Original Coverage & Source Attribution: ca.style.yahoo.com
NEED TO KNOW
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Six Flags Magic Mountain’s massive solar carport project has been completed
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The 637,000-square-foot installation is expected to offset 100% of the park’s annual electricity consumption
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The project covers 4,315 parking spaces and includes 109 electric vehicle charging connectors
A California amusement park just made history with a record-breaking solar panel installation that will offset 100% of the property’s annual electricity consumption.
To mark the beginning of National Energy Awareness Month on Thursday, Oct. 1, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that its landmark solar carport project has been completed. The installation, developed in partnership with Solar Optimum, is the largest solar carport in California and one of the largest single-site commercial solar carports in the country, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE.
Regular carports are open-sided structures that protect vehicles from outdoor elements, but solar carports add energy-producing solar panels to the roof. The structures also help reduce vehicle heat buildup, which Magic Mountain says “creates a more comfortable arrival and departure experience for guests.”
Solar carports at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Credit: Courtesy of Six Flags Magic Mountain
The installation at the Valencia, Calif., amusement park includes 36 long-span solar carport structures measuring 637,000 square feet, providing coverage for approximately 4,315 parking spaces — including 3,544 guest and 771 team member vehicles. The project also includes 109 electric vehicle charging connectors across guest and team member parking.
Each year, the installation is expected to produce about 20.8 million kWh of clean energy, equivalent to the annual consumption of 2,874 homes.
An aerial view of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s solar carport project
Credit: Courtesy of Six Flags Magic Mountain
The park says the project is expected to deliver environmental benefits equivalent to removing 3,182 gasoline-powered vehicles from the road or preserving 17,162 acres of carbon-capturing U.S. forests.
Park president Brian Oerding called the installation a “transformative moment” for Magic Mountain, adding that the project “demonstrates what’s possible when organizations commit to innovative and responsible environmental stewardship.”
The project remains interconnected with the Southern California Edison grid and was designed to offset the park’s annual electricity consumption rather than operate as an isolated or off-grid facility. That means when solar production exceeds onsite demand and the available battery storage reaches capacity, excess energy may be exported back to the grid. When onsite energy production is insufficient, the park can draw electricity from the grid.
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To commemorate the milestone, Magic Mountain held a special celebration attended by community leaders, project partners and stakeholders. During the ceremony, the park was presented a proclamation and a certificate recognizing the its leadership in renewable energy and sustainability.
