Key Highlights

  • The array has 4,696 panels and is projected to produce nearly 3.4 million kilowatt-hours yearly.
  • Solar output could offset up to 50% of the electricity the resort buys.
  • Since activation in June 2026, the system has generated about 495,316 kilowatt-hours.
  • A projected 2,285 metric tons of carbon dioxide may be avoided each year.

What Was Announced

Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE:RHP) said on Wednesday that a rooftop solar array covering about 3.5 acres atop the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is now fully active. The announcement coincided with World Energy Saving Day.

The array was first activated in June 2026, and the company says its inverters are now operational. REV Energy Ventures developed the project with the resort, which Ryman owns and Marriott International operates.

Solar Added to an Existing Energy Base

The resort already runs a combined heat and power system, known as Cogen, that has operated since 2018. It generates electricity on site and reuses waste heat, and the company says it helps meet more than 75% of the resort's energy needs.

Solar is therefore an addition to an established setup, not a first step. The company says the combination is meant to raise on-site generation, cut emissions and reduce reliance on grid power.

Reading the Numbers

The company projects the array could supply up to 20% of the resort's electrical load at peak production and offset up to 50% of the electricity bought from the local utility. The two figures measure different things, since one concerns peak load and the other annual purchases, so they are not interchangeable.

Output to date is about 495,316 kilowatt-hours, roughly 14.6% of the projected annual figure. The company does not state the period covered beyond the June activation, and output varies by season.

Emissions and Household Equivalents

Using Environmental Protection Agency methodology, the company estimates the array may avoid 2,285 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year and generate enough electricity for about 331 average U.S. homes. Output so far avoided an estimated 333 metric tons and equals the annual use of about 48 households.

Equivalents of this kind are conventions, not measurements of the resort's own footprint.

Risks and Open Questions

For a real estate investment trust, the financial effect may depend on what the system costs, how much utility spending it displaces and whether lower operating costs reach earnings. None of those figures were provided. Solar output also depends on weather and season, and the resort would still rely on the grid and Cogen for the rest of its needs.

On the other side, on-site generation could give the resort more control over operating costs and some protection against grid disruption. Chief executive Mark Fioravanti said the project reduces grid demand and adds climate resilience, while a Gaylord National engineering director said it builds on the Cogen foundation.