Commercial, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  December 5, 2018

Disneyland Paris considers solar plant

Disneyland Paris is considering building a solar power plant that would supply 15% of the electricity load for its site on the outskirts of the city.

A report by Forbes quoted public consultation documents filed with the French government, which stated that Disneyland Paris has “initiated the steps to develop a park of photovoltaic panels on the visitor parking to generate 33 gigawatt hours per year, representing around 15% of the electrical energy currently consumed. This project is however subject to the agreement of the Regulation Energy Commission.”

Plans to build a solar power plant at this location were first revealed in 2010; that plan considered covering the main car park with solar canopies, which would also collect rainwater. Water consumption would be reduced while the solar energy would be used on-site or sold back to the grid. The current plan, Forbes noted, focuses only on solar power, "and seems to stand a better chance of proceeding than before. The resort now has even more of an emphasis on the development of clean energy and the solar power project is fully aligned with this commitment to sustainability.” Additionally, solar energy would support the park’s expansion plans, which call for the Studios section to double in size.

Disneyland Paris has already incorporated geothermal energy at its location, covering all heating requirements at Villages Nature Paris, one of the on-site Disney hotels.