Alexion extends commitment to green footprint with new solar energy system

CHESHIRE, USA: Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. has completed the installation of a 295 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the company’s Cheshire, Conn., corporate headquarters and research facility. State officials and other guests joined Alexion employees at yesterday’s ceremony to “throw the switch” on the new system.

Alexion’s PV system comprises 1,738 photovoltaic solar panels, mounted on the rooftop of the Company’s 125,000-square-foot facility in Cheshire, which convert sunlight directly into electricity.

Approximately 9 percent of the facility’s total electrical needs will be provided by the solar installation, which is expected to produce more than 329,000 kWh of power annually, resulting in an estimated reduction of 380,000 lbs of CO2 emissions per year.

"This solar array is a key part of our corporate commitment to responsible energy choices,” said Leonard Bell, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Alexion. “We are continuing to drive toward a greener and more cost-effective energy footprint in Cheshire and at other company facilities. The installation of this system will ensure long-term benefits to both the environment and our organization for years to come.”

Connecticut State Representative Elizabeth Esty, whose home district includes Cheshire, Wallingford, and Hamden, was in attendance at the event and noted that, “Through this commitment to solar energy, Alexion is demonstrating that good business and social responsibility can go hand in hand.” Representative Esty is a member of the Energy and Technology Committee of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Alexion has a long-standing commitment to energy conservation and to the communities in which it operates. Along with the installation of the new PV system at its headquarters, the Company is pursuing additional initiatives, including the retrofitting of lighting, heating, cooling and control systems, in order to achieve an appreciable reduction in the generation of greenhouse gases from its Cheshire operations.

Alexion’s PV system was made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.

“We are proud to partner with Alexion in this investment in our state’s future. This initiative will help to stabilize the company’s energy costs and make their business less reliant on outside resources,” said Lise Dondy, President of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. “In addition, the system will help to stabilize the local power grid by reducing the demands during peak hours, which is beneficial to everyone in the community.”