Disney World Installs On-Brand Solar Panels in the Shape of Mouse Ears The new solar farm near Epcot spans 22 acres and joins a family of mouse-shaped environmental projects.
By Lydia Belanger •
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"When you wish upon a star," the Pinocchio theme goes, "anything your heart desires will come to you." Well, Disney is now invoking the power of our home star, the sun, with a new solar farm. In true Disney Fashion, the installation is shaped like Mickey Mouse's iconic head.
Made up of 48,000 panels, the mouse-shaped array will generate five megawatts of energy, according to Duke Energy, the company that built it. That's equal to what 1,000 residential rooftop solar systems are capable of producing.
Related: 5 Innovative Uses of Solar Power
Disney has other "hidden" mouse silhouettes near the park, and this is not the first of them designed to help minimize its carbon footprint. In 1992, Disney planted 60,000 trees to form what is known as the Mickey Mouse Forest as part of a local reforestation project. It can be seen via Google Earth.
The mouse-shaped plots are two kinds of brilliant: Good for the environment, and good for brand exposure. They demonstrate how even go-green initiatives can be on-brand without compromising efficiency.
Related: 5 Magical Tips Walt Disney Can Teach Entrepreneurs About Marketing
As opposed to other companies greenwashing their marketing materials with overstated claims of sustainability -- Disney's solar array is concrete evidence of the company's commitment to cleaner energy.
Plus, the attention Disney is garnering from the new farm may be all the more inspiring for other businesses to take their own solar panel action.
