Landfill solar project to generate $1.5M in revenue for New Haven

WTNH News 8 ABC | Ellie Sennhenn
July 20, 2026

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — New Haven transformed a former landfill into a source of renewable energy Monday, which is expected to generate enough electricity to power 200 homes for a year.

Mayor Justin Elicker joined other city and environmental leaders on Monday to celebrate the completion of a new solar panel array, which was built over the New Haven Transfer Station on Middletown Avenue. Elicker said the project lets the city repurpose otherwise unusable land.

“We can’t use it for much of anything, so really it was just a large mound that people drove by every day on the highway, and now we have on top of it an actual production of energy,” the mayor said.

Over 1,900 solar panels have been installed on the landfill, which the city said will produce over 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of power every year for local homes and businesses. That’s enough energy to power over 200 homes for one year.

Greenskies Clean Energy, a solar developer, is leasing land from the City of New Haven for the project. The partnership plans to generate $1.5 million in new revenue for the city over the 20-year lease term.

This marks the latest development in the city’s ongoing climate and sustainability efforts, following solar canopies at both Hill Central Music Academy and LW Beecher School.

New Haven is also planning an additional five similar projects, which would install solar panel canopies over parking lots in the city’s schools and parks.