Warwick, RI Warwick mayor Joseph Solomon, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) director Janet Coit, Office of Energy Resources (RI OER) commissioner Carol Grant, local elected officials and business leaders joined Southern Sky Renewable Energy RI to cut the ribbon on a 6.3 MW solar array on the airport connector. The 37-acre brownfield site will host almost 16,000 panels producing enough clean energy to power the City of Warwick’s municipal buildings and other city locations.

The site was previously home to Leviton Manufacturing Company, an international manufacturer of electrical components. Following their departure, the site was vacant for over 20 years, despite its convenient location near T.F. Green Airport. Southern Sky worked closely with RI DEM to create a “remedial action work plan” for the safe construction and development of the brownfield.

“This new solar array completes the transformation of a brownfield site into a productive piece of land for Warwick and its taxpayers,” said mayor Solomon. “This is yet another example of the innovative things that are happening to make Warwick City Centre a success. The city is pleased to have an excellent partner like Southern Sky on this project and another site that just finished construction on West Shore Road.”

“We were excited to turn this brownfield into a useful, energy-saving, revenue producing property for the City of Warwick,” said Ralph A. Palumbo, president of Southern Sky Renewable Energy RI. “Brownfield sites are challenging, but our collaboration with RI DEM and OER helped this project stay on budget and schedule. Our site on the airport connector is a powerful statement to visitors – the city and state are committed to renewable energy.”

Southern Sky contracted with Conti Solar to design and construct the facility and the project received a capital investment from Captona Partners, a New York based investment company specializing in power generation and energy infrastructure assets.