PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Issues Request For Information For Clean Energy Generation, Storage Projects On State-Owned Abandoned Mine Lands; Webinar June 10

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 1 PA Bulletin inviting proposals for Clean Energy Campus generation and storage projects on 13 state-owned abandoned mine land sites of 50 acres or more totaling 1,850 acres.

The objective of this RFI is to identify project sponsors that can design, develop, commercialize and maintain projects on mined land sites located in Berks, Chester, Mercer, Montgomery and Schuylkill counties.

The deadline for proposals is July 1. A June 10 webinar will be held for parties interested in submitting proposals.

Project sponsors may submit concept papers for one, all or any combination of properties subject to the requirement that a project sponsor must demonstrate the capacity to perform:

-- Design. Provides design for land reclamation and remediation, including earthworks and stormwater management, to convert AML controlled by the Department to pad-ready sites that maximize the value of potential clean energy generation and energy storage installations.

-- Development. Completes leasing agreement, site preparation, permitting, geotech and interconnection. The Department contemplates a collaborative process with the project sponsor and will consider deploying additional funding for the acquisition of adjacent properties that might be required for CEC project development.

-- Commercialization. Installs clean energy generation and energy storage equipment, negotiates a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or response to market mechanisms, or both, that might generate income for the CEC project.

-- Maintenance. Maintains all systems and land development covenants made with the Department or local authorities in the construction of this site for the duration of the lease term, to include insurance, security and other requirements enumerated in the lease agreement.

DEP said helpful background on developing these sites can be found in a new report-- Assessment of Solar Development on Previously Impacted Mine Lands in Pennsylvania-- which found nearly 169,000 acres of abandoned mine lands across the Commonwealth that could potentially host solar facilities. Read more here.

The report was developed with the assistance of the Eastern PA Coalition of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and the PA Solar on Mined Lands project.

The report analyzes the market forces underlying the siting process for grid-scale solar projects, such as land acquisition costs, access to transmission infrastructure and the uncertainty of regulatory requirements.

Visit DEP’s Assessment Of Solar Development On Previously Mined Lands webpage for more information.

Priorities

The Department will prioritize concept papers on Clean Energy Campus projects that deploy one or more of the following technologies or project types:

-- Solar and storage.

-- Wind and storage.

-- Advanced or enhanced geothermal.

-- Small modular reactor nuclear.

-- Biomass generation with carbon capture and sequestration.

-- New manufacturing facilities for clean energy products or services.

-- Coal ash remediation with site redevelopment.

-- Critical minerals recovery (including processing, manufacturing and recycling of mineral alternatives).

-- Hydrogen production and infrastructure.