Solar Panels Will Be Added On About 75 Restaurants
POSTED: 4:06 pm MDT October 20, 2009
UPDATED: 7:04 am MDT October 21, 2009
DENVER — Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. plans to add solar panels on about 75 of its restaurants over the next year. The Denver-based fast-casual chain said Tuesday that it is partnering with Houston-based Standard Renewable Energy to install enough panels to produce 500 kilowatt hours of electricity. Installations are already under way in Denver and in Texas, in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
Chipotle said the goal is to reduce how much traditional energy the restaurants use from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., when demand for energy is greatest. Chipotle has had other “green” initiatives. Its restaurant in Gurnee, Ill., has a wind turbine on site and an underground cistern to harvest rainwater for irrigation.