Chick-fil-A is working with microgrid developer SolMicroGrid to pilot solar and battery storage microgrids at its restaurants in California.
The fast-food restaurant giant’s latest completed microgrid pilot is at Quarry Creek in Oceanside, California. This Chick-fil-A’s clean energy upgrade features an 81 kWh battery and a 112 kW solar system. The solar panels are installed both as canopies and directly on the ground. Everything is tied together by a smart energy management system that optimizes the system’s performance. And if the grid goes down, the restaurant stays online, operating in “island mode.”
Because this location sits on a rocky, sloped terrain, SolMicroGrid used ground screws instead of traditional concrete footings to securely mount the solar panels. This approach made it easier to install the panels safely on tricky ground.
“The combination of solar and battery storage that we provided Chick-fil-A will help reduce energy costs while also achieving sustainability goals,” said Kirk Edelman, CEO of SolMicroGrid. The system is expected to deliver about one-third of the restaurant’s annual energy needs at a 10% discount to grid power.
The Oceanside pilot follows microgrid deployments at local owner-operated locations at Chick-fil-A Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa and Chick-fil-A March Lane at I-5 in Stockton.
“Chick-fil-A’s investment in piloting solar-powered microgrids, in partnership with SolMicroGrid, demonstrates our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Peden Young, a principal program lead on the sustainability team at Chick-fil-A. “Harnessing renewable energy onsite at our restaurants reduces our environmental footprint, while also reflecting Chick-fil-A’s dedication to pursuing what’s next and caring for our planet.”
Read more: In a historic first, wind and solar combined overtake coal in the US
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