Wet‘n’Wild’s solar system to power operations

COURTESY WET’N’WILD
Wet’n’Wild has installed a 1.3-MW solar system that will power its operations and provide shade for parking.

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COURTESY WET’N’WILD

Wet’n’Wild has installed a 1.3-MW solar system that will power its operations and provide shade for parking.

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Wet‘n’Wild Hawaii has gone solar.

The water park in Kapolei announced Wednesday the launch of its 1.3-megawatt solar system in the form of solar carport arrays in its parking lot, which the park said makes it Hawaii’s first 100% solar-powered attraction.

The system is made up of 2,958 high-efficiency, 440-watt solar panels, which are expected to fully power the park during operation hours.

“This is something 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 guests is a win-win,” said Wet‘n’Wild Hawaii General Manager Scott Loos in a press release.

Honolulu-based Sunspear Energy installed the system, which is expected to produce an estimated 2,150,000 kilowatt-hours during the first year, which is equivalent to powering over 200 homes.

According to Wet‘n’Wild, the estimated environmental impact includes the elimination of about 1.6 million pounds of coal burned, or the greenhouse gas emissions from driving 3.6 million miles in a car, or the carbon sequestered by 1,430 acres of U.S. forest for a year

In addition, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is proclaiming today “Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii Green Energy Day,” with a proclamation to be delivered to the park.

Wet‘n’Wild closed in March last year due to the pandemic, and was able to reopen on its 21st anniversary on May 29, with new safety protocols in place. The park sits on more than 25 acres, and features numerous water slides, rides and attractions.

In April, the park is open from Thursday to Sunday, with varying hours.

Sunspear Energy has installed more than 60,000 solar panels and more than 22 megawatts of solar power for both residential and commercial projects.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to partner with Wet‘n’Wild Hawaii and provide a solution to lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint,” said Sunspear CEO Jeff Kaemmerlen in the release. “With land being a scarce resource on Oahu, solar carports are a great solution for converting unused open space into a revenue generating asset while bringing us one step closer to Hawaii’s 100% renewable energy goal. We hope park guests enjoy returning to a cooler vehicle after a fun day at Wet‘n’Wild!”

To celebrate the unveiling of its solar system, the park will offer a special admission of $29.58 to guests from Friday to Sunday.