#1 Utility Scale Solar Developer in the US
March 2, 2018
By: Peggy Hammond
ISS knows the far-reaching benefits of solar energy, so we are pleased to learn recreational facilities and parks continue to turn to solar to meet their goals for renewable power.
News released in January 2018 from Solar Industry centers on Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, which announced a green light on their 23.5MW solar facility. The ground-mounted panels will cover 40 acres, but the project also includes some parking lots with solar carports. Currently, construction is scheduled for March 2018, and Six Flags anticipates the solar farm to be operational by the end of 2019. This move will make New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure one of the world’s first solar-powered theme parks. An article on NJ.com explained that the park will be wholly powered by the sun. It’s noteworthy that Six Flags Great Adventure is not the only park reducing its carbon footprint. In the fall of 2016, Wales’ GreenWood Forest Park officially announced it was the UK’s first fully solar-powered theme park, generating at least 80% of its power with a 150kW array (greenwoodforestpark.co.uk). These two parks have the right idea; let’s hope they are trendsetters for amusement parks using solar to supply their energy needs.
But theme parks featuring thrilling rides are not the only recreational facilities to make the decision that solar energy is the smart way to go. On January 18, 2018, Ballpark Digest announced the San Diego Padres hope to play their March 29 season opener under a rooftop installation at Petco Park that will be bigger than solar installations at seven other MLB parks combined. Installation of the 716 high-efficiency panels has already started. San Diego has a 2035 goal for citywide 100% renewable energy, and once completed, the city’s solar-powered Petco Park will be a step toward that target.
Whether your family wants to ride a roller coaster or you want to relax and watch a team sport, it’s becoming a safe bet that solar energy will be involved. As a custom developer of utility-scale solar farms, ISS believes solar is our future and is not surprised that others agree. For more information on opportunities to work with ISS, see our website at www.innovativesolarsystemsllc.com or call John Green (CEO) 828-215-9064