The TUI Group has reached a further milestone in its sustainability strategy and is stepping up its commitment to renewable energies: three of the six planned solar power plants have recently gone into operation. The photovoltaic systems, which were connected to the grid in recent weeks, have a total capacity of around 15 megawatts (MW) and will supply eight hotels in Turkey with energy throughout the year.
The installations are part of the Group’s global solar strategy. TUI is working towards the ambitious goal of achieving CO2 neutrality for its hotels and resorts in the medium term. At present, a quarter of TUI’s hotels already produce energy from renewable sources to cover part of their needs.
One of the systems recently connected to the grid is operated by TUI Hotels & Resorts Türkiye and has a capacity of 6.8 MWp. The electricity produced there is supplied to the four hotels TUI Blue Palm Garden, TUI Blue Sarigerme Park, TUI Blue Seno and TUI Magic Life Belek. A planned plant in Şanlıurfa will supply electricity to TUI Magic Life Masmavi and TUI Blue Grand Azur.
The other two plants in Turkey were built as part of the cooperation between the Group and Akra. They are located in the regions of Elmalı and Alanya. A third solar plant in the joint venture will be connected to the grid in the course of the year and further plants are currently being planned. The plants will fully supply four hotels with electricity.
Sebastian Ebel, CEO of the TUI Group, said: “This initiative underlines our aim to grow sustainably and profitably and to significantly reduce our emissions. The solar parks in Türkiye provide our local hotels with a cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy supply. For TUI, the new PV-plants are an important step towards achieving the sustainability goals to which we are clearly committed.”
Haydar Barut, Chairman of the Board Akra Hotels, said: “Our goal is to develop a corporate culture that recognizes the impact of sustainability on our existence and future. With a total energy generation capacity of 34 million kWh from four solar power plants, we aim to meet the electricity needs of all our Akra Hotels facilities with self-generated renewable energy by the end of 2024. Our near-future plans include boosting the electrification capabilities of all technical equipment used in our hotels, making them fully electric.”
Ebel is convinced that the TUI Group is on the right track with its expansion of solar energy: in 2023 alone, around 20 photovoltaic systems were installed at TUI Hotels & Resorts worldwide to further expand the capacity for sustainable energy generation. Depending on the region, the hotels also use geothermal energy and biomass for a diverse energy mix.
The Group is also focussing on green electricity in its own travel agencies and office buildings. This year, for the first time, all TUI buildings in Germany will be supplied with 100 per cent renewable energy. A photovoltaic system on the roof of the TUI Campus in Hanover provides green electricity. This summer, it supplied the entire office operations of the TUI Campus with solar energy for the first time. It also supplies 42 charging points for electric cars. The photovoltaic system has an area of 7000 square meters and supplies up to 1.5 mWp (megawatt peak). Other office buildings of the TUI companies and the company’s own travel agencies in Germany receive their electricity from regional wind turbines in the Weserbergland region. The travel agencies and offices in the UK, the Nordic countries and the Netherlands are also already supplied with green electricity.
The article TUI’s solar campaign accelerates: Three solar parks in Turkey in operation first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.
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