The Future of Landfills is Bright

The document argues that the more than 10,000 closed and inactive landfills in the United States represent a significant opportunity for solar development, as these sites typically have good sun exposure and limited other reuse potential. It aims to provide policymakers and developers with analysis and a set of incentives to integrate landfill solar into broader clean energy and environmental justice strategies.

• There are over 10,000 closed and inactive landfills in the United States that are suitable for solar development because they are often large, vacant sites with good sun exposure and limited alternative redevelopment options.
• Developing solar on closed landfills can support the revitalization of local host communities, which are often lower-income.

APA

RMI (2021). The Future of Landfills is Bright. https://rmi.org/resources/the-future-of-landfills-is-bright/

Chicago

RMI. The Future of Landfills is Bright. 2021. https://rmi.org/resources/the-future-of-landfills-is-bright/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=The Future of Landfills is Bright |date=1 November 2021 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/the-future-of-landfills-is-bright/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2021future, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{The Future of Landfills is Bright}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/the-future-of-landfills-is-bright/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }