Disney World will soon become a solar-powered wonderland, after Duke Energy announced plans to build a five-megawatt utility-scale solar plant serving Florida’s Reedy Creek Improvement District; the special county set aside for the theme park in 1967.
The new facility will be constructed on 20 acres of land near World Drive alongside the famous Epcot Centre at Walt Disney World Resort.
Consisting of over 48,000 solar panels, the solar farm is expected to be arranged in the shape of a “Disney-inspired design” – reportedly the head of Mickey Mouse.
According to Duke Energy, the Reedy Creek facility will be in service by the end of the year and power the equivalent of 1,000 rooftop solar systems.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District Board of Supervisors approved a 15-year power-purchase agreement (PPA) with Duke Energy Florida Solar Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of Duke Energy Florida, to buy solar energy from the facility.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District was created in 1967 by a special Florida State order allowing Walt Disney World Company to build and operate a major theme park on 25,000 acres of property in central Florida. This legislation handed sole responsibility to the landowner – Walt Disney Company – for building and maintaining all services inside the district, including power, water, roads and fire protection.
The board of Supervisors was also given power to write its own building codes outside state law. Called Epcot Codes, they were considered the country’s strictest at the time of writing in 1970. Currently, the District attracts 250,000 people daily to holiday at Walt Disney’s four theme parks and more than 40,000 hotel rooms, restaurants and retail stores.
“Our new solar facility agreement is another example of how we’re always looking at innovative ways to conserve our natural resources,” said Bill Warren, administrator for Reedy Creek Improvement District, which provides governmental services, including utility systems. “The use of solar energy builds on our commitment to protect the environment and is another step toward realizing our long-term sustainability goals.”
The development is separate from Duke’s long-term Florida plan, announced last month, which aims to add 500 MW of solar in the state by 2024.
“We are committed to working with customers to expand their use of renewable energy,” said Alex Glenn, president, Duke Energy Florida. “This opportunity to serve the Reedy Creek Improvement District is another example of how we are meeting our customers’ interests in renewable energy, while bringing more solar choices to Florida.”
Image Credit: Katie Rommel-Esham
