Quonset is an essential piece of Rhode Island’s proposed Green Bond - by Steven J. King

While Quonset is known as the region’s leading engine for economic development and job growth, equally as important is its role in protecting and preserving the environment.

Home to more than 800 acres of open space, an 18-hole public golf course, four public beaches with free parking and over four miles of bike paths, the business park offers recreational opportunities for the people who work here and the community.

With over 230 companies and 14,000 jobs, the park and its tenants are always conscious of protecting our environment. Seventy-five percent of the QDC’s power needs are met by renewable energy, and we are hard at work to meet our goal of 100% renewable power. The business park operates its own award-winning wastewater treatment facility while our stormwater system, which includes 64 miles of pipes, treats runoff from roadways, buildings and other impervious surfaces. This world-class infrastructure is critically important in protecting the pristine waters of Narragansett Bay.

Looking ahead, as Rhode Island plans to meet its ambitious climate goals, Quonset’s Port of Davisville already serves as a key hub for offshore wind projects in the North Atlantic. In 2023, more than 40 offshore wind vessels called on the port and ship traffic continues to grow. Meanwhile, by 2025, more than 700 megawatts of clean energy from the Revolution Wind project will come ashore at Quonset.

New England can’t meet its climate goals without offshore wind energy, and we can’t build offshore wind farms without the right infrastructure on land. Investing in the Port of Davisville through the Green Bond positions Quonset to lead the future of offshore wind – creating jobs for Rhode Islanders along the way.

The Quonset Development Corp. looks forward to working with our partners in government to play our part to protect the environment and deliver clean, affordable energy to New England. The Green Bond is the type of investment in our future that will position all of us achieve that goal.

Steven J. King, PE, is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown, R.I.