A McDonald’s restaurant does not look like a heavy industrial load from the outside. Inside, it is one of the most energy-intensive operations in the quick service sector. Cooking equipment running continuously across multiple stations, commercial refrigeration holding product at precise temperatures around the clock, and air conditioning maintaining comfort in a tropical climate for a dining area that never closes during trading hours. Energy is not a minor overhead at this scale. It is one of the most significant controllable costs in the P&L.

Solaren installed a 68.00kWp grid-tied rooftop system at the Paniqui flagship store in September 2022, sized around the actual daytime load profile rather than a generic estimate. Net metering captures the value of surplus generation during lower-trading periods. The system has been running quietly in the background ever since, generating over 100,000kWh annually and saving more than ₱91,000 every month.

This is not a completed project. It is an ongoing partnership. Solaren is currently in planning for the next expansion phase at this site, which will include a covered solar canopy and on-site EV charging infrastructure, a combination that reflects where commercial solar energy systems are heading for high-footfall retail and food service locations. The economics of solar-powered EV charging for Philippine businesses are particularly compelling at current fuel prices.

McDonald’s Paniqui is a working example of what a long-term energy partnership looks like in practice. The installation was the starting point, not the finish line.