- Walt Disney World Reveals Fourth Solar Installation on Earth Day
- The new site now helps power up to 100% of the resort’s daytime operations.
- It spans a massive 484 acres, or the size of 366 football fields.
The “happiest place on Earth,” Walt Disney World, now wants to take away the title of “most energy-efficient place on Earth” by unveiling its new solar installation in Levy County, Florida.
According to its announcement, the addition of its fourth solar installation means that all of its sites combined “can produce up to 100% of the daytime energy needs of the entire complex.” It was built in collaboration between Bronson Solar and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, but its size is what creates the shock factor.
The solar project spans 484 acres (approximately the size of 366 football fields) and provides 74,500 kilowatts of energy to supply clean electricity to all of the resort’s parks and facilities.
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Compared to their current 5,000 kilowatt ‘Hidden Mickey’ solar site, it’s a monstrous improvement, but when you take the sheer size of Walt Disney World and realize how much power it needs to run, it’s hard to wrap your head around it.
600,000 solar panels to power 25,000 acres
Now that Walt Disney World has increased the number of solar installations, this means that the resort now has a staggering 600,000 panels supplying power to every corner of the resort.
For starters, its four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom) and two water parks are some of the biggest consumers of the resort’s solar farms. When you take into account all the attractions, parades, and vendors you need to run at these sites, it’s already a massive demand, but there’s so much more to Walt Disney World beyond this.
In addition to the energy needed to keep the parks alive, there are more than 20 themed hotels and hundreds of restaurants and dining venues that also require a large slice of the solar pie, not forgetting the endless transportation options that run for hours, non-stop on-site entertainment and commercial facilities.
When you put all of this into perspective, the fact that Walt Disney World has amassed enough solar panels to provide clean electricity for all daytime operations is a huge environmental achievement, but it’s still incredible.
It is a global commitment
Disney’s focus on sustainable energy is not just limited to its home in Florida, but extends to all Disney resorts around the world.
The Disneyland Resort in Hong Kong has just completed the second phase of the development of the country’s first and largest solar parking canopy, with 400 panels covering 80 parking spaces. Similarly, Shanghai Disney Resort has installed solar panels on the rooftops behind the stage, reducing emissions by more than 2,500 metric tons.
In addition to these resorts, Disney has built solar installations at its Tokyo and Paris resorts. He also hasn’t forgotten Disney Cruise Line, which is installing solar plants to power the Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay sites in the Bahamas.
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