Energy-saving audits discounted

No Queenstown businesses have signed up for discounted energy efficiency audits for tourism operators, despite $31,000 average annual energy savings by business that have.

The audits are part of the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme, a joint project between the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and the Tourism Industry Association.

It was developed as a regional pilot in 2008 offering an incentive for tourism businesses to save energy, improve profitability and help conserve the environment.

It has now been extended into a national programme for this year.

Tourism Industry Association strategic communications and policy manager Sarah Berry said no Queenstown businesses had been audited yet and none had signed up for this year's round.

The programme will do 14 more energy audits this year, but only seven businesses had signed up so far.

In the pilot, 12 tourism businesses identified potential energy savings worth $375,000 a year, with annual reductions of more than 700 tonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of taking 170 cars off the road.

If all of the 16,000 tourism businesses in New Zealand made savings similar to those in the pilot programme, that would be nearly $500 million dollars a year that could be invested elsewhere, she said.

Participating businesses receive half-price energy audits which identify potential dollar and energy savings.

The businesses also receive free mentoring and assistance in implementing energy-saving initiatives.

"Results from this programme will help tourism businesses all over New Zealand to become more energy efficient," she said.

The government contributed $160,000 to the pilot project.

An additional $287,000 has been allocated to the next phase of the project.

Three Queenstown small flight operators have signed up for a free, industry-specific energy efficiency stock take.

Real Journeys Queenstown, Glenorchy Air and The Helicopter Line had been inspected by a technical specialist this month to identify where the company could save on fuel and power, she said.

The results from the stock takes would then be shared with about 45 operators in the tourist flight sector in New Zealand.

The aim was to provide information to help operators improve their environmental performance as well as fuel and energy efficiency.

Real Journey's pilot Andy Pye said he hoped the stock take would help the company save money and the environment.

"Operating seven Islanders between Queenstown and Milford Sound, we use quite a lot of fuel. If we can get that down by even 1% or 2%, it would make a big difference," he said.