Disney rolls out major parking lot update in one of its parks: ‘We are pushing the boundaries’

Disneyland is in the middle of a massive suncatching project in the City of Light.

Parking lot planners at the Paris location have started working on the last phase of a solar panel canopy that will cover a guest lot of 11,200 spaces. Once complete, Disney officials claim it will be the largest “solar canopy plant” in Europe.

The output of 36 gigawatt-hours per year is estimated to be enough to power a town of 17,400 people, per a Disney blog. Visitors will also enjoy shade and protection from the weather while in the parking lot.

It’s part of Disney’s push to achieve a goal that’s becoming the boilerplate mantra of most companies these days: net zero by 2030.

Reducing air pollution within the decade, and more so by 2050, is important to avoid worst-case scenarios from planet overheating, according to climate experts. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that temperatures should not exceed preindustrial times (1850-1900) by more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

While many companies are jumping on board with lofty goals, it’s wise to keep tabs on the actual progress. Disney’s Paris solar investment, along with others, seems to be a legitimate step in the right direction.

“Through innovative use of space, and with a touch of Disney magic, we are using the sun to conserve energy and power up in a responsible manner, and help plants, animals and people in the process,” Disney Parks’ Vice President of Animals, Science, and Environment Mark Penning wrote in the blog, which includes glowing summaries and photos of other Disney solar projects around the world.

There’s a large array at Disney’s Hong Kong location. Disney Cruise Lines has a solar operation on an island in The Bahamas. The 4,320 panels are “designed to provide approximately 70% of the island’s power,” per the blog.

Those arrays are part of a growing industry. The International Energy Agency reported that installed solar capacity is forecast to exceed coal’s power capacity by 2027, “becoming the largest in the world.”

Disney’s dedication to clean operations has support straight from the top: Mickey Mouse.

A 48,000-panel system in the shape of the iconic character went online in 2016 in Florida.

“We are pushing the boundaries … and helping the habitats we call home in the process,” Penning wrote.

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