The parking lot at Six Flags Magic Mountain is now a power plant.

On October 1, the Valencia theme park energized a 12.37-megawatt solar carport — the largest solar carport in California and one of the largest single-site commercial carport projects in the country. The canopy covers 637,000 square feet across 36 structures, shading about 4,315 parking spaces with 22,908 solar panels. A battery system stores power for later use, and the project includes 109 electric-vehicle charging connectors.

The system is designed to generate about 20.8 million kilowatt-hours a year — enough to offset 100 percent of the annual electricity use of both Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles. The project was developed with Solar Optimum.

It is a fitting spotlight for a valley that knows sunshine: the same sun that makes for long October afternoons is now keeping the roller coasters running.

Read more: Six Flags Magic Mountain energizes California's largest solar carport