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Chipotle mounts solar panels on 75 restaurants
By Kim Nguyen, knguyen@acnpapers.com
The Chipotle at Collin Creek Mall will be getting a green makeover just in time for Earth Day.
The East Plano location is one of the five North Texas restaurant locations to have rooftop solar panels installed. Solar panel installations are already underway in select cities including Denver, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, and the restaurant chain plans to install solar panels on approximately 75 Chipotle restaurants over the next year.
Solar panels have been placed at 13 restaurants, including the four other locations in North Texas: Upper Greenville, Irving Mall, Vista Ridge and Watauga.
Chris Arnold, Chipotle spokesman, said the installations are a part of the company's continued efforts to decrease its impact on the environment.
"We have a deeply rooted internal belief of constant improvement," he said. "Over the last several years, we have been trying to find more ways to have environmentally friendly buildings as an extension of our practices on the food front. We have a philosophy called 'Food with Integrity,' where we strive to find sustainable sources for our ingredients."
The permit for the Collin Creek Mall Chipotle will be the fifth permit filed with the city to install a photovoltaic system on a commercial building, said Bill McGovern, electrical inspection services supervisor.
Photovoltaic systems are arrangements of modules with cells containing a material that converts solar radiation into direct-current electricity.
McGovern said more than a dozen residential permits have been filed and noted that the new Environmental Services building will feature a photovoltaic system as well as a wind turbine.
"(Photovoltaic systems) are becoming more popular as the systems get cheaper and more incentives become available," he said. "And, more people are getting interested in being more eco-conscious."
Chipotle has partnered with Houston-based Standard Renewable Energy for all of its panel installation projects.
"We had a relationship with SRE before the program started, and SRE partnered to develop this program in conjunction with us," Arnold said. "They help evaluate sites and supply the panels and installation."
The electricity generated by the solar panels will roll into the restaurant's regular power supply and provide a portion of the restaurant's daily power.
Arnold said with the installation of solar panels, the company hopes to reduce its restaurants' draw on traditional power at peak business times - from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. - when demand on the energy grid is greatest. The restaurants chosen to have the solar panels installed are selected based on criteria including electricity consumption by the restaurant, solar rebates that are available from local utilities and access to direct sunlight.
"When complete, the installations are expected to produce 500 kilowatts of electricity collectively, and make Chipotle the largest direct producer of solar energy in the restaurant industry," Arnold said. "The installations are also expected to help avoid the release of 41 million pounds of CO2 emissions."
Restaurant locations are determined with an extensive research process, Arnold said.
"First, it's a matter of looking at markets where solar would make an efficient option," he said. "Places like Texas, Arizona and Colorado would be more effective than Chicago because of the amount of sunlight."
After markets are determined, Arnold said individual restaurants are evaluated. Options such as contract limits, lease durations and surrounding buildings are considered. Once a location is chosen, SRE will take over and submit permits to the local municipality for approval.
Arnold would not disclose the price of the systems, as the prices vary from location to location, but he said he expects the restaurants to recoup the costs after two years.
The next step for Chipotle would be continuing to improve on current practices and finding additional ways to decrease the company's carbon footprint.
"We haven't laid out any plans yet; the aim is not necessarily looking for specific projects, but looking at all of our practices and looking for ways to improve," Arnold said. "We are continually working to find ways to do better."
Arnold said installing the solar panels in Chipotle restaurants is one more milestone in the history of firsts that the company has achieved in sustainable development.
"We were the first restaurant to get green certification with a location in Austin, Texas; the first national company to use direct wind power with our location in Gurnee, Ill.; first restaurant to receive Platinum-level LEED certification," he said. "Many of our restaurants around the country are LEED-certified, and all new restaurants include some environmentally friendly materials or systems, including low-VOC paints and sealants, recycled drywall and stainless steel, photocell light controls that regulate electric lighting based on availability of natural lighting, or low-E window glass that helps reduce heating and cooling needs."
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