Photovoltaics for restaurants and cafés: an opportunity for savings and image in B2B
The restaurant industry is a particularly “energy-intensive” sector within the tertiary and broader B2B domains, as it is exposed to significant electricity consumption resulting in high spending on utility bills. In recent years, more and more restaurants, cafés, and hospitality businesses are embracing photovoltaic energy to power their facilities, with the ultimate goal of not only achieving savings on fixed costs derived from electricity produced by renewable sources but also offering a more gratifying and conscious experience to their guests
The choice to embrace photovoltaic technology represents a first important step toward sustainability for these businesses, securing environmental benefits, but not only that. On one hand, photovoltaic systems for businesses such as cafés or restaurants allow for the optimization of consumption and waste, offering economic savings while simultaneously reducing the emission of climate-altering gases. This also results in an upgrade in terms of image and generated attractiveness, as well as the consumption experience for final customers. For these reasons, the restaurant sector is increasingly moving toward sustainable and efficient solutions to reduce energy costs and environmental impact. In this context, the installation of photovoltaic systems for restaurants represents an advantageous opportunity, offering a series of tangible benefits.
Consumption analysis: how much energy is needed to power a restaurant or café?
The Italian Federation of Public Establishments (FIPE), a leading association in the restaurant sector, reported in November 2022 that consumption related to Public Establishments amounted to approximately 9 TWh, recording a tripling of spending in the tertiary sectors from €11 billion to €33 billion between 2021 and 2022. The increase related solely to the restaurant world saw the energy bill (including gas) rise from €3 billion to approximately €9 billion, with the average spending per enterprise increasing in 2022 from €11 thousand to €34 thousand for a restaurant and from €5.5 thousand to over €16 thousand for a café.
The energy consumption of a restaurant or a café can vary significantly based on several factors, including the size of the establishment, the type of cuisine, the number of covers, and the energy efficiency of the appliances used. To provide a clearer idea of the energy consumption related to this type of establishment, it is sufficient to reflect on the main equipment present, each with a more or less consistent impact on the bill:
- Small equipment (coffee grinder, coffee machine, juicers, slicers, measuring instruments, etc.)
- Washing and centrifuging tanks
- Professional refrigerators and freezers
- Blast chillers
- Ovens and cooking plates
- Industrial dishwashers
- Packaging/sealing/preservation machines
- Systems for heating/cooling environments and producing domestic hot water
- Professional extraction systems
- Cleaning machines
It is not necessary to be an energy manager to imagine the energy spending borne by a restaurant or café for managing such equipment. A photovoltaic system for the restaurant sector can allow a business to have a much lower energy expenditure. In fact, these systems allow for the autonomous production of clean and renewable energy from the sun, a free and unlimited source. This results in:
- Environmental sustainability and image return: The installation of a photovoltaic system for restaurants contributes significantly to environmental sustainability, as it does not require the extraction of natural resources and does not expose to the emission of climate-altering gases. This translates into a much more gratifying consumption and purchasing experience for customers, who are increasingly attentive and sensitive to environmental issues, improving the green reputation of the establishment.
- Reduction of energy costs and investment potential: One of the main reasons why it is convenient to install a photovoltaic system in a restaurant is the significant saving on energy costs. Equipping oneself with a system that allows for energy production makes it possible to predict the cost of the energy over the next 20 years, or to fix the price of one’s own energy with consequent conscious management of it in present and future corporate investment plans.
- Energy independence and consumption management: Through the installation of a photovoltaic system for cafés and restaurants, it is possible to achieve a certain degree of energy independence, reducing reliance on the electricity grid and external supplies. In other words, the transition to photovoltaics is synonymous with autonomous generation of electricity with a consequent growing emancipation from the energy market and the cost fluctuations connected to it.
- Property valorization and structural attractiveness: Another point in favor of installing a photovoltaic system on the restaurant’s roof is its positive impact on the value of the property. This translates into a greater valorization of the commercial building and, consequently, an even more significant return on investment.
