With new panel sites, Northwest Parkway's operations up to 75% solar powered, operating company says
With the launch of two new solar panel sites, Northwest Parkway’s operations will have up to 75% of its energy needs met by solar power, according to a spokesperson for the highway’s operating company.
The parkway, which connects U.S. 36 and Interstate 25 and runs through Broomfield, is a toll road operated by VINCI Highways, according to spokesperson Katie Farnan. The two new sites are part of the company’s ongoing effort to power the highway’s operations with cleaner energy, Farnan said.
The launch of the new sites, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 2, will add “147,000 kWh per year” to the road’s solar production, and brings the parkway’s operations to being up to 75% solar powered, according to the company. Previously, about 17% of the highway’s power came from solar panels, Farnan said.
Farnan said that the newest sites are part of a larger project that began in 2010 and has been expanding toward net-zero carbon emissions.
“Following VINCI’s sustainability targets, we plan to cut consumption by 50% in 2030 from 2018 levels, and eventually reach net-zero by 2050,” Farnan said.
VINCI Highways is a global operator of road concessions, managing more than 3,750 kilometers in 14 countries, according to a news release about the new sites. Northwest Parkway joined the company’s network last year, according to the release.
Farnan said the highway was essentially privatized in 2007 and VINCI now maintains all its operations including maintenance.
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