Energy prices are once again front-page news.
Reports this month revealed that Irish retail electricity prices are now up to three times higher than wholesale costs, with suppliers accused of failing to pass on recent reductions. Despite mounting pressure from both industry and households, the Government has ruled out introducing price caps or further energy credits in Budget 2026. Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the decision, arguing that blanket credits risk becoming “expected” and could be factored into future price increases by suppliers. In short: help isn’t coming from above. Hospitality businesses in Ireland are being told to find their own way to manage soaring energy costs.

The new reality for hospitality
For the Irish hospitality sector, already dealing with rising wage bills and inflation, energy remains one of the biggest variable expenses. Yet it’s often treated like a fixed cost — something to be paid, not managed. That mindset is costing the industry millions. At Watt Footprint, we’ve seen first-hand that between 10–20% of a typical hotel’s energy bill comes from avoidable waste,systems running out of hours, poorly controlled heating, or mismatched supply and demand. The issue isn’t just high prices; it’s invisible waste. When you don’t know where or when your energy is being used, you can’t take action. The monthly bill shows you the total, not the story behind it.

Why visibility matters
Energy costs aren’t fixed, they’re variable. When you understand your usage, you can influence both how much you use and how much you pay per unit. That’s why more Irish hotels are turning to real-time monitoring and data-driven management tools like the Watt Footprint Energy Platform. Our platform scans bills, tracks live usage, sets budgets, and alerts you before you overspend, giving you the visibility needed to take back control.

What hotels can do right now
There’s no quick fix for national energy pricing, but there are proven steps every hotel and guesthouse can take:

• Make energy visible: use data tools that show where energy is being used and wasted in real time.
• Engage your team: operational changes, like managing peak loads or adjusting heating schedules, add up fast.
• Set smart budgets: track spend daily, not just monthly, so you can correct overspend before it happens.
• Work with experts: energy management isn’t a one-off audit; it’s an ongoing process that pays back month after month.

The takeaway

The Government may not be introducing price controls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.

Every hospitality business in Ireland has the power to bring its own energy costs under control.

You can’t cut what you can’t see, and you can’t manage what you can’t measure.

By making energy visible, you can protect your bottom line, boost sustainability, and stay one step ahead of the next price surge.

Contact details

Paul Mahon / Jenny O'Reilly
CEO & Co Founder

 087 294 8836 / 087 665 3598
 paulm@wattfootprint.com / jenny.oreilly@wattfootprint.com
Web www.wattfootprint.ie