Coney Island, New York’s erstwhile amusement park mecca, is en route to receiving an infusion of modernity via its iconic Wonder Wheel, which is slated to install 32 solar panels atop its 16 swinging cars this summer. The man behind the idea, Deno Vourderis, hopes to bring back the bright lights that once characterized the 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel while simultaneously reinvigorating it with green energy.

“It brings back the old look – the look that people knew the Wonder Wheel for,” he said.

The Wonder Wheel used to have bulbs lighting each car before the Vourderises, who have operated the 90-year-old carnival attraction for about three decades, removed them in the 1980’s due to safety concerns over the electrical wiring. However, Vourderis hopes that the Wonder Wheel’s 32 solar panels, which he says will provide 960 watts of electricity, will restore the landmark to the glory of its heyday. Should all go well, he says, he will install more photovoltaic panels and run the entire ride on solar the following year.

“We’ve been a part of Coney Island since the dark ages,” he said. “We are ecstatic.”