Years of collaboration among Six Flags, SCVEDC, and public and private partners supported a landmark renewable energy project in the Santa Clarita Valley.
A major renewable energy investment is now generating power in the Santa Clarita Valley.
On October 1, Six Flags Magic Mountain celebrated the energization of its 12.37-megawatt solar carport installation, the largest in California and one of the largest single-site commercial solar carport projects in the United States.
Developed in partnership with Solar Optimum, the system is designed to offset 100% of the annual electricity consumption of Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles. Its completion also reflects several years of collaboration among Six Flags, SCVEDC, and public and private partners who helped support the project.
“This is a transformative moment for Six Flags Magic Mountain and our sustainability journey,” said Brian Oerding, park president of Six Flags Magic Mountain in their press release last week. “By investing in renewable energy, we're taking meaningful action to reduce our environmental impact while helping build a more sustainable future for our guests, team members and community.”
Bringing a project of this scale to completion requires coordination among a business, its project team, utilities, and public agencies.
SCVEDC supported the project by connecting the team with public-sector resources and helping facilitate coordination with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), Los Angeles County, Supervisor Kathryn Barger's office, Southern California Edison, and other stakeholders.
As part of that work, SCVEDC facilitated the project team's use of LA County Connect, a program that gives developers and design professionals direct access to County department representatives for guidance on commercial projects in plan review. Offered through a partnership among SCVEDC, Supervisor Barger, and the County's Fire, Regional Planning, Public Health, and Public Works departments, the program provides free appointments to discuss project requirements, process, and timing.
For SCVEDC, connecting businesses with resources like LA County Connect is a practical part of helping local investment move forward.
“Projects like this take sustained collaboration, and we’re proud of the role SCVEDC played in bringing people together and helping move this investment forward,” said Ondré Seltzer, President and CEO of SCVEDC. “We thank Six Flags, GO-Biz, Los Angeles County, Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office, Solar Optimum, and all of the project partners for their commitment to seeing it through. This is economic development in action, with a lasting result our community can see.”
Those canopies also provide shade for approximately 4,315 parking spaces, helping reduce vehicle heat buildup and making arrival and departure more comfortable for guests and employees. The project includes 109 electric vehicle charging connectors and a 2-megawatt/8-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system to support energy reliability and efficiency.
According to Six Flags, the system is expected to generate approximately 20.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 2,874 homes.
Community leaders and project partners gathered for the October 1 energization celebration, which coincided with the start of National Energy Awareness Month. Representatives from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo’s office presented recognitions honoring the project.
For the Santa Clarita Valley, the installation represents a substantial renewable energy investment at one of the region’s best-known destinations. It also demonstrates the value of sustained business assistance and coordination across the public and private sectors.
SCVEDC congratulates Six Flags Magic Mountain, Solar Optimum, and all participating partners on this achievement and thanks them for the collaboration that helped make it possible.
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) is a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.