Interview of Damien Audric, Director of Euro Disney Development and Environment (France)
In line with Walt Disney’s policy, environmental protection and innovation are at the heart of the strategy adopted by the tourist attraction which strives every day to offer an experience that is unique and environmentally friendly.
“As part of our constant commitment to the environment, over the last few years we have been working on the idea of producing our own energy from renewables at the Disneyland Paris site. We just needed to find a suitable site: it turned out to be our 45 hectare visitor parking lot!
Installing solar parking canopies enabled us to improve the site’s environmental performance and prepare for the future by implementing innovative solutions which, furthermore, also provide the answer to a major concern we have had within our group: the well-being of our visitors. Installing the canopies meant that not only will we be able to produce decarbonized electricity locally, but we will also be providing a service to our customers by protecting their vehicles from the sun and rain in summer, and from snow in winter.
In Urbasolar, we have found a quality partner who listens to the specific needs of our industry and knows how to offer solutions which meet the highest quality standards, whilst also meeting our own strict requirements, whether they be environmental or aesthetic.” said Damien Audric, Director of Euro Disney Development and Environment.
In total, 11,000 parking places will be covered, enabling us to produce 36 GWh per year, or the equivalent of 17% of the power needs of Disneyland Paris and a town of 17,400 inhabitants, saving 890 tonnes of CO2 each year.
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