SAN JOSE, Calif. — Echelon Corporation, provider of networking technology used to manage and reduce energy consumption, announced that McDonald's Corporation has chosen its LonWorks technology to network restaurant-kitchen equipment, lowering energy consumption and increasing operational efficiency.
McDonald's also is encouraging its kitchen-equipment manufacturers to include Echelon's power-line technology in new equipment for its restaurants.
"We are committed to being a market leader in environmental responsibility and energy management, so it's great to have a proven platform that we can use to address such an important issue," said Bob Langert, McDonald's vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility. "Echelon's technology will also enable our franchisees to create restaurants that are easier to operate, facilitate preventive maintenance and provide new services while saving energy."
McDonald's is using Echelon's power line networking-technology to provide communication and data exchange between various pieces of kitchen equipment in its restaurants, to allow the development of business process-improvement applications, manage energy use, and reduce maintenance costs. The communication occurs over existing power lines.