Photovoltaics: what options for a restaurant or café?
In general, photovoltaic systems for businesses suitable for the restaurant industry have a capacity that can range from 15 to 100 kW and more, depending on the annual energy needs of the reference activity.
The adoption of photovoltaics allows for powering everything that requires electricity to function with renewable energy, reducing the environmental impact and the costs associated with using electricity from traditional sources. Furthermore, photovoltaics can be optimized to cover consumption peaks during peak hours. Thanks to internal energy production, restaurants can reduce dependence on the traditional electricity grid, producing and managing their own energy in complete autonomy.
Before installing a photovoltaic system for a restaurant business, it is advisable to inform oneself and rely on an expert supplier who knows how to guide merchants and entrepreneurs in the process of configuring and choosing the most suitable solution for their needs. Indeed, there are several possible solutions, summarized below by stage of advancement:
- Traditional photovoltaics for daytime self-consumption: This solution is designed for all cafés or restaurants that concentrate consumption during the day, i.e., coinciding with the hours of photovoltaic energy production. A photovoltaic system, in this case, is able to cut energy expenditure by maximizing self-consumption.
- Advanced photovoltaics with storage: This type of solution includes the installation of a system with combined storage systems. This solution is ideal for establishments that work predominantly in the evening or at night: the energy produced during the day is stored in the accumulators to then be used during working hours.
- Integrated photovoltaics (storage, heat pumps, and electric mobility): This is the most complete solution and includes: a photovoltaic system with storage and heat pumps for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water production. This is the solution that most significantly impacts the energy saving of the activity, as well as the customers’ consumption experience where also integrated with charging stations for electric vehicles, offering an additional service to customers.
The importance of preliminary technical analysis for your photovoltaic project
As we have seen, the advantages associated with installing a photovoltaic system for restaurants are numerous, and similarly, the viable technical options are numerous. It is therefore evident how the choice of an expert operator can make the investment not only more advantageous in terms of expected benefits but also in terms of compliance with the specific case study of your activity.
The saving on the bill obtained thanks to solar energy generation is a fundamental driver to be placed in strict correlation with various technical variables, including a preliminary accurate analysis of the structural energy need and a consequent appropriate sizing of the system. The energy autarchy that results and the consequent impact on the bill can therefore vary, but suffice it to say that a well-sized photovoltaic system for a restaurant, also complete with a storage system, could guarantee an almost total energy independence. Choosing to install a photovoltaic system with operators who have been working with seriousness and competence in the renewables sector for years means opting for a sustainable choice, not only in economic but also environmental terms for your business.
Southenergy: your expert partner for photovoltaics in the restaurant industry
Since 2008, Southenergy has provided personalized solutions aimed at maximizing the value of renewable energy sources, leveraging what companies already own: the roof. Specialization in the sector, physical presence in the territory, and a corporate organization that benefits from highly qualified in-house personnel and proprietary equipment and means to be able to promptly manage the entire value chain in energy construction and management are the true strengths of Southenergy. Discover the efficiency of our photovoltaic systems for businesses and the turnkey solutions we have reserved for those who have already chosen us: visit the project section of our website dedicated to some of the projects we have completed.
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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
To significantly reduce costs on the bill, gain greater energy independence from market fluctuations, improve its green image (ESG), and valorize the commercial property.
Yes, with adequately designed advanced photovoltaic solutions that include storage systems (batteries). The energy produced during the day and not used can thus be stored and utilized during evening or nighttime hours, ensuring continuity and greater independence.
Yes, various forms of state incentives, tax deductions, and calls for non-repayable grants are available specifically for businesses investing in renewable energy. An expert consultant can guide you in the choice.
It is fundamental for correctly sizing the system based on the real energy needs of your establishment, choosing the most efficient technical solution, and accurately estimating the costs, expected savings, and payback period of the investment.
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