NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A Hermitage business is converting a landfill into solar farm, making it the first of its kind in the state of Tennessee.
When John Binkley's family started the C & D Landfill in 1999, they were committed to be good stewards of the environment and try to recycle as much material as possible from their construction and demolition land fill.
"We feel like we do a very good job of being stewards of our property and the waste material that we get in here," John Binkley told Nashville's News 2 on Friday.
The Class IV landfill is located beside the Stones River and the Hermitage Greenway off Central Pike.
"We feel compelled to totally utilize the property in the most effective, sustainable way that we can," Binkley said.
The company has converted their former landfill into a solar farm.
Binkley said it is the first solar farm to be placed atop a land fill site in Tennessee.
"It is going to be the first ground mount system on Nashville Electric Services grid as well and they are extremely excited about it," he added.
"More people are concerned about renewable energy and ways to, one, lower their energy costs, and two, provide sustainable and renewable energy," said Matthew Smith, who is a project manager for Stansell Electric Company, the company installing the solar farm.
Binkley believes the million dollar project will completely pay for itself in five to seven years and will be fully operational by March.
Binkley is planning to relocate a scrap metal recycling business to the site and use the solar power to provide their electricity needs.
