How solar fits a hospitality business

Hotels and guest houses run kitchens, heating, hot water, lighting and laundry from early morning to late evening, every day of the year. That puts a lot of electricity through the meter, and it's also exactly the demand profile that makes commercial solar work financially.

The operational constraint that matters more than anything technical is that the install can't disrupt rooms in service or events that are booked. Properties like Premier Inns are a good example of buildings that suit solar well, with extensive roof space, year-round occupancy and a long-term operational outlook. The same logic applies to independent hotels, B&Bs, country pubs with rooms, and small chains that own their buildings.

Dealing directly with Ashley helps with the scheduling. He coordinates the timing himself around your bookings, so you're talking to the person actually planning the work rather than an account manager translating between you and an install crew.

Who you'd be hiring

Ashley Merritt is the named director of Renegade Solar. He's been an electrician for 20+ years, ten of those on commercial projects. He's MCS-certified (NAP-66870) and an Octopus Energy Trusted Partner.

For a hospitality business, the practical implication is that Ashley is your direct contact throughout. He walks the building, designs the system, schedules the install around bookings and rooms in service, and is on site for the work itself. If the numbers don't work for your specific property, he'll say so rather than oversell. The trades he works with are local roofers and scaffolders, which keeps timelines tight and money in the Manchester economy.

Why hospitality businesses benefit

The financial case is similar to other commercial property types: because you're consuming electricity throughout the day when solar generation is at its peak, you use nearly every kilowatt-hour your panels produce. Most commercial installations reduce monthly costs by 70-100%, with payback typically within 3-4 years. After payback, you're looking at 20+ years of low-cost energy.

Hotels are a particularly good fit for a few specific reasons:

• Demand is constant year-round, with kitchens, heating, hot water and HVAC all running every day
• Roofs are often large and uncluttered, on both flat and pitched buildings
• Owner-occupiers can realise the full payback themselves rather than passing it to a landlord
• Sustainability credentials matter increasingly for corporate bookings, weddings and events business

Roof types Ashley works with

Larger commercial buildings often have extensive roof space, and a hotel installation will typically use one or more of the following:

• Flat roofs, which let panels point south regardless of how the building is oriented (useful when a hotel sits at an awkward angle to the sun)
• Pitched roofs on larger commercial buildings, which work well in their own right
• Ground-mounted systems, which can supplement rooftop installations or power EV charging in guest car parks

EV charging is increasingly something guests look for. Ashley has installed ground-mounted systems connected to outdoor fuse boards specifically to power free EV charging on hotel sites, which is a useful guest amenity at no recurring electricity cost.

What you need to qualify

The main requirement is that you own the building. You'll also need enough roof space or land to make a meaningful system worthwhile, high enough electricity consumption to give a strong return, and a plan to keep the property long-term so the payback is actually realised.

Credentials

• MCS-certified installer (NAP-66870)
• Octopus Energy Trusted Partner
• NAPIT registered electrician with 20+ years' experience
• 9.85/10 on Checkatrade from 105+ verified reviews

Coverage across Greater Manchester

Based in Prestwich, Ashley serves hospitality businesses throughout Greater Manchester and the wider North West.

Contact Ashley for a free commercial solar survey and a financial breakdown for your hotel or guest house.