ANGUILLA, BRITISH WEST INDIES—Anguilla’s Frangipani Beach Resort has announced the completion of a large-scale sustainable energy project to generate clean, reliable power to the hotel. The new solar panels system is projected to power 70 percent of the resort. Featuring 800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, the 370 kilowatts (KWh) solar installation will offset a portion of Frangipani Beach Resort’s energy demand, taking up approximately a quarter of an acre of the hotel’s main entrance. In addition, two solar canopies have been added over the resort’s parking structure, which converts sunlight into electricity.
“Sustainability has always been important to us, and we’re constantly working towards making the property more eco-friendly,” said Shannon Kircher, Marketing Manager at Frangipani. “Being in the Caribbean, the sun is a resource that is in abundance, and powering the property through solar energy felt like a natural and important step for us to take in working towards our mission.”
Frangipani’s new solar field is one of the first elements guests will now see when driving into the property. The solar panels were designed and engineered to achieve these sustainability goals: provide beauty and function. Its unique aesthetic appeal was created by designing a flat, slightly elevated field, resembling the surrounding waters and framed by the colorful island landscaping to complement Anguilla’s natural beauty. Most importantly, the solar panel field’s enclosure was specifically designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Operational Costs Will Decrease
“We believe that not only Frangipani but the island of Anguilla itself will benefit from this initiative as we work towards creating a more sustainable future for generations to come and a greener environment,” added Kircher. “Electricity is a huge line item for resorts, the largest for us beyond personnel, and by utilizing solar-powered technology it will greatly reduce operational costs while leaving less of an environmental footprint. We have set goals to reduce our energy consumption by two-thirds, which represents a significant saving for us.”
The solar panel installations have been created to power different sections of the resort, offsetting the costs of all energy-intensive operations such as water production, air-conditioning, hot water heaters, and more. This is specifically significant to the island, as the new system will provide clean, efficient power that helps protect the pristine location where Frangipani is located.
As part of the resort’s sustainable efforts, Frangipani also invested in storage technology utilizing Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries and smart meters that will manage the property from its current power source. The resort plans to manage its power utilization by “load shifting” from the evening to the day time, as well as utilizing timers, LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances to further reduce its load.
Frangipani currently offers reusable cups to guests and a filtered water refilling station to help minimize the number of water bottles in circulation. The resort’s on-site award-winning restaurant, Straw Hat, most recently replaced plastic straws with environmentally friendly paper straws.
