Hotels and leisure firms to combat energy hikes with efficiency measures

UK hospitality and leisure companies are looking into investing in on-site solar and energy efficiency measures to combat rising energy costs.

This is according to a survey from digital energy services provider eEnergy, which sought to gauge these companies’ reactions to the soaring cost of energy and evaluate the potential remedies they are considering.

It found that the majority of firms in this sector are looking into improved energy efficiency measures, and half are thinking about installing solar solutions, in an effort to limit energy bill hikes.

The study discovered that eight out of 10 businesses believe they may need to lay off employees or cut back on staff hours before the year is over in order to cut costs. A quarter anticipate shuttering their businesses completely, with increasing energy costs being a major factor.

Pessimism was reflected in the 90 per cent of all respondents who said they believed that by this time next year, energy levels will not have returned to those seen before the pricing crisis.

In terms of solutions, virtually all survey participants stated that they had either already made additional energy efficiency improvements or plan to do so over the next 12 months.

To combat inefficient energy use, many respondents said they have installed solutions such as LED lighting and taken advantage of digital tools. The majority agreed that increasing energy efficiency will have long-term as well as short-term benefits. A quarter identified energy efficiency as the single best long-term defence against fluctuations in energy prices.

The poll also found that there are probably energy efficiency gains for almost all businesses in the industry – 94% of respondents said that at least a fifth of the energy they buy each year is wasted.