William Inglis reduced its energy consumption by 30% and received a financial return

Case-study summary

This historical case study records the project, delivery approach and reported results behind William Inglis reduced its energy consumption by 30% and received a financial return. It has been reorganised for clearer reading and linked to current Northmore Gordon guidance so the project evidence can be used without treating an earlier result as a present-day quote.

Evidence note: The source page is dated March 10, 2025. Figures, scheme names, equipment assumptions and client circumstances belong to that project period. Opportunities, targets and forecasts remain distinct from implemented or verified outcomes, and current eligibility should be checked before using the case as a new-project benchmark.

Project record

The William Inglis Hotel, a 144-room boutique hotel in Warwick Farm, NSW, operates 24/7 alongside the Inglis Auction House. Rising energy costs and a commitment to sustainability led General Manager Belinda Thomson and the Inglis board to explore solar energy solutions.

To maximise both financial and environmental benefits, William Inglis Hotel partnered with Smart Commercial Solar for a tailored rooftop solar installation and Northmore Gordon to leverage Large-Scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) for additional returns.

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The challenge

The solution

William Inglis Hotel installed a 496 kW rooftop solar system across four stable buildings. Northmore Gordon facilitated project registration under the LGCLarge-scale Generation Certificate under the Australian Renewable Energy Target. More scheme, enabling the hotel to generate and trade renewable energy certificates, further enhancing financial returns.

The outcomes

Since installation, the hotel has achieved:

Looking ahead

Encouraged by the project’s success, William Inglis Hotel is considering solar expansion. With Northmore Gordon’s expertise, the hotel will continue optimising its sustainability strategy for long-term cost savings and environmental impact. Belinda Thomson, General Manager, states: “Smart Commercial Solar and Northmore Gordon made this a seamless transition, helping us maximise savings and sustainability benefits.”

Nick Blacklock, Smart Commercial Solar, adds: “This project showcases how solar and environmental

certificates work together to create both immediate and long – term value.”

The benefits

By leveraging the LGC scheme, William Inglis Hotel has reduced its payback time and reinforced its leadership in sustainable hospitality. Northmore Gordon continues to ensure the system delivers maximum value, proving that energy optimisation and environmental certificates go hand in hand.

Northmore Gordon’s services

Northmore Gordon provides expert support to businesses looking to optimise energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and maximise financial returns through environmental certificates.

Our services include

Northmore Gordon partners with businesses to turn sustainability commitments into measurable financial and environmental gains.

Established in 1867, Inglis is Australia’s oldest and largest bloodstock auctioneering company, renowned internationally for its prestigious thoroughbred horse sales.

Using the results for a new project

Start with the site's current operating profile, asset condition and business objective. Define the baseline, project boundary, variables that affect energy use and the evidence available before selecting a technology or incentive pathway. This makes the comparison auditable and keeps physical savings separate from grants, certificate revenue and other financial benefits.

For a comparable project, confirm current program rules and product requirements, document installation and commissioning, and plan post-project measurement early. Historical results can show what was possible in one setting, but they do not establish current eligibility, pricing, payback or emissions outcomes.

How did Northmore Gordon help William Inglis Hotel maximize financial returns from its solar investment?

We facilitated the project's registration under the Large-scale Generation Certificate (LGC) scheme, part of Australia's Renewable Energy Target. This enabled William Inglis Hotel to generate and trade renewable energy certificates for enhanced financial returns alongside direct electricity savings. LGCs represent renewable electricity attributes that can be sold separately from the physical energy produced, creating an additional revenue stream. By coordinating the technical solar installation with certificate pathway assessment, we helped the hotel structure a complete value proposition combining immediate operational savings with tradeable environmental attributes.

What is the distinction between energy savings and LGC revenue in William Inglis Hotel's 30% consumption reduction outcome?

The 30% energy consumption reduction represents physical electricity savings—the hotel uses less grid electricity because the rooftop solar system generates power on-site. This directly lowers operating costs. LGC revenue is separate: Large-scale Generation Certificates capture the renewable electricity attributes and can be traded for cash proceeds independent of the hotel's consumption patterns. Both benefit the financial return, but they function differently. The consumption reduction improves ongoing operational economics, while certificate revenue provides upfront or periodic payments based on generation volume and market prices. Our role involved assessing eligibility and supporting registration under the LGC scheme to unlock both benefits.

