Related: Crealy Great Adventure Parks – magical fun and great adventures guaranteed / Green Britain Day to kick start Crealy’s countdown to carbon neutral
Plans Unveiled to Deliver UK’s First Solar Powered Theme Park in Devon
Plans went on display on Wednesday (26 January) for a solar panel installation at Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park, near Exeter, that would establish the 100-acre attraction as the UK’s first to run its rides with solar power.
The brainchild of Crealy Managing Director Rod Pearson and Westcountry solar energy company, Low Carbon Solar, the installation will provide enough energy to meet around 90% of the park’s needs during the days of peak summer months when the sun is at its brightest, powering everything from catering facilities to the park’s roller coaster. Surplus power will be fed into the National Grid.
The plan involves the installation of around 200, 000 sq ft of solar photovoltaic panels (PV) on the roof of Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park’s main buildings, including its vast covered play area, and installing PV-covered carports in the main car park. These will shelter visitors’ cars while generating electricity from the sun.
Low Carbon Solar anticipates that the one-megawatt solar installation will save an estimated 515 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and generate enough electricity to meet the equivalent needs of 200 UK average households for a year.
Commenting on the exciting new development, Crealy Managing Director Rod Pearson said; “For Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park to become the first attraction to run its operation on solar power is a massive coup which places the South West firmly on the national, and international, map for sustainability projects.
Already Crealy uses bio diesel oil for vehicles used on park, water from a borehole and favours local suppliers for our catering and retail outlets. We hope that the local community will be as excited as we are about this development.”
Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Westcountry solar energy company Low Carbon Solar, who is originally from Tavistock in Devon, said: “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. This is a groundbreaking project and we intend it to be the first of many.”
The public consultation took place on Wednesday January 26 from 10am -12 noon and 4pm – 7pm at Devon’s Crealy Adventure Park, Exeter, Devon, EX5 1DR.
