SeaWorld San Antonio installing 4.3MW solar plant in parking lot

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

From the press release:

SeaWorld San Antonio is thrilled to announce the beginning stages of the installation of a state-of-the-art solar parking lot canopy. This landmark project will not only provide valuable shade to visitors during extreme heat but will also help SeaWorld make significant strides towards a more sustainable future, something embedded in its mission.

The solar canopy, boasting a capacity of 4.3 megawatts (MW), showcases the company's unwavering dedication to environmental responsibility. As the largest canopy in the SeaWorld system to date, this project sets a new standard for solar energy integration within the amusement park industry.

Located in the VIP section of SeaWorld San Antonio's parking lot, the canopy will shade approximately 1,200 parking spots. Beyond its cooling benefits, the solar panels integrated into the canopy will produce an impressive 16% of the park's electricity consumption, significantly reducing SeaWorld's carbon footprint. The impact of this added renewable energy is immense: It is equivalent to 28,000,000 pounds of coal burned in a year, 5,500 cars driven in one year, and 3,000 home’s annual energy use.

“SeaWorld San Antonio's investment in this groundbreaking solar project is a testament to our company's commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Jodi Davenport, President of SeaWorld San Antonio. “Our goal to is inspire and educate guests about animals and conservation, and just the sight of the solar panel car port when guests first arrive will instill in them the importance of renewable energy.”

SeaWorld has a history of ongoing conservation initiatives. In 2019, it opened Turtle Reef, a habitat for endangered sea turtles with a first-of-its-kind filtration system. Instead of the traditional water filtration method that utilizes sand filters, the Turtle Reef system uses a manmade marsh wetland to filter water. Turtle Reef’s 126,000-gallon coral reef-themed environment was designed as a natural biofiltration system to build an environmentally based recirculating filtration system that attracts wildlife and reduces water and energy consumption in the park, enabling the park to further its eco-friendly mission. Other SeaWorld sustainability efforts include collecting rainwater and condensate from air conditioning units for use in landscape irrigation as well as in pathway cleaning, park lighting systems being on timers to reduce energy consumption when the park is not open, and collecting water splashed from animal pools and recycling it back into the habitat.

"We are delighted to be partnering with SeaWorld San Antonio in bringing this ambitious solar parking lot canopy to life," said Mat Elmore, Senior Vice President of Corporate Clean Energy Solutions for Pivot Energy, the manufacturer of the solar panel system. "This project demonstrates SeaWorld's commitment to sustainability and their dedication to providing a memorable and environmentally friendly experience for their visitors. We are proud to contribute to their green initiatives."

Construction of the solar panel canopy has begun and will be executed in multiple phases, with the final phase expected to be completed by April of next year. Once energized in August 2024, the solar canopy will harness the abundant Texas sunshine to generate clean, renewable energy.