Towards Self-Sufficiency: Cogeneration Opportunities for the Hotel Industry in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Puerto Rico, with its significant tourism potential, positions hotels as promising business ventures and crucial contributors to the country's economy. As substantial consumers of utilities like energy, water, and gas, hotels face increasing interest in exploring sustainable alternatives, driven by current regulations promoting greenhouse gas reduction. This case study examines the consumption patterns of five hotels across different regions of the island. Based on these insights, we propose a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system, evaluating its feasibility in terms of both requirements and economics. Our findings indicate that cogeneration system efficiencies surpass 60% in most cases, significantly outperforming independent thermal systems. Consequently, implementing cogeneration systems in the hotel industry proves not only viable but also advantageous.