In 2011, there were only 8,677 food trucks in America. That number has grown to 36,324 in 2023.

The number of food trucks isn't the only thing that's changed. Food truck technology has also undergone several innovations in the past decade. This includes the addition of new environmentally friendly technologies.

Is your food truck environmentally friendly? If so, you may be using items like paper straws, compostable cups, and cutlery. However, you may not be using solar panels.

Yes, you can add solar panels to your food truck! Read on to learn about your business's possible solar powered benefits and cost savings.

What Are Solar Panels?

Solar panels create solar energy. That is, they can take sunlight and convert it into electricity. Anyone can then use this electricity to power their devices and appliances, including ones inside of food trucks.

Solar panels collect energy by letting the sunlight's particles (photons) knock electrons free. The flow of electrons is a form of electricity. Panels can then capture this flow and turn it into usable electricity.

How Can Businesses Benefit from Solar?

Food truck businesses can benefit from solar energy in many of the same ways that regular businesses can. A few of the solar benefits are as follows:

Become a Green Energy Business

You aren't the only person who appreciates green energy and products. There are plenty of other people who want to protect the Earth and restore it to its former glory. These people should also want to support businesses that wish to do the same.

If you put solar panels on your food truck, you can proudly talk about being a green business. Doing so can give you an advantage over other food truck businesses.

Save Money on Energy

One of the biggest advantages that solar panels can bring you is the money they save you on energy costs. You will have to wait a bit before you see a huge return on investment, but once you get over that hump, you could spend far less on your energy for decades.

Another thing to consider is that energy prices will almost certainly keep going up. If you get solar panels now, you should save yourself from future cost increases of other energy sources.

Some regions offer incentives for businesses and homes opting to install solar panels. Check with your municipality to see if there are any opportunities in your area.

Reducing Your Eco-Guilt

You may be turning your business green because you are eco-conscious. If so, you'll probably sleep better at night knowing that you've reduced your carbon footprint. You can also enjoy operating your business even more.

How Many Solar Panels Does It Take to Power a Food Truck?

The number of solar panels a food truck will need varies from food truck to food truck. You should measure the amount of energy that your truck uses daily. If your food truck needs more power than you can afford, consider the following:

Use Different Equipment

Some restaurant appliances are more energy efficient than others. You may want to invest in appliances that are greener than others before getting solar panels.

Also, if you're willing, you can change the type of food truck business you run. Certain kinds of food will require more energy to make than others.

You can also switch out the food truck for a food cart if you want. A solar-powered food cart can make you as much money as a solar-powered food truck.

Consider the Darkness

Certain weather conditions can make your solar panels work less efficiently. Before getting solar panels, consider where you're parking. If you're parking in an area with a lot of shade, you may need to change that to make best use of solar panels.

Do you live in areas where the skies are often overcast? If so, solar power could be used as an additional energy source instead of the primary source of energy.

Get High-Quality Solar Panels

You should choose the solar panels that you'll use for your truck carefully. High-quality solar panels will produce more energy than low-quality solar panels.

Be sure to check the reviews for different solar panel manufacturers before you buy from them. You should also check the experience level of the manufacturer in question. The better the rating and the higher the experience level, the better those solar panels should be.

Installing Solar Panels

The way that you perform your solar panel installation can also affect how much energy they generate for you. Ideally, your solar panels should sit at an angle that catches the most sun as it travels across the sky.

Some houses have systems that turn the solar panels in the direction of the sun as it travels across the sky. You may try installing something like this on your truck. If not, do your best with the equipment you have.

Consider hiring someone experienced to install the panels for you so you can get back to serving food from your food truck as soon as possible.

Backup Solar Powered Generator

Even if you're confident that solar panels can provide all your energy, don't rely on them completely. You may want to have a generator as well. This will give you some backup energy in case something goes wrong with your panels. Keep in mind that this generator can also be solar powered.

Beyond Solar Powered Benefits and Cost Savings

Your conscience isn't the only thing that can benefit from having your business go solar. All solar powered benefits and cost savings can also positively affect your profits and reputation. Also, you don't have to limit your sustainability to solar panels alone. Consider ordering biodegradable to-go food containers from us. We also have eco-friendly options for the following products:

• Straws
• Stirrers
• Cups
• Cup carriers
• Cutlery
• Napkins
• Bowls

It's better to use products made of wood, bamboo, sugarcane fibers, or paper. These are all renewable resources that are biodegradable in commercial settings. The less plastic that's in the environment, the better it will be for all of us.

Learn more by contacting us on this page.