The Bartonsville Energy Facility exemplifies how innovative solar technology can support large-scale renewable energy development while prioritizing environmental stewardship. Developed by D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments and constructed by MYR Group on over 700 acres of farmland in Northern Virginia, this 170-megawatt solar project utilized Nevados’ All Terrain Tracker® to eliminate the need for grading. That preserved the site’s natural topography and avoided regulatory, financial, and environmental risks associated with traditional earthmoving. By maintaining the integrity of the land, the project significantly reduced environmental impact while enhancing overall project economics.
Grading has long been a challenge for utility-scale solar development, particularly in states like Virginia, where regulators have imposed stricter stormwater management and permitting requirements to address environmental damage from past solar installations. Large-scale earthmoving disrupts native vegetation, increases erosion risks, and alters natural hydrology, often leading to sediment runoff into nearby waterways. These environmental concerns have resulted in increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies and local governments, making permitting more difficult for projects that rely on grading.
The Bartonsville project avoided these challenges by utilizing Nevados’ All Terrain Tracker®, which allowed the system to conform to the existing terrain without requiring land modification. By eliminating grading, the project preserved the land’s natural permeability, preventing stormwater runoff issues that can delay construction and increase compliance costs. The project avoided moving over 400,000 cubic yards of soil, an amount equivalent to 123 Olympic-sized swimming pools, reducing both direct construction costs and long-term environmental mitigation expenses.
Beyond minimizing land disturbance, the project also achieved substantial material efficiency improvements. By allowing solar trackers to follow the natural contours of the land, the Bartonsville facility required 23 percent less steel than a conventionally graded solar installation. This reduction in material use significantly lowered the project’s embodied carbon footprint while also cutting costs. The combined savings from avoided grading and reduced steel usage totaled approximately $5 million, making the project one of the most cost-effective solar developments of its size.
The project’s alignment with Virginia’s evolving solar regulations further highlights its environmental leadership. In 2022, Virginia passed House Bill 206 (HB 206), which introduced new mitigation requirements for solar projects that impact agricultural or forested lands. The law mandates that projects disturbing more than ten acres of prime agricultural soils or more than fifty acres of contiguous forest must implement mitigation measures to offset environmental impacts. By eliminating grading and reducing overall land disturbance, the Bartonsville project set a precedent for how developers can align with these new regulatory requirements while still delivering large-scale renewable energy capacity. As solar projects increasingly face restrictions on land use and environmental impact, Bartonsville provides a replicable model for balancing sustainability with the need for energy expansion.
The project’s environmental and economic benefits were recognized with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Environmental Excellence Gold Medal in the Environmental and Sustainable Project category. This prestigious award by Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality, in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, underscores the project’s importance as a demonstration.
By leveraging Nevados’ All Terrain Tracker®, the Bartonsville Energy Facility proves that solar energy can be deployed cost-effectively on complex terrain without sacrificing environmental integrity. It also serves as a model for how innovative technology can help solar developers navigate increasingly stringent permitting requirements by preserving natural landscapes. As the renewable energy industry continues to expand, such thoughtful engineering and forward-thinking project development will help address the scarcity of available sites for utility-scale solar and offer it a more sustainable future.
