Theme Park First With Renewable Power

A leading theme park has become the first in the UK to be powered by renewable energy.

GreenWood Forest Park in Y Felinheli, North Wales, has unveiled a £150,000 ground-mounted solar array which will provide more than 80 percent of the park’s energy needs.

The 576-panel 150kW system will save the park over £1m in energy costs over a 25-year period as well as providing a carbon saving of 1,700 tonnes over the same period.

Stephen Bristow, owner and managing director of GreenWood Forest Park, said, “I believe GreenWood Forest Park is the first tourist attraction of its kind to produce the vast majority of its power from renewable sources.

“Many theme parks use huge amounts of electricity and could be doing a good deal more to address the issue of carbon reduction.

“I am extremely proud of our investment in the new solar array which will provide around 80 percent of our power needs.”

The installation of the ground-mounted PV system was project managed by Perfect Sense Energy along with partners Gwynedd Renewables and Pioneer Contracting.

Gary Brandwood, managing director of Manchester-based Perfect Sense Energy, said, “Perfect Sense Energy and our partners Gwynedd Renewables and Pioneer Contracting are delighted to have been able to design and install the first solar array of its kind at a UK theme park.” “At certain times, the PV array produces more than double the amount of energy being consumed by the park, with the excess renewable energy being exported on to the grid for other local consumers to use.”

Source: Energy in Buildings & Industry – October 2015
Source: http://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/607679/Forest-Park-theme-solar-power