Cox celebrates completion of solar farms

WEST WARWICK – Cox Communications and its parent company Cox Enterprises Inc. recently celebrated the completed construction of two solar farms in West Warwick and Portsmouth.
The two farms – which were installed as part of the “Cox Conserves” initiative – will produce nearly 850,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy per year, enough energy to power 77 averaged-sized Rhode Island homes,according to a company release.
“Solar power is a natural step for us to add to our eco-friendly business practices which include recycling everything from our 100 percent compostable and recyclable serving trays in our employee cafeteria to the fuel-efficient vehicles you pass on the roadway,” John Wolfe, senior vice president and general manager of Cox Communications Northeast region, said in prepared remarks.
“Conducting our business in an eco-friendly manner is important to Cox, our employees, and the surrounding community,” added Wolfe. “Here in Rhode Island, these solar farms showcase we have taken our sustainability initiatives seriously.”
Cox celebrated the completion of the farms at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in mid-May that was attended by Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Reps. James R. Langevin and David Cicilline.
The solar farms include more than 2,200 solar panels in West Warwick and Portsmouth. At Cox’s West Warwick headquarters, a 181 kilowatt installation with more than 600 solar panels is distributed across the rooftops of two buildings.
In Portsmouth, a 500 kilowatt ground-mounted installation with more than 1,600 solar panels is located on two acres of the company’s property that hosts an ancillary telecommunications equipment center.
According to a release, together, the solar farms will prevent 573 tons of carbon from entering the environment and produce 850,000 KWH of clean energy.
“As we work at the state level to expand and bolster our renewable energy efforts, it is important for our partners in the private sector to recognize that sound environmental practices and good business decisions can go hand-in-hand,” Chafee said in prepared remarks. “Cox Communications is clearly demonstrating that with the ‘Cox Conserves’ program, and I congratulate them.”

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