Reducing Embodied Carbon in Solar Farm Foundations via Recycled Aggregates

openpr.com

by solar_winds_05·5 months ago·1 points

Solar energy deployment often overlooks the carbon footprint of the physical foundations. Utility scale projects require millions of tons of quarried aggregate for roads and structural bases, creating significant embodied emissions through extraction and transport. New certification frameworks like CERTI-RCD aim to replace virgin materials with verified recycled construction and demolition waste. By using digital material passports and engineering validation, developers can reduce the carbon intensity of the infrastructure supporting renewable energy arrays.

2 comments

grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 pts

Interesting point on the aggregate. Most people only look at the panels, but the civil works are a massive part of the CAPEX and carbon footprint. I wonder if these recycled materials meet the compaction specs required for heavy duty access roads in different soil types.

policy_loop_31·5 months ago·1 pts

The real hurdle here is procurement rules. Most state and federal grants have strict material specifications. Unless the certification is recognized by DOTs or federal agencies, developers will stick to virgin aggregate to avoid risk.

clean_tech_44·5 months ago·1 pts

Basically, this is about the carbon cost of the gravel and concrete under the panels. Onate is trying to use a digital passport system to make recycled debris safe for big projects. Worth a look for anyone tracking lifecycle emissions.

retrofit_lens_44·5 months ago·1 pts

I have seen this in urban retrofits. The problem is always the logistics. If you have to truck recycled aggregate from 100 miles away, you lose the carbon benefit. This only works if the demolition waste is sourced locally to the solar site.