Community solar provider Ampion Renewable Energy has partnered with The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) to facilitate the adoption of renewable energy among Wendy’s® restaurants. This initiative encompasses nearly 100 company-operated and nearly 40 franchise restaurants across New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts. These locations are now enrolled in Ampion+, a program designed to help organizations reduce energy costs and obtain Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), verifying their use of renewable energy and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Through Ampion+, participating restaurants will source between 30% and 100% of their energy from solar sources without needing to install solar panels onsite. Wendy’s plans to expand this initiative as additional solar capacity becomes available and more franchise restaurants join the program. By participating in community solar projects, Wendy’s contributes renewable electricity to local utility grids, thereby decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.
Steven Derwoed, Vice President of Global Design & Construction at Wendy’s, emphasized the benefits of this partnership: “We are excited about the opportunity this partnership provides our Company and franchise restaurant operators by making it easier and more accessible to source clean energy while ultimately realizing cost savings. Participation in community solar and RECs helps us advance toward our emissions reduction goals.”
Wendy’s has committed to significant emissions reductions, aiming for a 47% decrease in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions and Scope 3 emissions from franchisees per restaurant by 2030, based on a 2019 baseline. Sourcing renewable energy plays a crucial role in achieving these targets.
Since partnering with Ampion, Wendy’s locations have enrolled approximately 27.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in community solar, equivalent to offsetting CO2 emissions from over 2,200 homes for a year. Each kilowatt hour is tracked and assigned ownership through RECs via Ampion+, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Nate Owen, CEO and Founder of Ampion, highlighted the significance of community solar and RECs in corporate sustainability efforts: “As companies increasingly focus on reducing carbon emissions, community solar combined with RECs offers a viable and cost-effective solution. This partnership demonstrates Ampion’s commitment to supporting organizations like Wendy’s in achieving emissions reductions and boosting renewable energy availability in local communities.”
The partnership addresses common challenges in REC procurement and budgeting, streamlining the process through Ampion+ to help companies meet their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals effectively.
This collaboration coincides with a growing trend towards community solar, with projections indicating a significant increase in installations over the next five years. Earlier this year, Ampion surpassed managing 1 GW of community solar generation, underscoring its leadership in the sector.
