SolarBank and Viridi partner on 3-MW community solar + storage project on closed landfill

SolarBank has announced it is partnering with Viridi, producer of fail-safe battery energy storage systems (BESS), on the development of a combined 3.06-MW_DC ground-mount community solar project and 1.2-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Buffalo, New York. The project is being constructed on a closed landfill site, transforming previously unusable land into a productive asset that generates clean energy for the community. SolarBank will own the project while Virdi supplies the BESS system.

Viridi’s lithium-ion battery packs feature integrated fire suppression and anti-propagation technology, meeting strict safety standards. Unlike conventional approaches that modify battery cells, Viridi isolates each cell to prevent thermal runaway, ensuring that a single failure does not escalate.

The company has secured a lease over the project site and has applied for interconnection approval for the project.

News item from Viridi