In a step towards strengthening its commitment towards environmental and sustainability efforts and to achieve net zero emissions across its global operations by 2050, McDonald’s is making its eating joints solar-powered.
After UAE’s branch being partially solar-powered, McDonald’s Malaysia has signed Supply Agreement with Renewable Energy (SARE), with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and GSPARX Sdn Bhd (GSPARX) for the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities.
As per SARE, the solar PV facilities will be installed at 100 selected McDonald’s Drive-Thru restaurants across the nation in phases, with the project scheduled for completion by December 2024.
It may be noted that since June 2022, McDonald’s began its initial phase of sustainability initiatives in collaboration with TNB, which involves the installation of rooftop solar PV facilities at selected McDonald’s restaurants.
In the first phase, GSPARX – a wholly owned subsidiary of TNB – has installed the rooftop solar systems at 39 McDonald’s restaurants across the country, with a total capacity of 1216.18kWp.
Under the SARE agreement, GSPARX will be responsible for constructing, installing, operating, and maintaining the solar PV facilities with a system size of 2.5MWp for the 100 McDonald’s restaurants. With the implementation of this solar project, McDonald’s Malaysia is expected to reduce its electricity cost by RM7 million across these restaurants.
“We are pleased to collaborate with TNB and GSPARX in this meaningful partnership to implement green solutions that reduce electricity consumption and lower carbon emissions. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to creating a more sustainable ecosystem. Moving forward, our sustainable goals form the cornerstone of how we grow our business, engage with communities, and minimise our impact on the environment,” said Dato’ Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner, McDonald’s Malaysia.
“We are delighted to collaborate with McDonald’s Malaysia and contribute our expertise in renewable energy. This partnership showcases TNB’s commitment to supporting leading companies like McDonald’s in their journey towards decarbonizing their operations. We firmly believe that this collaboration will yield significant business growth for both organizations as we accelerate the efforts towards Energy Transition,” stated Dato’ Indera Ir. Baharin Din, President / Chief Executive Officer of Tenaga Nasional Berhad.
McDonald’s will also tie up with GSPARX for the development of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at selected McDonald’s outlets, to further promote clean energy solutions and support the growth of electric mobility in Malaysia.