Why was the 496 kW solar system size appropriate for William Inglis Hotel's 24/7 operations?

William Inglis Hotel operates continuously across 144 rooms with constant air conditioning, lighting and water-heating loads. The 496 kW rooftop installation across four stable buildings was sized to offset a material portion of that continuous baseline demand. Continuous operations create predictable, year-round electricity consumption patterns—ideal for solar utilization because daytime generation aligns with operating loads. The system's capacity reflects the hotel's actual consumption profile and available roof space. Our involvement would have included assessment of the site's energy profile, seasonal variation and consumption patterns to inform system design and baseline assumptions for measurement and verification or certificate eligibility calculations.

How does the 450 tonnes of annual CO2 emissions avoided relate to the LGC scheme registration?

The 450 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided annually represents the greenhouse gas benefits from displacing grid electricity with renewable solar generation. This figure is relevant to the hotel's corporate emissions reporting and sustainability claims. However, it is distinct from LGC creation and trading. LGCs represent the renewable electricity attributes themselves—measured in megawatt-hours of generation—and can be retired to support renewable-electricity claims or Scope 2 accounting. The CO2 avoidance is an outcome of using renewable electricity instead of grid power; the LGCs are the contractual instruments that document and trade those attributes. We ensure these outcomes are tracked separately and used appropriately in the hotel's sustainability and financial reporting.

What evidence and planning was required before William Inglis Hotel could register under the LGC scheme?

Registration under the Large-scale Generation Certificate scheme requires verification of project newness, equipment eligibility, site control, and the legal entity's entitlement to environmental attributes. We would have conducted or reviewed baseline energy data, confirmed the commissioning date, and established that the solar installation met LGC eligibility requirements. The hotel needed documented evidence of system specifications, installation records and generation performance capability. Timing is critical: CER requires projects generally to be registered before activities commence, with method-specific exceptions. Our assessment ensured the hotel's installation timeline aligned with registration requirements and that all necessary documentation was prepared to support the application and ongoing monitoring obligations.

How should William Inglis Hotel track the separate components of its financial return?

The hotel's complete financial outcome comprises several distinct elements: direct electricity cost savings from reduced grid consumption, operational benefits from roof-mounted solar infrastructure, and LGC revenue from certificate sales. Best practice, aligned with our guidance, is to track these separately in the investment case and ongoing reporting. Energy savings should be verified through measured consumption data; LGC revenue should be recorded from actual certificate sales with pricing and timing notes. Maintenance costs and any system performance variations need their own line. This separation enables the hotel to understand which benefits are materializing, forecast future cash flows accurately, and communicate results transparently to stakeholders. It also supports accurate Scope 2 greenhouse-gas accounting and renewable-electricity claims.

What ongoing performance monitoring does William Inglis Hotel need to sustain its energy and certificate outcomes?

Sustained outcomes require continuous attention to solar generation performance, energy consumption patterns, and LGC registry compliance. The hotel should maintain interval meter data showing on-site consumption and solar export, monitor system performance against expected generation profiles, and document any changes in operations or facility modifications that affect baselines. LGC scheme participation requires ongoing monitoring and reporting obligations under the relevant method; performance data and any annual submissions must be accurate and timely. Our capability includes energy management support and measurement services to ensure the hotel identifies any performance drift early, maintains evidence quality and fulfils registry requirements. Regular reviews against forecast outcomes help the hotel optimize operational decisions and sustain the financial benefits.

Could William Inglis Hotel pursue additional renewable or efficiency opportunities, and how would Northmore Gordon assist?

The hotel's statement of considering solar expansion and further sustainability optimization reflects a staged approach typical of energy projects. After a successful solar installation, candidates for follow-up work include additional rooftop capacity if available, battery storage to shift solar use to peak-demand periods, building-envelope efficiency improvements, or HVAC system optimization. Each opportunity would require its own assessment: technical feasibility, financial case, operational compatibility and eligibility under relevant support schemes. Our six-stage delivery approach—assess, build the case, capture value, deliver, procure and perform—provides a structured pathway. We can conduct energy audits to identify additional opportunities, develop business cases comparing options, and if eligible, facilitate access to additional certificate schemes or funding pathways.

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