The solar power plant announced by Disney in April of this year finally has all the infrastructure built and now the first solar panels are being installed. Eventually 500,000 individual panels will occupy 270-acres and provide 50-megawatts of energy, enough to provide 25% of Walt Disney World resort’s entire power needs during peak sun hours or about two of its theme parks.
The plant is expected to be finished and operational in just a few months. You can see some panels on a smaller, previously built, plot near EPCOT as you ride the monorail or drive by on World Drive. From a high enough elevation you might even notice that it takes the shape of a giant hidden Mickey.
By switching to solar power, Walt Disney World’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by more than 57,000 tons per year. That’s equal to taking 9,300 automobiles off the roads.
The Walt Disney Company is currently working to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2012 by 2020. This solar facility at Walt Disney World is a great step toward those goals. The alarm has been sounded that our time to moderate climate change is running out, it’s good to see a company working toward a solution for its part in the crisis. There’s still a long way to go though.