ORLANDO, Fla. – Disney will boost its clean energy capacity with new solar facilities to help power its parks in Central Florida.
What You Need To Know
- Disney World to add two new solar facilities
- The facilities will help provide power to the parks
- The new facilities are expected to come online in about two years
- Disney already has a Mickey-shaped solar farm near Epcot and a massive facility off State Road 429
Disney World and Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) are partnering with utility companies in the area to develop two new 75MW solar facilities, the company announced Thursday.
With the addition of the new facilities, Disney World will have four solar facilities capable of producing enough renewal energy to power up to 40% of its total annual energy consumption. The first facility Disney opened was a 22-acre, Mickey-shaped site near Epcot in 2016. That was followed by a massive 270-acre, 57MW facility off State Road 429 in 2019.
The new facilities are expected to come online in about two years, Disney said.
In recent years, Disney has been working to reduce its carbon footprint at its parks—not just in the U.S. but around the world. Disneyland Paris will soon have solar canopies that will provide cover for cars in the guest parking lot.
And, Disney Cruise Line will also soon bring online 4,320 solar panels at Castaway Cay, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas. The facility will provide about 70% of the island’s power.
Disney said Thursday that it has set new goals as part of its long-term vision to reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions. The company’s new goals have it achieving zero emissions for its direct operations by 2030.
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