“A ‘Brightfield' is an abandoned or contaminated property (“brownfield”) that is redeveloped through the incorporation of solar energy. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) revolutionary Brightfields concept addresses economic development, environmental cleanup and air quality challenges by bringing pollution free solar energy and high tech manufacturing jobs to brownfield sites.” (U.S. Department of Energy, http://www.eere.energy.gov/wip/pdfs/brightfields.pdf )

The DOE program description further explained, “The Brightfields approach offers a range of opportunities to link solar energy to brownfields redevelopment and thereby transform community hazards and eyesores into productive, green ventures. This unprecedented campaign will help our nation put its hundreds of thousands of brownfields back into productive use and at the same time create high-tech jobs in blighted urban neighborhoods, improve air quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The term ‘brightfields' refers to different types of solar applications on brownfields, including photovoltaic arrays that can reduce cleanup costs, building-integrated solar energy systems as part of redevelopment, and solar manufacturing plants on brownfields.”

The first Brightfield program was developed in Chicago and epitomized as the model program – it included development of a photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plant, a roof-mounted PV system and a small ground-mounted PV array. This model was promoted at various brownfields and solar conferences, as well as on the DOE's and EPA's website. It was comprehensive in that it included a commitment from the local utility (Commonwealth Edison) and City of Chicago to purchase a $8 million of the PV modules produced at the factory for rooftop applications city-wide. This was to ensure there was sufficient demand to warrant development of the PV manufacturing plant in Chicago. The project principals initiated the “Chicago Solar Partnership”, which focused on school applications that would provide educational opportunities to teach children about science, technology, energy and the environment.
http://www.chicagosolarpartnership.org/index.htm

Benefits of Brightfields
U.S. Department of Energy Role
Brightfields Projects Nationwide