Restaurants rank among the most energy-intensive commercial spaces in California on a square-foot basis. Cooling, cooking/refrigeration and lighting systems consume the most energy in restaurants. PG&E’s demand response programs offer incentives for you to reduce this energy usage during peak times. Save on your bill and get paid too.

Suggested Programs

• PeakChoice™
• Aggregator Programs
• SmartAC™

• More Programs
  • Peak Day Pricing (PDP)
  • Demand Bidding Program (DBP)
  • Base Interruptible Program (BIP)
  • Permanent Load Shift (PLS)
  • Scheduled Load Reduction Program (SLRP)
  • Optional Binding Mandatory Curtailment (OBMC) Plan
  • Technology Incentive (TI) Programs
  • Automated Demand Response Program (Auto DR)

Energy Reduction Strategies

• Turn off all non-essential indoor/outdoor lighting, signage, window displays and office equipment not in use (i.e., printers, copiers, shredders, coffee makers).
• Turn off all decorative features, such as fountains, lighting and ambient audio and video displays.
• Pre-cool work areas, then cycle constant air volume heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units or temporarily re-set static pressure in variable air volume HVAC, turn off ceiling fans and room fans, and raise temperature settings.
• Some facilities with package AC units can do load-cycling, temperature reset, and possibly pre-cooling.
• Shut doors and windows to pre-cool, then turn off air conditioning during an event.
• Turn off beverage vending machines and shift use of ice makers before or after an event.
• Conduct meetings during events to minimize use of equipment.
• Charge batteries and battery-operated equipment prior to an event, then unplug battery chargers and use only pre-charged equipment during an event.
• Adjust employee schedules and shifts so that times of increased production or energy use occur before or after planned events.
• Turn off excess cash registers and computers.
• Perform housekeeping-related tasks before or after an event.

Articles

• How to Cut Energy Use and Get Paid for It
• Load Shedding Leads to Major Savings
• The Benefits of Demand Response

Get more information on rebates and incentives for the food service industry.