Green and Fast Food

The words green and fast food don’t usually go hand in hand in a good way or so I thought. While surfing the web I came across a Press Release on Sonic Drive In going green by converting to solar energy. Wow, what a concept. I really hadn’t thought about restaurants going solar but if companies and homes can why not a restaurant? What if all the fast food chains could do the same? Would it be the end of fossil fuel dependency? Now there’s a thought.

Solar power has worked its way into most of our daily lives with small items like flashlights, garage door openers, cell phone chargers and lawn accessories. For those lucky enough to live an alternative lifestyle, solar homes and boats are the norm not the exception. I’ve recently noticed that stores like Home Depot and Lowes offer solar panels and systems for conventional homes. With electricity rates rising more people are looking for alternatives. Some are choosing to use solar panels and then resell the energy generated back to the power company for payment. That’s what Sonic in Wilsonville, Oregon is doing through the Feed In Tariff Program. This renewable energy program is only available in 6 U.S states and 17 European Countries.

According to a Wilsonville, Oregon news article, Andrea and Jess Wetsel’s Sonic will generate over $6,000 of electricity annually and will cover 25 –30 percent of their electric usage. This system will also eliminate around 8,648 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually. I wonder how much emissions could be eliminated if more business’ were able to convert to this system?

This Solar system was designed and installed by NW Photon Energy (NWPE) of Lake Oswego, Oregon. Their system is made up of 45 panels with a 9.9-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system. The drive-in bay canopies that run on both sides of the restaurant are the perfect setup for a solar panel system. Any business with a flat roof and ambient light can get in on the act of saving money and the environment.

Unless it’s in their advertising you wouldn’t really notice solar panels on the roof of your favorite restaurant or business. With a little more Internet searching I found that Walgreen’s, Chipotle and even Taco bell are going green. Electric isn’t the only thing going solar, a Taco Bell owned by PRB Management in Albany, CA has installed a solar hot water system due to limited roof space for a conventional PV system. This system change generated a check for over $3,000 along with reducing natural gas consumption by 300 therms (measurement of heat into energy) per year.

In light of my findings while researching this subject, I am feeling more hopeful about the future of green energy usage. It seems that we can make a tangible difference, one that our businesses and our planet will greatly benefit from.

Chris Keenan is a green and general blog writer. He writes for many sites including Precision Garage Door. Chris also maintains a personal blog at The Keenan Cookbook