Living just beyond the Epcot Center, Mickey consists of 48,000 solar panels, measures 22 acres, and revs an impressive five megawatts.
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The five-megawatt solar farm is being called the Walt Disney World Solar Facility.
Walt Disney World Resort, Duke Energy and the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) have officially dedicated a giant, Mickey-Mouse-shaped solar project located on 22 acres near the Epcot theme park in Orlando, Fla. It is visible from the air as a giant Mickey Mouse shape.
The facility “will help reduce the impact on the environment”, according to a joint announcement from Duke Energy and Walt Disney World.
The energy from the solar panels will help power the Walt Disney World resort, as well as hotels along Hotel Plaza Boulevard and the Four Seasons Resort. The solar power plant is the equivalent of 1,000 residential solar rooftops systems. It had trailed behind NextEra, which owns the utility FPL, but Duke’s new facilities will make it about even with NextEra in terms of solar photovoltaic. Designed in the shape of a “not-so-hidden-Mickey” the solar facility is the latest endeavor by Duke Energy to increase access to renewable energy in Florida.
It turns out that Disney has really gotten into the habit of harnessing the energy of stars to power their varied thriving empires.
Duke Energy has plans to expand its solar power projects, with another farm in the works slated to be the size of 20 football fields.
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Disney officials said Walt Disney himself would be proud of the endeavor.
