McDonald's Tests Solar Technology On Pacific Beach Restaurant

By Daily Transcript staff report

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

A Pacific Beach McDonald’s restaurant recently became the first in the nationwide chain powered by solar energy. The “solar panel trees” installed by Cardiff-based AMSOLAR are visible in the restaurant’s parking lot from Garnet Avenue. The more than 14-kilowatt system will help McDonald’s reduce its carbon emissions by 16 metric tons annually. The solar trees were developed by Campbell, Calif.-based Coulomb Technologies and include charging stations where customers can charge electric vehicles while they dine.

Philip Palumbo, owner of the Pacific Beach McDonald’s franchise is an advocate of solar technology and is helping the corporation pursue its sustainability efforts with his project. The project will serve as a case study for the restaurant chain to determine whether the technology should be widely implemented.

AMSOLAR also has partnered with Bayview Terrace Elementary School and will be ushering students along on a tour of the facility Thursday in an effort to educate the community about renewable resources.