Hotels may find star power in energy

NEW DELHI: Use of renewable sources of energy in hotels may soon be a criterion for the star classification. The ministry of non-conventional sources of energy (MNES) has urged the tourism ministry to give weightage to renewable technologies while awarding star status to hotels.

To devise the required methodology, the ministry has suggested availing the expertise of the bureau of energy efficiency. It has pointed out that current use of solar thermal, photovoltaic technologies and bio-gas generation in hotels can be taken as a model for implementing the proposal. In an attempt to encourage use of renewable sources of energy in urban areas, the government has already offered fiscal incentives. Hotels, being one of the largest consumers of energy, is now the focus of the ministry, a government source reasoned.

Renewable technologies meet energy requirements for cooking, air-heating, drying, water-heating, steam and electricity production. Solar photovoltaic systems can be used in hotels for a variety of purposes like street, garden and corridor lights, hoarding and power packs for critical and emergency requirements.

Also feasible for electricity generation, biogas can be produced from food leftovers and kitchen wastes. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has already had designs for such decentralised biogas plants that can be installed in hotels. MNES has already approached hotel management institutes regarding deployment of these technologies.