Chipotle Mexican Grill Goes Solar

In the past, I’ve suggested that McDonald’s should go solar.  Well, its about to be surpassed by another fast food restaurant for bragging rights.  Starting soon, you can order a “side of solar,” …. so to speak …. at some Chipotle Mexican Grill locations.

In a deal with Standard Renewable Energy, The fast food chain is installing rooftop solar panels on 75 of its restaurants nationwide in the coming year.   In fact, the solar installations have already started in Texas (Austin, Dallas and San Antonio).  Participating restaurants are chosen based on their electrical consumption, solar rebates offered by local utilities and access to direct sunlight.

When you combine the power that will be generated by the chain’s solar panels, it will become the largest direct producer of solar power in the restaurant business. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the solar panel installations will reduce CO2 emissions by about 41 million pounds.

Chipotle’s Chairman and CEO Steve Ells stated:

“Today, we’re following a similar path in the way we design and build restaurants, looking for more environmentally friendly building materials and systems that make our restaurants more efficient.”

Why not install solar panels on rooftops?

Of the fast food chains in the U.S., Chipotle is one of the smallest – dwarfed by McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King and the other behemoths of the industry.  Yet, with this first foray into rooftop solar panels, perhaps we’ll see Chipotle Mexican Grill emerge as a leader in a number of respects.  Not only can the solar panels help the chain cut costs, but – let’s face it – its increasingly a positive marketing advantage to show your green side.

Lest you think the Chipotle solar panels is nothing short of a marketing ploy… think again.  With many of its 830 restaurants located in single-story structures, there is ample rooftop space available for many more installations to occur.  With numerous solar incentives offered by both the federal and state governments, why wouldn’t they switch to the ample renewable energy resource?

To put the potential into perspective, consider this information from a related blog post:

The largest single fast food chain, McDonald’s, has 32,000 restaurants operating under its brand in more than 100 countries. . . . Assume that one-quarter of the locations are solar friendly and McDonald’s could crank out upwards of 50 megawatts globally. That’s enough power to displace a small power plant, and is roughly enough to reduce production at the average coal-fired power plant in North America by about 10 percent.

Many see the solar panel installations as an expected progression of the fast food chain’s eco-friendly practices, with LEED-certified restaurants already in existence in several locations, and a stated mission to enhance sustainable practices.

We’re wishing all the success to Chipotle Mexican Grill with its new rooftop solar panels.  Someone has to be a leader when it comes to fast food going green.  And just perhaps we’ve found a new trailblazer!