Powering Tourism: Electrification and Efficiency Options for Rural Tourism Facilities

摘要

Rural tourism is a rapidly growing sector of the global tourism industry. Since rural tourism operations are often in remote locations, ensuring a reliable supply of energy can be a special challenge. Therefore, planning for reliable energy is vital and impacts all decisions made at rural tourism facilities since these areas may have difficult access to fossil fuel supplies and no access to grid electric power. Often a rural facility must be its own energy service provider, relying on energy resources available at the site and/or fuel transported to the site. Its staff must be knowledgeable in the day-to-day operation of power generation equipment, sound efficiency practices to reduce overall use of energy, and access to qualified technicians for periodic maintenance and equipment repair. Unlike tourism facilities with access to grid power and other utility services, rural off-grid facilities must bear the full cost of operating reliable on-site power and water systemswhich typically result in power costs that are more expensive than electricity provided by a grid. Since rural facilities must be good stewards of the land, they face the added pressure of producing energy by the most sustainable means possible, and using energy as efficiently as possible. Powering Tourism provides information to help tourism professionals understand and evaluate the range of options for meeting their off-grid energy needs, highlighting efficient and sustainable use of energy. The guide provides a seven-step approach to guide the reader through the process of creating a reliable and affordable energy system by working with staff and visitors, equipment vendors, installers, financial institutions, and energy service providers. Powering Tourism illustrates each step through hypothetical and real life case studies.