Training
Are you interested in learning more about how to successfully develop renewable energy projects on contaminated lands?
EPA developed a series of trainings to help you learn how to support successful renewable projects on contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites. The following trainings are publicly available and free.
For information on how to navigate the trainings below, please view this short how-to video:
Land Use Considerations Training Module
Description: EPA developed the Land Use Considerations training module to educate stakeholders about the various land use considerations for pursuing renewable energy projects on contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites. In this module, learn how to screen sites for renewable energy project development. Topics include:
- Site liability, control and ownership.
- Site cleanup status and timeline.
- Where to locate the renewable energy within the site.
- Environmental permitting requirements.
- Engaging local communities.
- Land use considerations during construction, operation and decommissioning.
It will take approximately 40 minutes to complete the entire module. Users may progress through the training in order or navigate directly to the most useful sections. This module is best completed in a Google Chrome browser. **Please note, there is no audio component.
Interconnection and Electricity Sales Training Module
Description: EPA developed the Interconnection and Electricity Sales training module to educate stakeholders on the practical and economic aspects of how renewable energy produced on contaminated land can reach end users and generate revenue. In this module, learn how to identify and assess options for project interconnection and electricity sales. Topics include:
- Electricity basics.
- Interconnection options.
- Identifying users of electricity.
- Electricity sales contracts.
- Integrating interconnection and electricity sales decisions.
The training module will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete. Users may progress through the training in order or navigate directly to the most useful sections. This module is best completed in a Google Chrome browser. **Please note, there is no audio component.
Description: EPA developed the Addressing Community Concerns training module to educate stakeholders about effective strategies for navigating the community engagement process to advance renewable energy projects on potentially contaminated lands. In this module, learn how to engage different stakeholders and address community concerns. Topics include:
- Basics of community engagement.
- Ways to engage with different stakeholder types.
- Identify potential categories of community opposition.
- Addressing community concerns.
- Implementation of community engagement.
- When to exit the development process if community opposition or other local considerations are too much to overcome.
- Best practices for community engagement.
It will take approximately 40 minutes to complete the entire module. Users may progress through the training in order or navigate directly to the most useful sections. This module is best completed in a Google Chrome browser. **Please note, there is no audio component.
Project Development – Building the Team
Description: EPA developed the Project Development – Building the Team training module to address the type of multidisciplinary team needed to advance a renewable energy project on contaminated lands. In this module, learn how to assemble a team capable of advancing a renewable energy project through the approval process. Topics include:
- Defining obstacles.
- Assembling the Team and Defining Roles.
- Common Mistakes in Team Building.
It will take approximately 40 minutes to complete the entire module. Users may progress through the training in order or navigate directly to the most useful sections. This module is best completed in a Google Chrome browser. **Please note, there is no audio component.
Using NREL’s PV Watts® Calculator to Calculate Economic Feasibility
Description: NREL's PVWatts® Calculator is a web application developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that estimates the electricity production of a grid-connected roof- or ground-mounted photovoltaic system based on a few simple inputs. Developed with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s RE-Powering America’s Land, this video provides a step-by-step overview of how to use this comprehensive tool to conduct a basic economic feasibility study for a solar project on a landfill. It will take approximately 40 minutes to complete the training. Users may progress through the training or navigate directly to the most useful sections.