OCEANSIDE — Chick-fil-A celebrated the launch of its third solar microgrid in California last week by donating $25,000 to Brother Benno’s, a local nonprofit serving the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.
The fast-food chain’s Quarry Creek location at 3475 Marron Road recently installed an 81-kilowatt-hour battery energy storage system and a 112-kilowatt solar array, making it the third Chick-fil-A in the state equipped with its own solar-powered microgrid.
The other two locations are in Santa Rosa and Stockton.
Installed by SolMicroGrid, a national energy firm, the system includes canopy and ground-mounted panels on a slope near the restaurant’s parking lot. Due to the terrain, the project used ground screws instead of traditional concrete footings.
The microgrid is expected to generate about one-third of the restaurant’s annual energy needs at a 10% discount compared to grid power.
“Chick-fil-A’s investment in piloting solar-powered microgrids, in partnership with SolMicroGrid, demonstrates our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Peden Young, a sustainability program lead at Chick-fil-A, Inc. “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.”
The Oceanside project was made possible after Chick-fil-A leadership approached franchise owner Adam Hoffman about hosting the microgrid. Hoffman said he welcomed the opportunity.
“I love opportunities that are a win-win,” Hoffman said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It helps me, and it helps the environment.”
The company also used the event to make a surprise donation to Brother Benno’s, a longtime partner of Chick-fil-A’s Shared Table program, which redistributes surplus food from participating restaurants to local nonprofits.
“We did not expect this at all,” said Kathleen Diehlmann, development and communications manager for Brother Benno’s. “Every bit counts, but this is a lot.”
Diehlmann said the donation was the organization’s largest in some time and called the support from a national brand significant.
“A high-profile organization donating money is huge for us,” she said. “I want to say thank you to Chick-fil-A for making our day, our week, month and year.”
Through food rescue partnerships with local businesses, including Chick-fil-A, Brother Benno’s says it has prevented nearly 5.8 million pounds of food from ending up in landfills.
