Energy smarter for hotels & motels

Watch the hotel & motel explainer

See why solar + batteries finally make sense for accommodation sites — and how Jousto EMS uses excess solar for hot water and pre-conditioning for HVAC.

Prefer to start simple? Step 1 is usually a smart meter + Time-of-Use plan. We often recommend Energy Locals.

Why hotels often waste solar

Motels and hotels often have excellent roof space — but many sites don’t consume enough during the day to use all that solar. The “real” energy demand turns up later: showers, heating/cooling, lighting, and occupancy loads.

Daytime: solar is abundant, but room loads are low — much of the production goes unused or exported at low value.

What this means

• Solar-only systems can leave value on the table.
• Night-time demand drives bills.
• Hotels need storage + control — not just generation.

Good news: batteries are more competitive now — and incentives have improved payback for the right sites.

Most consumption is at night

Guest rooms concentrate energy use into two big buckets: hot water and HVAC. That’s why the “solar mismatch” exists — and why the right battery + automation strategy can work so well.

Night: guests arrive, showers run, heating/cooling ramps — this is where bills are made or broken.

What Jousto focuses on

We don’t rely on magic. We focus on the controllable levers:

• Store daytime solar in a battery for night use.
• Divert excess solar into hot water (when appropriate).
• Pre-condition rooms so HVAC works less during expensive windows.

Solar + battery + Jousto EMS

The winning combination for accommodation sites is simple: generate during the day, store, then use that energy at night where it offsets the highest-impact loads.

Daytime solar is captured, stored, and used later — matching how hotels actually operate.

Where Jousto fits

Jousto EMS connects the system into one control layer and adds monitoring, alerts, and safe automation.

Note: We focus on control and optimisation — not “guaranteed returns”. Results depend on tariff, metering, controllable loads, and site operation.

Use excess solar for hot water

Hot water is one of the biggest loads in accommodation. If your site has storage hot water (or a system that can be controlled safely), Jousto can divert excess solar into water heating — turning “wasted” daytime energy into night-time comfort.

Excess solar can be directed into hot water when conditions are right.

Typical outcomes

• Better self-consumption of solar.
• Less reliance on peak-period imported electricity.
• Hot water recovery handled earlier, not at the worst times.

Control depends on your hot water plant, safety requirements, and existing control hardware.

Pre-cool / pre-heat to reduce peak exposure

HVAC is often the second-biggest load after hot water. The trick is not to “turn comfort off” — it’s to shift when the work happens. Pre-conditioning during the day can reduce how hard the system needs to run later.

Pre-conditioning shifts HVAC effort earlier so less is needed during expensive windows.

Comfort-first automation

Jousto’s approach is to protect guest experience:

• Pre-condition within safe setpoints (no extremes).
• Focus on predictable patterns, not risky switching.
• Use monitoring + alerts to catch issues early.

Visibility + alerts across your site

Hotels benefit from knowing what’s happening across hot water, HVAC, and energy flows — without relying on guesswork. Jousto EMS provides visibility, device health, and actionable alerts.

Monitoring, status, and alerts — built for real operations, not hype.

What we track

• Grid import and solar export trends.
• Battery charge/discharge (where installed).
• Device states and offline alerts.
• Abnormal readings and system health flags.

Capability varies by meter setup, hardware and controllable loads.

Peer-to-peer energy (optional upgrade)

Once your site is measured and controllable, the next step is energy-connected behaviour. Peer-to-peer energy can help accommodation operators route value between properties, family networks, or community groups — without profit hype.

Move energy value between people and places — keeping value in your network.

Best use cases

• One strong solar site supporting multiple properties.
• Family networks (parents → kids, home → business).
• Community support for vulnerable households.

Recommended first step: start with a Time-of-Use plan (smart meter) through Energy Locals, then progress to wholesale/P2P options when you’re ready.

Comfort is the priority

The goal isn’t aggressive control — it’s predictable costs and better self-consumption while maintaining a great guest experience. Jousto designs around your operating reality.

Smart energy is invisible to guests — comfort stays consistent.

Design principles

• Automate what’s safe and measurable.
• Optimise timing, not comfort.
• Start simple, then upgrade when proven.

Book a free 30-minute energy design session

We’ll map your operating profile (day vs night loads), hot water plant, HVAC patterns, roof space, and metering — then recommend the right solar + battery + Jousto EMS pathway.