of solar access, interconnection proximity and viability, topography, potential wetlands or floodplain constraints, historic features and threatened/endangered habitat concerns. E&LP can evaluate and identify the prime sites first. This results in efficient use of development resources and outline risk for the development path early in the process. Once E&LP performs this evaluation the client can further engage their resources in order to obtain site control.