US communications firm Verizon has pledged to invest nearly $40 million in a new programme to expand solar power at its sites.
Verizon says it will install 10.2 MW of new solar power systems at eight facilities in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York in 2014.
The is more than double the amount of solar energy the company installed at six sites in 2013 and puts Verizon on target to become the top solar-power producer among US communications companies.
"When these projects are completed, Verizon will have nearly 16 MW of installed solar capacity, ranking it among the Top 10 companies in the United States," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
SunPower Corp. has been contracted to design and install all of the new systems, which will include high-efficiency rooftop, parking-structure and ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems.
To date, Verizon has invested nearly $140 million in on-site green energy. The company says it is on track to achieve 25 MW capacity upon completion of the new solar projects, which would offset around 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.