IRVINE, Calif.- Taco Bell and Burger King are rolling out new energy efficient grills. Irvine-based Taco Bell says the grill-to-order units have been installed in 3,000 of its quick service restaurants. It plans to have all of its 5,600 units using the grill by 2010. 

“In the restaurants we've tested in, we’re seeing savings of as much as $5,900 a year in electricity cost per store. System wide, we’ll save more than $17 million a year for our company and franchise restaurants,” said Rick Winfree, Taco Bell's senior director of engineering.

The electric grill is also supposed to save 300 million gallons of water annually. Park Howell, Founder of Water –“Every ounce of water saved by using the Grill-to-Order cooking method will benefit the communities Taco Bell serves.” He continues, "that is not only good for their customer but good for the environment too." 

Taco Bell partnered with Southern California Edison to validate the energy savings of the grill.