Plans have been unveiled for a solar electricity system to power Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park.
Located near Exeter in the UK, the 100-acre theme park would become the nation’s first to run its rides with solar energy.
The proposed solar farm will generate enough electricity to meet around 90% of the park’s needs during the days of peak summer months, which includes the operation of the park’s roller coaster.
The facility would incorporate 18, 580 square meters of solar panels on the rooftop of Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park’s main buildings and PV modules covering carports in the main car park – providing shade for visitor’s cars as well as generating clean electricity from the sun.
According to a press release from the company, the one-megawatt solar installation will avoid 515 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually and generate enough electricity to power 200 UK average households annually. Any surplus power generated will be exported into the national mains grid.
Crealy also has other initiatives in place to reduce its environmental impact; such as bio-diesel usage for park vehicles, water provided through an on-site bore and the company says it favours local suppliers for it catering needs and retail outlets.
“Crealy is a fantastic example of how we can use car parks and large commercial rooftops to generate clean, renewable electricity that will save money, reduce carbon emissions and help the UK meet its renewable energy targets,” says Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Low Carbon Solar; a partner in the planned project.
