Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles, California will make history by installing a 30-acre solar farm on its property!
According to political strategist, pundit, and writer Cheri Jacobus, this 12-megawatt solar carport will be installed over the visitor and employee parking lot. No trees should need to be cut down. Plus, it will provide shade for cars along with powering the park.
The site is expected to produce 20.8 million kilowatt hours of energy annually. Which is enough to offset 100% of the park’s energy needs. Meaning this one farm can power 20 roller coasters and all the other rides, year-round.
It seems that the amusement park chain has learned from previous issues. In 2016, Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey announced it would install a solar farm. Which everyone was thrilled about… until they explained they would need to cut down 66 acres of trees.
“We are excited about the fact that this project will reduce carbon emissions by 31 times more than the trees and shrubs that will be removed, and that we will become the world’s first solar-powered theme park,” Kristin Siebeneicher, communications manager for Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari, said. “This project is a positive for the environment and will not harm the habitats of threatened or endangered species, nor impair protected wetlands or watersheds.”
Environmentalists questioned why the bulk of the panels weren’t being put up in their parking lots, like they are now planning to do in Los Angeles. Six Flags claimed their lots were not suitable for a solar farm. (It was likely they didn’t want to risk losing any parking spaces, since the lot is often at capacity during peak times.)
We certainly hope this build is significantly less controversial for the company. Hopefully it helps foster more clean energy initiatives from Six Flags.
This will be California‘s largest solar energy project. As well as the world’s largest renewable energy site built by a for-profit organization. Construction is anticipated to start later this summer, and be completed this year or in early 2024.
