Why should you consider solar technology?
The hotel sector is energy-intensive. Using cleaner and cheaper energy sources will help to reduce operational costs and increase competitiveness and sustainability.
In the UK, the hospitality sector spends over £1bn every year on energy. It is responsible for producing 3.5m tonnes of carbon emissions per year, but if the hotel industry reduced its energy bill by 20%, it could save a combined £200m, according to the Carbon Trust, the UK’s leading authority on carbon reduction.
According to the US federal government’s Energy Star programme, US hotels spend an average of $2,196 per room each year on energy. Not only is that a significant expenditure, it requires the burning of huge amounts of fossil fuels.
An option for many businesses is to source their own energy and in most cases solar power is the only realistic alternative.
A study by Sage Blossom Consulting of 4,400 hotels in the US found 12% used some form of alternative energy. And that figure looks set to grow as hoteliers look for more environmentally friendly and cheaper energy sources, and more incentives are offered for the implementation of renewable energy, including solar technology.
One initiative is the European Union (EU) co-funded Hotel Energy Solutions scheme, coordinated with the UN World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment Program, International Hotel & Restaurant Association, European Renewable Energy Council and the French Environment and Energy Management Agency. The scheme has been set up to help small- and medium-sized hotels in the EU to increase energy efficiency and use renewable technologies.
The United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen in December could also be good news for renewable energy. If targets for reducing carbon emissions are agreed, governments may provide more financial help to businesses to install solar technology.
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