Hotel Ashburton owner Johny Singh has recently invested a substantial amount of money in installing 176 solar panels on the roof of the hotel.
Singh said it was hoped that the panels would save the hotel 14 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.
‘‘We want to be using as much green energy as we can to power the hotel,’’ he said.
The panels were part of a long term plan in cutting emissions and are being more environmentally conscious.
The wattage of each panel is 580, while the system is a 100kw system.
The solar energy will not only help save the planet, but it will also save money.
Along with the panels, the hotel has made other changes, moving away from disposable bathroom supplies like soap and shampoos. The toiletries now come in refillable bottles.
‘‘We have also changed the cleaning products we use to be more environmentally friendly,’’ Singh said.
People were taking more interest in companies’ stewardship of the planet, he said. And this included when they were looking for venues to hire for functions or places to stay.
By Dellwyn Moylan
