How the hotel industry benefits from energy storage
Last fall, Stem, Inc. announced it had finalized an agreement to deploy advanced energy storage systems and real-time energy intelligence software across 68 of Extended Stay America, Inc.’s California locations.
About two months ago, the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, California, officially unveiled its Green Charge Networks intelligent energy storage system. The Extended Stay America properties, Shore Hotel, San Diego’s Ocean Park Inn and many others have installed energy storage systems.
As battery storage technology has improved — Tesla announced in May its entry into the energy storage market — an increasing number of hotels are investing in energy storage systems to help reduce demand charges that typically account for at least 30 percent of a commercial electricity bill, and often as much as 50 percent.
Demand charges are based on the highest 15 minutes of electricity usage each month.
According to John Carrington, CEO and director of Stem, who wrote about demand charges for Green Lodging News in 2014, hotels are looking to advanced energy storage and data analytics systems to alleviate demand charges.
These systems combine predictive software and safe, reliable batteries to proactively store and discharge energy for optimal economic impact. The systems can access energy reserves during times of peak electricity demand to avoid short-term usage spikes and the corresponding demand charges — all with no human intervention or impact to operations.
Intelligent storage systems also can provide personalized energy recommendations based on a hotel’s specific electricity needs and usage patterns.
