Jason's Deli in South Austin is powered in part by solar energy

Jason's Deli is getting greener, and it has nothing to do with the salad bar.

The restaurant chain's new location in South Austin is being powered in part by solar energy. It is the second "solar deli," as the company says, in the 170-store chain. Along with the South Austin restaurant, the company Tuesday touted its first partially solar-powered location in its home base in Beaumont.

In Austin, incentives offered by the city persuaded Jason's to go solar, company founder and chief executive Joe Tortorice said.

"Austin has a fantastic rebate program where it makes the investment worth it," he said. "In order for this kind of thing to get off the ground and really improve our planet, it has to be cost-effective."

Austin Energy spokesman Ed Clark said Austin has one of the most aggressive rebate programs in the country.

The city's goal is to install 100 megawatts of solar panels by 2020. So far 29 businesses, schools and other entities have installed 1.5 megawatts, he said.

The 5.6-kilowatt solar electric system at Jason's in South Park Meadows will generate about 7,500 kilowatts per year. That's the annual equivalent of preventing 14,200 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the earth's atmosphere, or eliminating a day's worth of carbon dioxide emissions from 435 cars.

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