Feds announce Hotel Energy Uplift Program to help hotels and motels reduce power bills, make them energy efficient

A NEW multimillion-dollar federal government grant program is set to help regional hotel and motel owners reduce their energy bills while creating work for tradies.

A NEW multimillion-dollar federal government grant program is set to help regional hotel and motel owners reduce their energy bills while creating work for tradies.

The federal government will on Thursday announce a $10.2m grant program aimed at small and medium hotels, a bulk of which are located outside major cities, to help reduce their electricity bills by making businesses more energy efficient.

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Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor. Picture by Sean Davey.

The “Hotel Energy Uplift Program” grants, worth between $10,000 and $25,000, don’t require businesses to pitch in their own funds.

Small and medium hotels, motels and serviced apartment complexes that have between one and 99 guestrooms will be allowed to apply.

The grants can be used for a variety of projects like replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows or replacing a swimming pool pump with a variable speed pump, but cannot be used to buy or replace solar panels, solar system batteries or other generators.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor (pictured) said the grants would help reduce operating costs and allow hotel owners and publicans to reinvest in their business “during this critical time”.

“With patron limits and other restrictions in place to keep Australians safe, the hotel industry has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Tourism Accommodation Australia chief executive Michael Johnson said the grants were a “win for industry” and the environment.

Applications open February 24 and close on April 1.