Hotel solar: how it stacks up

The Queenstown Electrification Accelerator assisted a hotel to understand how they could reduce cost and carbon emissions by installing solar. We found that the north-facing roof space on the hotel could accommodate a 225kW array of panels. We then reviewed the hotel's annual electricity consumption profile against the potential solar electricity that could be produced. The result? $42,400 saved each year in electricity costs / 32 tonnes of annual reductions in CO2e from generation emissions / and 26% reduction in electricity costs and electricity related emissions.

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The performance of the panels varies over the course of the year due to seasonal variations, however the savings on monthly electricity bills would be $3,038 on average.

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Based on the Electricity Authority EMI Price Data May 2025, it is estimated that electricity prices will increase by 2.83% annually. Therefore, the savings from utilising solar is predicted to increase each year because that energy has already been paid for upfront. The figure above showcases a prediction of the hotel's annual electricity costs with and without solar and by 2055, it could be saving the hotel over $90,000 per year.

Ready to explore solar for your business - or your home? Whether you’re just starting to explore options or ready to take the next steps, the Queenstown Electrification Accelerator is here to help. Get in touch at qea.nz/contact.