They look a lot like the stalls at the new Sonic fast food restaurant down the road, but the carports in the parking lots at Computer Data Source in Eatontown are producing a lot more than hamburgers.

The Industrial Way West business installed a solar carport and separate solar canopy in the back of the buiding, which along with almost 1,500 panels covering the business's roof, produce about 60 percent of the power consumed by CDS, according to its founder and president, Ronald J. Wollner.

Patch tagged along as members of the Eatontown Economic Advisory Committee toured the company, which provides alternative IT support, prior to their meeting there on Feb. 3. The group stopped for a photo op by the 19-foot by 300-foot solar carport that blankets a little-used parking lot at the rear of the building.

According Wollner, the solar project is scheduled to pay for itself within four years. He even pointed out that he purchased the columns holding up the carport on Ebay as a cost-saving measure.

CDS received approval for the solar project from the Eatontown Planning Board in July.