The Wendy's Company has announced a partnership with Ampion Renewable Energy - a significant step in the company's efforts to source renewable energy for its restaurants.

The initiative allows 100 company-operated restaurants and 40 franchise restaurants across New York, Illinois and Massachusetts to procure between 30% and 100% of their energy from solar sources without on-site installations.

The partnership with Ampion Renewable Energy enables Wendy's to secure renewable energy certificates (RECs) and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The enrolled restaurants will benefit from cost savings and support the company's commitment to environmental sustainability.

Wendy’s vice president for global design and construction Steven Derwoed said: “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 realising cost savings.

“We are advancing progress toward our emissions reduction goals through community solar participation and RECs. It’s a win-win for the company and our franchisees.”

Wendy's is on track to significantly reduce its carbon footprint, with targets to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 47%, and Scope 3 emissions from franchisees by the same percentage per restaurant by 2030, using a 2019 baseline. Renewable energy sourcing is pivotal in reaching these targets.

Wendy's restaurants have enrolled approximately 27.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in community solar through Ampion, equating to the CO₂ emissions from electricity usage by 2,200 homes over a year.

Through the Ampion+ product, each kilowatt hour will be accounted for, tracked and assigned ownership to a particular restaurant via RECs.

Ampion CEO and founder Nate Owen said: "As the need for reducing carbon emissions grows, community solar combined with RECs provides a solution for environmental sustainability in the corporate sector that is both achievable and affordable, while enabling companies to quantify and disclose their progress in a standardised manner.

“We’re seeing more large companies actively seeking sustainable solutions through community solar. This partnership with Wendy’s demonstrates that Ampion is able to support these organisations in reducing emissions and putting more renewable energy on the grid for local communities.”