City of Cleveland Launches Two Solar Projects to Provide Locally Generated Clean Energy and Savings

W. 11th Street and Kolthoff Drive solar projects will transform underused former landfill properties into solar farms

CLEVELAND, OH - The City of Cleveland Mayor's Office of Sustainability, Department of Public Utilities, and Department of Port Control have advanced into the design stage for two new solar installations on the City-owned W. 11th Street/Spring Road Landfill and the Kolthoff Drive Landfill.

The design-build team will be led by Enerlogics Networks, Inc. with Energy Independent Solutions, LLC and Prairie Wind Group, LLC helping to advance the projects through design and construction. These projects will transform portions of both landfills into a source of locally generated clean energy for Cleveland Public Power (CPP) customers and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) operations.

The approximately $20 million project will install a combined 7-9 megawatts (MW) across two solar arrays. The 5-7 MW Kolthoff array will help power CLE, while the 2 MW W. 11^th array will generate electricity for CPP's electric grid. Cost savings from the locally generated power at W. 11^th will be passed on to CPP customers.

"Keeping costs affordable for Cleveland residents is a priority," said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. "This project allows us to put underused land back to work by generating energy locally, lowering energy costs, and ensuring our clean energy investments deliver real value to the people who live here."

The solar projects are being developed through a broader regional clean energy initiative funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program.

In 2024, a coalition of Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland and the City of Painesville received a $129 million grant from the EPA to expand renewable energy throughout Northeast Ohio. The funding will support solar and battery storage projects, restoration of approximately 400 acres of polluted land, and workforce development in clean energy career pathways.

The broader initiative is expected to support the development of approximately 53 MW of solar power, natural restoration projects and a 20 MW battery installation associated with the permanent closure of a coal-powered facility in Painesville. The work is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and other pollution, expand locally generated renewable energy and put previously blighted or otherwise difficult-to-develop properties back into productive use.

The W. 11th project supports the City's broader goals to reduce energy burden for Clevelanders and the Kolthoff Drive project is integrated into the airport's CLEvolution initiative to modernize terminals. Both projects support decreasing community-wide GHGs to 63% below 2018 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

"These projects bring tangible financial cost savings in a volatile energy market while reducing climate emissions in the longer term." said Sarah O'Keeffe, Director of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability. "Expanding locally generated clean energy is both a climate action and a step to future proof our community."

In addition to generating renewable electricity, both projects will demonstrate how clean energy development can support natural restoration. Pollinator-friendly plants will be seeded beneath and around the ground-mounted solar panels, creating habitat and food sources for beneficial insects and wildlife, including bees, butterflies and birds.

About:

Mayor's Office of Sustainability

The City of Cleveland - Mayor's Office of Sustainability works to improve the health and well-being of people, air, land, and water in the face of a changing climate. Our team brings deep technical expertise in energy, buildings, waste, natural systems, resilience, and climate change. We collaborate with residents, businesses, community organizations, and city leaders to develop innovative solutions. We co-create policies, programs, and projects that help the city reduce carbon emissions, increase the use of renewable energy, promote healthier transportation and buildings, manage waste, and expand access to natural spaces and urban trees-building a more resilient, sustainable Cleveland for all. Visit our webpage or follow us on socials to stay updated on our work and initiatives.

Enerlogics Networks, Inc. (Enerlogics)

Enerlogics is a developer of distributed energy solutions that enable facilities to reduce costs, achieve climate goals, and prepare for an electrified future. Enerlogics deploys solutions for commercial, industrial, governmental and educational customers nationwide, with over 26 MWs of solar and over 10 MWh of energy storage systems since the company's inception in 2009. Enerlogics has longstanding ties to Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland area solar projects in the City of Brooklyn, City of Cleveland Heights, City of Lakewood, and Cuyahoga County. Enerlogics develops the power plant hiding behind facilities - solar, storage, EV charging, and microgrids engineered to cut electricity bills and shrug off the next rate hike.

Energy Independent Solutions, LLC (EIS)

EIS is a full-service Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firm highly experienced in all types of solar and battery systems. Founded in Pittsburgh in 2008, EIS has performed over 2,000 installations representing over 47 MWs throughout the region. EIS prides itself on simply building better than the rest, with a track record that includes complex and high visibility installations including the Pittsburgh International Airport projects, FedEx Ground World Headquarters, and the Living Building Challenge-certified systems at Phipps Conservatory and Frick Environmental Center.

Prairie Wind Group, LLC (PWG)

PWG is a minority business enterprise (MBE) that specialized in providing clean and affordable solar energy to commercial & industrial customers in the US. PWG develops and manages the installation of end-to-end solar solutions from concept to power generation.

Media Contact:
Brittany Montgomery
Public Information Officer, City of Cleveland
216-664-2455
[email protected]