Six Flags Magic Mountain announced Tuesday plans to install the largest solar energy project of its kind in California in order to help to save power. 

The world’s largest regional theme park company and operator of water parks in North America in partnership with Solar Optimum and DSD Renewable (DSD) announced the installation of a new 12.37 mega-watt solar carport and energy storage system at Six Flags Magic Mountain in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

“Here in California, innovation and climate action go hand-in-hand – our success as America’s economic powerhouse and the world’s fourth largest economy is built on our ambitious transition to a cleaner, greener future. Six Flags’ commitment to clean energy is the type of work that will power our future and ensure our kids have a healthy planet to call home,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The new project is set to rank as the largest single-site commercial renewable energy project in California and the largest solar project allocated toward for-profit organizations in the United States, distinguishing Six Flags as a leader in the industry. 

Key facts about the Six Flags Magic Mountain solar installation include:

• 12.37-megawatt solar carport built over the main guest parking lot;
•  Battery storage system producing 1.958 megawatts of power with 7,886.3 kilowatt hours of capacity that can be deployed daily;
• Producing 20.8 million kilowatt hours of energy annually, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 2,874 homes and 1.79 million smartphones charged;
• Offset greenhouse gas emissions each year comparable to 34,194 barrels of oil consumed, 5,110 tons of waste recycled rather than landfilled, and 17,612 acres of U.S. forests;
• it is set to offset carbon dioxide equivalents each year comparable to taking 3,182 cars off the road, 37.8 million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered automobile, and 1.6 million gallons of gasoline consumed;
• Producing 517.89 million kilowatt hours of energy in a 25-year period, which offsets greenhouse gas energy consumption is equivalent to 911 million miles driven by gasoline-powered automobiles and the carbon sequestration equivalent to 434.3 thousand acres of trees planted;
• The park is set  to offset 100 percent of its energy usage with solar power
• Six Flags Magic Mountain is set to be home to the largest single-site commercial solar energy project in California and the largest for-profit organization in the world.

“This is a thrilling day for Six Flags as we advance our commitment to environmental stewardship, substantially increasing solar power generation capacity at our parks,” said Jason Freeman, Six Flags Vice President of Operations, Public Safety, Engineering & Maintenance. “Six Flags has placed a high priority on efforts to improve and protect the environment, leading the way for theme park companies around the world and capturing the attention of other private organizations that also have the power to drive solar projects. By partnering with experts like Solar Optimum and DSD Renewables, we can continue to improve our environmental programs with additional waste, water and energy reduction targets and initiatives.” 

In addition to the installation at Six Flags Magic Mountain, two additional parks – Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Northern California and Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey have also developed on-site solar capabilities with over 30 mega-watts of fully operational solar power systems installed. 

The three sites are set to be ranked as the largest volume of onsite Solar PV systems for any U.S. organization with a combined total of 42.37 megawatts.

“We’re honored to partner with Six Flags and Solar Optimum on this solar-plus-storage project through DSD’s Developer Network and commend Six Flags’ commitment to onsite renewables,” said Danielle Fidel, Senior Director, Developer Network at DSD. “Using their parking lot for solar canopies will not only offset 100 percent of the park’s energy use, it will also provide the added benefit of shaded parking for customers. A win-win for everyone.”

For 62 years, Six Flags has been committed to protecting and improving the environment and its communities, striving toward the expansion of sustainability and ESG-related initiatives and efforts, according to officials. 

By working to reduce the environmental impact of its amusement park operations the company continues to make advancements in adopting solar power throughout its operations and otherwise reducing greenhouse gas emissions, added officials. 

“Six Flags is already an onsite renewables trailblazer, and with this project, they will continue to break records,” said Arno Aghamalian, Solar Optimum CEO and Founder. “We are proud of the partnership we have helped establish between DSD, Six Flags, and Solar Optimum, as we add to their portfolio of sites and work to offset all their loads with solar and batteries. As utility prices inevitably increase, these projects reduce costs, decrease their carbon footprint, and ultimately provide more value to the customer with much desired shared. The future of solar has never looked brighter, and we’re excited to lead the change with our trusted partners.”

For more information regarding Six sustainability and ESG-related initiatives visit the website. 

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