Load shape: steady refrigeration, evening spike
Walk-in coolers, freezers, reach-ins and ice machines form a round-the-clock baseline that solar can offset during the day. Lunch service lines up with solar hours; dinner doesn’t. On Xcel’s time-of-use schedule the 5–9 pm on-peak window lands squarely on the dinner rush, which is exactly the load solar misses.
Many restaurants cook with gas, so their electric bill is smaller than their energy spend. If you’re considering electric induction or heat-pump water heating, size solar for the future load rather than today’s bill.
Outage cost: the refrigeration math
Xcel de-energized about 50,000 customers in December 2025 and about 18,000 in March 2026 for wildfire risk, with outages lasting a day to three days or more. For a restaurant, the cost of a long outage is spoiled inventory plus lost sales, and it can dwarf a month of electric bills.
A battery sized to carry refrigeration and a few critical circuits — not the whole kitchen — is the practical design. Compressor startup surges matter when sizing inverters. We start by metering or listing exactly what must stay on.
Roofs and leases in restaurant buildings
Restaurant roofs host kitchen exhaust hoods, make-up air units and grease containment. Arrays must stay clear of exhaust discharge to avoid grease buildup on panels and to meet fire-code clearances, which can take a big bite out of a small roof.
Many restaurants lease their space. A tenant-installed system needs the landlord’s written consent and a clear plan for the end of the lease. For an owner-occupied building, the decision is simpler.
When it may not pay off
A small cafe with a gas kitchen, a tight roof and a short lease may not see a solid return from solar. In that case a battery just for refrigeration backup, or no project at all, can be the honest answer. We’d rather tell you that than sell you a system that doesn’t work for your building.
FAQ
Questions we hear
How long could a battery keep my walk-in cooler running?
It depends on the compressor size, door openings and outside temperature. A cooler and freezer on dedicated backup can often run many hours on a commercial battery, and much longer if solar recharges it during the day. We size it from your equipment nameplates and usage.
Will grease from the exhaust hood hurt solar panels?
Only if panels are placed downwind of the discharge. We keep arrays clear of exhaust fans, which protects output and keeps fire-code clearances intact.
Does solar help with my dinner-rush electric costs?
Not directly — dinner falls after peak solar production. A battery charged by solar during the day can cover some of the evening peak, which matters most on time-of-use or demand-based rates.
Is a generator cheaper than a battery for a restaurant?
Often cheaper upfront. A battery is quiet, starts instantly and can also earn its keep on normal days by cutting peak costs; a generator needs fuel and maintenance. Many owners weigh both.
Is the federal credit still available for a restaurant battery?
As of September 2026, energy storage remains eligible for the §48E credit for projects beginning construction through 2033, subject to sourcing rules. Confirm eligibility with your tax advisor.