Summertime in Jackson, New Jersey, sounds like wheels creaking on metal rails — followed by screams of delight. Six Flags Great Adventure is Jackson’s largest summer tourist destination, and also its biggest energy consumer. The park uses enough electricity to power more than 3,000 homes.

In March, Great Adventure received approval to build a 21.9-megawatt solar facility — the largest in the state — on 90 acres of park property. Expected to generate 98 percent of the park’s power needs, it comes at a cost — 18,000 trees must be cut down to accommodate it. [Read more…]