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Wet’n’Wild Hawaii has gone solar.
Kapolei Water Park on Wednesday announced the launch of its 1.3 megawatt solar system in the form of carport solar panels in its parking lot, which the park says makes it the first all-solar attraction in Hawaii.
The system consists of 2,958 high-efficiency 440-watt solar panels, which are expected to fully power the park during opening hours.
“This is something that we have been planning for years and are so happy to finally execute – using the power of the sun here in sunny Kapolei and providing covered parking for our customers is a win-win solution,” Wet’n’Wild Hawaii General Manager Scott Loos said in a press release.
Honolulu-based Sunspear Energy installed the system, which is expected to produce approximately 2,150,000 kilowatt hours in the first year, which is equivalent to powering more than 200 homes.
According to Wet’n’Wild, the estimated environmental impact includes the removal of about 1.6 million pounds of burnt coal, or the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from driving 3.6 million kilometers in car, or carbon sequestered by 1,430 acres of American forest for a year
Additionally, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is today proclaiming Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii Green Energy Day, with a proclamation to be presented to the park.
Wet’n’Wild closed in March last year due to the pandemic and was able to reopen on its 21st birthday on May 29, with new security protocols in place. The park spans over 25 acres and features numerous slides, rides, and attractions.
In April, the park is open from Thursday to Sunday, with variable hours.
Sunspear Energy has installed over 60,000 solar panels and over 22 megawatts of solar power for residential and commercial projects.
“We are very excited to partner with Wet’n’Wild Hawaii and provide a solution to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint,” Jeff Kaemmerlen, CEO of Sunspear, said in the statement. “With land being a scarce resource in Oahu, solar carports are a great solution to converting unused open space into an income-generating asset while getting closer to Hawaii’s goal of 100% renewable energy. We hope park patrons enjoy coming back to a cooler vehicle after a fun day at Wet’n’Wild! ”
To celebrate the unveiling of its solar system, the park will be offering a special admission of $ 29.58 to guests Friday through Sunday.
