Community solar on a former landfill is giving new life to a long-polluted site in Waukegan, Illinois. What was once a contaminated Superfund dump is now producing renewable electricity and helping local residents lower their energy bills.
For decades, the Yeoman Creek landfill sat mostly unused. The site operated as a dump for industrial and municipal waste between the late 1950s and 1969, and pollution from the unlined landfill contaminated nearby groundwater and released hazardous gases. The area was eventually added to the federal Superfund cleanup program, and major remediation work was completed in 2005.
Today, that same land hosts a 9.1-megawatt community solar project that transforms a once-toxic landscape into a source of clean energy and economic benefit for the surrounding community. The project, known as Yeoman Solar, was developed through partnerships between the Waukegan Community Unit School District, solar developers, and the renewable energy investment company CleanCapital. Instead of leaving the capped landfill unused, developers installed solar panels across the site, taking advantage of land that cannot easily support housing or commercial construction.
Community solar on a former landfill works differently from traditional rooftop solar. Rather than installing panels on individual homes, the electricity from the solar array is shared among local subscribers. Residents, renters, and small businesses can sign up for a portion of the project’s output and receive credits on their electricity bills. This approach is particularly important in places where many people cannot install solar panels themselves, such as apartment buildings or homes with shaded roofs.
In Waukegan, the solar farm is expected to serve around 1,000 households, offering subscribers guaranteed savings on their electricity costs through Illinois’ Solar for All program, which prioritizes access for low- and moderate-income residents. Participants in the program can save up to 50 percent on the supply portion of their electricity bills, helping reduce energy costs in a region where rising utility prices have strained many families.
The Waukegan school district also benefits from the project. As the landowner, the district receives lease payments for the site while using a portion of the solar energy produced to power school facilities. Local officials say the transformation of the landfill into a solar farm demonstrates how environmental cleanup and renewable energy can work together to create new opportunities.
Community solar on a former landfill also highlights a growing trend in the renewable energy industry: building solar projects on brownfields, or previously contaminated land. These sites often have limited development potential due to environmental restrictions, but they can be ideal for solar installations.
Landfills, abandoned industrial sites, and other remediated properties typically already have road access and electrical infrastructure nearby, making them attractive locations for renewable energy projects. Using these sites for solar development can also help reduce pressure to build projects on farmland or natural habitats.
Across the United States, federal and state agencies have increasingly encouraged solar development on brownfields. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted studies identifying thousands of contaminated sites that could potentially host renewable energy projects.
In many cases, solar installations can coexist with the safety measures already in place at former landfills. Panels are typically mounted on ballasted systems that sit on top of the landfill cap without disturbing the underlying protective layers.
For communities like Waukegan, the benefits extend beyond energy production. Projects like Yeoman Solar can also create local jobs during construction and generate long-term revenue through land leases and energy contracts. Just as importantly, they help change the narrative around formerly polluted areas.
For decades, the Yeoman Creek landfill symbolized environmental damage and industrial waste. Now the site represents a different future, one where communities reclaim contaminated land and turn it into a source of clean power.
The transformation also reflects a broader shift in how cities approach environmental recovery. Instead of simply cleaning up contaminated land and leaving it unused, communities are increasingly exploring ways to repurpose those areas for sustainable infrastructure.
Solar energy projects are particularly well-suited to this strategy because they require relatively little ground disturbance and can operate safely on capped landfills. As renewable energy continues expanding, community solar on a former landfill may become an increasingly common model. Across the United States, thousands of acres of previously contaminated land sit unused after cleanup.
Community solar on a former landfill offers a way to address multiple challenges at once: restoring damaged landscapes, expanding renewable power, and making energy more affordable for local residents. In Waukegan, the panels now standing on the former landfill quietly produce electricity each day, a reminder that even the most polluted landscapes can find a second life in the transition to clean energy.
