Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia has upgraded its parking lot with one of the largest solar carports in the United States.

Here's what to know

According to Six Flags, the green project should generate enough electricity over a year to cover the power needs of Magic Mountain and neighboring Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles. Electrek reported that the 12.37-megawatt project is one of the biggest commercial single-site solar carport installations in the country.

Because the RECOM panels are bifacial, they can collect both direct sunlight and light reflected upward from below. Solar Optimum developed the project using 22,908 of those panels across 36 carport structures.

Across roughly 637,000 square feet, the structures shade about 4,315 parking spaces — 3,544 for guests and 771 for employees. Guest and employee parking areas also now have 109 EV charging connectors, giving drivers more places to plug in beneath the new canopy.

For homeowners inspired by Six Flags putting existing pavement to work, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.

More background

Using parking lots for solar helps add clean electricity generation without taking over new land. At Six Flags, the setup is expected to produce about 20.8 million kWh each year while also making the walk back to the car more comfortable on hot days.

The project also includes a 2 MW/8 MWh battery for storing electricity for later use. Discharged at its full 2 MW rating, an 8 MWh battery would provide about four hours of power, allowing the parks to save some of what they generate during the day.

When onsite solar production runs low, the parks can still draw electricity from Southern California Edison. They can also send surplus power back to the grid after onsite demand and available battery storage are covered, with the overall aim of offsetting all annual electricity use.

For people drawn to the cost-saving logic behind Six Flags' annual offset plan, EnergySage's solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system on a state-by-state level, as well as details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, these resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.

EnergySage is worth considering because the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. That kind of price comparison can make home solar much more approachable.

Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. It also echoes Six Flags' use of a 2 MW/8 MWh battery to store power for later use. Explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.

Where can I learn more?

The articles here cover other solar products, including modular solar carports for businesses, park-district installations, inventive solar designs, and floating arrays in Florida.

• Lumaport says parking lots can become solar power plants assembled like giant Lego sets.

• At Atlanta Motorsports Park, developers plan the largest solar farm in Georgia Power's service region.

• Designers keep testing creative uses of solar power that stretch beyond standard rooftop panels.

• Florida officials say highway ponds hold room to power 200,000 homes with floating solar arrays.

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