Solar power farm coming to Disney

[21stamps]

I realized today that energy usage isn’t actually important to all. This was a nice title to read after that. There’s hope for mankind.

 

[peter11435]

I realized today that energy usage isn’t actually important to all. This was a nice title to read after that. There’s hope for mankind.

 

[Mike730]

Is anyone aware of updates on this project? I imagine construction must be visible from somewhere at this point.

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

Is anyone aware of updates on this project? I imagine construction must be visible from somewhere at this point.

Take a drive along 429 off of western way toward Apopka. This thread is old but I assume this is the same farm the op was referencing. And it’s massive!

 

[Mike730]

Take a drive along 429 off of western way toward Apopka. This thread is old but I assume this is the same farm the op was referencing. And it’s massive!

Yes, the array off Western Way is the one I’m referencing. Wish I lived close enough to drive by . I think it supposed to be done by the end of the year. Thanks!

 

[mj2v]

Yes, the array off Western Way is the one I’m referencing. Wish I lived close enough to drive by . I think it supposed to be done by the end of the year. Thanks!

They have thousands of the supports up. They should be adding panels soon and starting it up.

 

[jaques21]

i was actually gonna mention something last week about this but it is HUGE! any word if that's what they are also doing on the other side of the 429?

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

I often wonder to myself if it’s going to be like the scene in Energy when Ellen and Bill are blinded by the solar panels lol. This farm is absolutely huge and right along the road. It has been neat watching it go up though. Also good to know there won’t ever be neighbors there to complain about the fireworks

 

[danlb_2000]

i was actually gonna mention something last week about this but it is HUGE! any word if that's what they are also doing on the other side of the 429?

No, only one side of 429. The black areas are where the panels are going.

 

[danlb_2000]

I often wonder to myself if it’s going to be like the scene in Energy when Ellen and Bill are blinded by the solar panels lol. This farm is absolutely huge and right along the road. It has been neat watching it go up though. Also good to know there won’t ever be neighbors there to complain about the fireworks

I would hope that sort of thing is considered in the design.

 

[nace888]

I would hope that sort of thing is considered in the design.

Is there not a solar farm to the west of EPCOT? You can see it on maps...

 

[jbolen2]

Where will this new farm put them as far as usage goes with solar, the natural gas plant they own and buying from the grid % wise?

 

[Walt d]

Is anyone aware of updates on this project? I imagine construction must be visible from somewhere at this point.

I really enjoy going out to ts Island Going into Mystery mine. And allwas here, ts from rush in my noggin. And the barrel bridge is fun . Hope it remains the same .

 

[tparris]

I really enjoy going out to ts Island Going into Mystery mine. And allwas here, ts from rush in my noggin. And the barrel bridge is fun . Hope it remains the same .

Wrong thread my guy

 

[GoofGoof]

Where will this new farm put them as far as usage goes with solar, the natural gas plant they own and buying from the grid % wise?

I copied this over from the gondola thread since it’s more relevant here:

The release said they expect the new 50MW solar project being built will produce about 120,000 megawatt hours per year which is roughly 10% of the total electricity used per RCID records. The project covers 270 acres.

You can’t really say for sure how much the CO2 offset is without knowing the exact mix of power plants being currently used but based on this EPA calculator which uses averages:
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

This solar project will offset the equivalent of 89,000 metric tons of CO2 per year vs using electricity from burning fossil fuels. This is the equivalent of the amount of CO2 absorbed by 105,000 acres of mature forest but the project only covers 270. Put another way, clearing 270 acres of mature forest creates an additional 232 metric tons of CO2 per year. It’s pretty negligible to the overall reduction.

 

[halltd]

I often wonder to myself if it’s going to be like the scene in Energy when Ellen and Bill are blinded by the solar panels lol. This farm is absolutely huge and right along the road. It has been neat watching it go up though. Also good to know there won’t ever be neighbors there to complain about the fireworks

The scene in UoE was a solar thermal farm...where the sun is reflected from mirrors to a cylinder in the center of the circle to heat fluid, generate steam, and create electricity by turning a turbine. Those aren’t solar panels, they’re really mirrors.

The WDW farms are photovoltaic panels which absorb sunlight to generate power by moving electrons around (that’s as scientific as I remember how the process works!).

These panels won’t reflect sunlight onto the road just like the giant Mickey doesn’t cause pileups on World Drive.

 

[jaques21]

No, only one side of 429. The black areas are where the panels are going.

Thanks!

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

The scene in UoE was a solar thermal farm...where the sun is reflected from mirrors to a cylinder in the center of the circle to heat fluid, generate steam, and create electricity by turning a turbine. Those aren’t solar panels, they’re really mirrors.

The WDW farms are photovoltaic panels which absorb sunlight to generate power by moving electrons around (that’s as scientific as I remember how the process works!).

These panels won’t reflect sunlight onto the road just like the giant Mickey doesn’t cause pileups on World Drive.

Yes, I’m aware . Just makes me chuckle. That said, awesome information that I’m sure others found useful as well .

 

[GlacierGlacier]

Photos from BioReconstruct:

 

[DisneyCane]

The scene in UoE was a solar thermal farm...where the sun is reflected from mirrors to a cylinder in the center of the circle to heat fluid, generate steam, and create electricity by turning a turbine. Those aren’t solar panels, they’re really mirrors.

The WDW farms are photovoltaic panels which absorb sunlight to generate power by moving electrons around (that’s as scientific as I remember how the process works!).

These panels won’t reflect sunlight onto the road just like the giant Mickey doesn’t cause pileups on World Drive.

The one out in the Mojave desert just on the California side of the CA/NV line is a sight to see when flying into/out of Vegas some times. Granted, that solar/thermal design is apparently not all that great and it fries birds that come to eat the insects that get attracted by the light beams. However, just from a "that was cool to see" standpoint, the brightness on the top of the towers is impressive!