The Future of Landfills is Bright

This report by RMI explores the potential for state and local governments in the United States to develop solar energy projects on closed and inactive landfills to advance clean energy and community revitalization.

• There are over 10,000 closed and inactive landfills in the United States that represent a significant opportunity for solar development because they typically have good sun exposure and limited alternative redevelopment options.
• Developing solar on closed landfills can help revitalize local host communities, which are often lower-income, and support broader climate, sustainability, and environmental justice goals.
• Despite the available opportunities, the use of landfills for solar energy is not currently a common practice within the renewable energy industry.

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} }