Verizon set to be largest solar producing communication company

CleanTechnica

Verizon, one of America’s leading broadband and telecommunications companies, has announced that it intends to invest nearly $40 million into its on-site green energy program, which will see the company install 10.2 MW of new solar power systems across eight of the network facilities.

“Our investment in on-site green energy is improving the quality of life in the communities we serve by reducing CO2 levels and reducing strain on commercial power grids, while increasing our energy efficiency,” said James Gowen, Verizon’s chief sustainability officer.

“By almost doubling the amount of renewable, solar energy we’re using, we are making further progress toward Verizon’s goal of cutting our carbon intensity in half by 2020, in part, by leveraging the proven business case for clean-energy alternatives to the commercial power grid.”

And this new investment puts Verizon on track to be the leading solar power producing communications company in the United States, as well as helping it move towards its goal of cutting carbon intensity by 50% by 2020.

The company has invested nearly $140 million to date in on-site green energy, and this recent round of investment helps nearly double the amount of renewable power invested across six Verizon facilities in 2013. As a result, Verizon is on target to deploy upward of 25 MW of renewable energy upon completion of these most recent expansions, which will generate enough green energy to power 8,500 average US homes a year and offset nearly 22,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Verizon is working with SunPower to design and install all of its solar systems, installations which will vary accordingly across each of the eight sites.

“With this milestone investment, Verizon is advancing its position among the handful of corporate leaders demonstrating how American businesses can serve their communities and control energy costs with on-site solar power generation,” said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units. “We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Verizon, helping the company lower the long-term cost of energy at more facilities with SunPower’s high performance technology and services.”

Source: CleanTechnica. Reproduced with permission.