Atlanta Motorsports Park Amps Up Its Dawsonville Track Campus With 358kW Solar Array – CleanTechnica

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A large solar farm is coming to Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP), a premier motorsports club in Dawsonville renowned for its F1-style road course and thrilling karting course.

Located in Dawsonville, Ga., the AMP campus is adding solar power through an array of 747 panels, generating 480 watts per panel, for a total of 358 kilowatts (kW). That’s enough energy to power nearly 300 homes! This investment follows AMP’s attack on sustainability with the recent addition of EV chargers: 10 Level 3 DC Superchargers, and 8 Level 2. Coupled with all LED lighting, solar powered CCTV/Signs, on site water/wastewater treatment, and efficient fixtures show the commitment to making a positive environmental impact.

In AMP’s case, the solar installation will power about 60% of the campus’s daily operational needs with clean, renewable energy. It will be connected to 5 buildings, at the onset, including the karting facilities and the park’s newly constructed, member-exclusive Sky Deck. The solar energy configuration is supplied courtesy of Hannah Solar, an Atlanta-based solar installation and maintenance firm known for its quality workmanship.

Supporting local businesses, Hannah Solar acquired panels for AMP that were manufactured locally by Hanwha Q. Cells at their Dalton, Ga. fabrication plant. The array also makes use of SolarEdge inverters, in addition to racking hardware by Ironridge and Panelclaw.

The system represents a substantial investment in furthering the self-sustaining capabilities of AMP. Once the array goes live, the campus will be able to reduce strain on the local power grid while offsetting the environmental cost of over half of AMP’s operational needs.

Annually, the installation is capable of generating 450,300 kWh of clean energy, offsetting 7,312 pounds of CO2 emissions over a 30-year period, according to an estimation tool provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA’s calculations state this offset is equivalent to eliminating over 16.6 million miles of road vehicle travel, or akin to planting 109,600 trees.

AMP CEO Jeremy Porter was positively glowing about the announcement. “The ability to generate over half of our energy needs through solar pushes us closer to our vision of making AMP’s campus its own self-sustaining community and resort. We are thrilled at our ability to reduce strain on the local grid while achieving a substantial positive environmental impact. The CEO of Amicalola EMC shared that this solar development at Atlanta Motorsports Park is the largest solar farm in his power region.”

With the help of consultants at Hannah Solar, the project was able to recoup 50% of its total costs using a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems, or REAP, Grant.

Porter emphasized how the expertise and assistance of Hannah Solar proved invaluable during the research, planning, design, and installation phase. AMP’s solar energy production will also be abetted by Hannah Solar’s long-term maintenance support.

Speaking about the project, Hannah Solar COO Joseph Waybright stated: “Hannah Solar is thrilled to announce our partnership with Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP) to implement a cutting-edge solar energy system. Jeremy and the team at AMP are dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint through solar and other efficiency technologies, demonstrating the effectiveness of renewable energy in an energy-intensive environment such as a racetrack.”

Waybright also drew connections between AMP’s solar energy upgrade and its embrace of the transition to electric vehicles. “They can now boast solar powered charging through several stations located on site,” creating cyclical benefits for reducing carbon emissions while relying on Georgia’s plentiful sunlight to keep the passionate motorsports community thriving well into the electric vehicle era.

“The team at Hannah Solar is looking forward to a continued partnership with AMP as they push the envelope and transform the perception of the racing industry,” Waybright concluded.

AMP plans on having solar energy generation commence once installation and setup has concluded in Q3 2024. Its startup will coincide with the addition of karting course lighting, allowing karting events and races to continue well into the night. With the addition of residential CirCuit Villas, and Condos at the park in recent years, along with upgrades to member amenities, AMP can also serve as a weekend retreat or vacation destination for passionate motorsports enthusiasts.

By improving its energy independence and environmental impact at the same time, the park is taking measurable steps to ensure that motorsports can be enjoyed sustainably by its members, event participants, and daily visitors. In this way, it both looks to the past of motorsports history and towards a future that now looks brighter than ever.

Atlanta Motorsports Park

Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP) is the first green, sustainable motorsports country club of its kind for high performance cars, motorcycles and karts. In addition to providing a driver’s haven for its members, Atlanta Motorsports Park offers private track rentals, corporate group options as well as the world’s most unique kart track.

Since its inception in 2012, AMP’s mission has been to make motorsports accessible in an environment that offers unmatched hospitality, world-class amenities and two of the most technically challenging race circuits in the USA.

Its main road circuit is a two mile long road course that was designed by Formula One track architect Hermann Tilke. It was also voted a top 10 track in North America by ‘Road and Track Magazine’. Built to the CIK Level A/1 standard and featuring more elevation changes than any kart track in the world, AMP’s kart circuit provides an unparalleled training base for professional racers as well as total novices. Thanks to its unique kart and road racing facilities, AMP provides a training proving ground and ladder to motorsports like no other venue in the USA.

About Hannah Solar 

Founded in 2008, Hannah Solar provides reliable and affordable energy solutions to businesses across the southeastern U.S. As a full-service provider, we manage every aspect of the solar energy process—from procuring top-quality materials to final installation and ongoing maintenance. Hannah Solar is your single-source solar energy supplier.

But our commitment doesn’t end there. We also partner with clients to enhance energy efficiency through the installation, monitoring, and maintenance of battery storage systems, electric vehicle charging stations, and more. Our goal is to significantly reduce energy costs and help you achieve your sustainability objectives.

Source courtesy of Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP)