Walt Disney World has unveiled its newest and largest solar farm. At 270 acres, the site is almost twice the size of the entire Magic Kingdom.
It’s not Disney’s first trip into solar energy business.
In 2016, famous Mickey Mouse-shaped panels went up near Epcot.
The new facility is Disney’s largest solar endeavor to date and is expected to generate enough energy to power two of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World.
“Here at Disney, every day is Earth Day,” Angie Renner, Environmental Integration Director of Disney Parks told “GMA.”
“I happen to drive by this every day. My view in the morning is different from my view in the evening when I’m going home,” said Renner as the panels face east in the morning, are almost flat by noon and then turn to the west as the sun sets.
Overnight, they shift back to the east to be ready for another day. If a hurricane strikes, the panels should be able to withstand the winds by going flat, officials said.
“These projects tag onto a long legacy of environmental stewardship that started with Walt Disney,” Renner noted.
Along with the solar energy harnessed by the panels, Disney also worked with environmental and horticulture experts to ensure the new plant is a nurturing habitat for wildlife, like bees and butterflies.
“We have a really important opportunity here to make this site as pollinator-friendly as possible,” said Rachel Smith, a Conservation Programs Manager from Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team.
