In the cost structure of an accommodation business, electricity is the biggest item after labor — and it is one you can genuinely reduce without affecting the guest experience at all, unlike other cost cuts that guests notice immediately.
Where a hotel's electricity goes
The proportions vary with the type of property, but the overall pattern is usually similar.
| System | Usage pattern | Fit with solar |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning | The largest load, heaviest from afternoon into the night | Very good in the daytime |
| Cold rooms and freezers | Run 24 hours a day | Best — a baseload |
| Water pumps and pool systems | Run in cycles that can be scheduled | Very good — can be moved to daytime |
| Laundry | Daytime, following housekeeping schedules | Very good |
| Water heating | Heaviest in the morning and evening | Good if heated and stored during the day |
| Lighting | Heaviest from evening until late | Poor timing |
Only lighting falls outside the generating window. Everything else is a load that absorbs daytime power well, which is why accommodation businesses use a much higher share of their own solar power than private homes.
Shifting usage times works better than you'd expect
Before investing in a bigger system, look at which loads can be moved into the daytime. Shifting times costs nothing, but immediately raises the share of power you use yourself.
- Set the pool pump to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. instead of at night
- Heat water during the day and keep it in an insulated storage tank for use in the evening
- Schedule laundry cycles between morning and early afternoon
- Pre-cool common areas in the afternoon instead of waiting to switch the air-con on in the evening
Many properties raise their self-consumption by around 10 to 15% just by adjusting equipment schedules, without investing a single extra baht.
Occupancy is not the same all year
This is the key difference between a hotel and a factory. A factory runs steadily, but an accommodation business has high and low seasons that can differ by a factor of two.
If the system is sized from high-season bills, in low season the power it produces exceeds demand and flows out to the grid at a low price, so the average annual return is lower than calculated.
Our approach is to design around the baseload that runs regardless of how many guests there are, then add the variable portion conservatively. That is why we ask to see 12 months of past electricity bills, not just 3.
What beachfront properties need to consider
Coastal properties need structures and mounting hardware that resist salt air, which costs more than standard components, and the inverter should be placed under cover, out of sea spray.
The other issue is monsoon wind. The structure has to be designed for the actual conditions at that site, not with the same standard design used inland.
Summary
Accommodation businesses are among the groups that get the best returns from rooftop solar, because they use power at the times panels produce it. But the design has to allow for seasonal swings, and the materials have to suit coastal conditions from the start.
Frequently asked questions
What time of year is best for installation?
Low season. Work that requires a power shutdown or makes noise disturbs the fewest guests, and installation crews have more availability, so scheduling is more flexible than at peak times.
If we plan to add rooms in the future, should we install extra capacity now?
If you have a firm plan to expand within 1 to 2 years, design for it from the start: choose an inverter that can take more panels and lay out the roof with space to add them. If there is no firm plan yet, installing for what you actually use today is better value.
Related services and areas
Keep reading
- Is Solar Worth It for Cold Storage and Ice Plants?Compressors that run all the time are the load that absorbs daytime solar power best — and cold storage is a core industry in Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
- 7 Things to Check Before Choosing a Solar Installer in Southern ThailandThe cheapest price is not necessarily the best value, and the most expensive is not necessarily the best. Here is what to look at instead.