Carnival Unveils Solar Park to Power Popular Cruise Port

As spring draws closer and daylight hours get longer, Carnival Corporation & plc has unveiled a new solar park at Amber Cove that has enough capacity to supply most of the cruise center’s energy needs.

This is a great step toward further environmental sustainability and highlights the company’s commitment to preserving the natural beauty of its destinations.

New Solar Park at Amber Cove

Carnival celebrated the ribbon cutting for its new solar park at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic on Friday, March 8, 2024 – less than two weeks before the spring equinox.

The park features more than 1,800 solar panels that will ultimately supply 80% of the energy used at the 25-acre cruise port, and is the first installation of its kind with such close ties to major cruise lines.

This will dramatically reduce the port’s reliance on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants and helping preserve the natural beauty of the region, which all guests enjoy when they visit the richly vibrant port of call.

“As we bring guests to enjoy the beauty and rich culture of the Dominican Republic, we also take our environmental stewardship here and everywhere we visit very seriously,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president. “With this new solar park in Amber Cove, we are furthering our commitment to sustainability at our destinations by focusing on renewable energy sources to power the vast majority of the port’s needs.”

Also in attendance for the momentous occasion were other local and industry officials as well as Carnival executives.

“On behalf of the Government, we celebrate this achievement, which makes Amber Cove the first cruise terminal in the country with a project of this scale,” said Joel Santos, minister of the presidency of the Dominican Republic. “This project will undoubtedly contribute to the production of clean energy and environmental sustainability in Puerto Plata, the first tourist destination in the Dominican Republic.”

The 133,596-gross-ton, Vista-class Carnival Horizon was visiting Amber Cove on Friday, but the event was not a public occasion. Carnival Vista, Carnival Celebration, and Mardi Gras will all be visiting the popular destination in the next few days, and will be the first vessels to be enjoying the cleaner power for lighting, sound systems, and overall operations.

How Much Energy Will Be Saved?

When the full solar park is operating at peak efficiency and the port is bustling, overall greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 1,000 tons per year. This is the equivalent to planting more than 30,000 trees.

Read Also: Amber Cove, Dominican Republic – Everything You Need to Know

Since it first opened in 2015, Amber Cove has welcomed more than 3.6 million guests. As ships get larger and cruise travel popularity continues to grow, more and more passengers will be visiting the destination, and the use of the solar park will ensure Amber Cove remains as pristine and lovely for future visitors as it is today.

Carnival’s Other Environmental Initiatives

The opening of the solar park at Amber Cove is just the latest in sustainability initiatives Carnival Corporation & plc has implemented.

Many behind-the-scenes steps have been taken, for example, to upgrade the company’s cruise ships across the various cruise lines so they can operate more efficiently. This includes upgrades in lighting and HVAC systems onboard, hull designs and coatings that reduce friction, using shoreside power where possible, and committing to liquefied natural gas vessels.

Onboard waste has also been addressed in recent years with the elimination of plastic straws and other single-use plastics, steps taken to reduce food waste, and other small measures that add up to tremendous efforts.

Ultimately, Carnival Corporation & plc’s ambitions 2030 emission reduction goals are closer than many people realize, goals that will preserve and protect marine environments, ports of call, and the beauty of cruising for generations to come.