In Anguilla, British West Indies, the Frangipani Beach Resort completed 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.
The project’s designer/implementation specialist is Thomas Hodge from SwitchLogix, former CEO of Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC) who served on the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) between 2011 and 2013.
Featuring 800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, the 370 kilowatts (KWh) solar installation is expected to 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 were added over the resort’s parking structure, which converts sunlight into electricity.
Frangipani’s new solar field is one of the first elements guests will now see when driving into the property. The solar panels were created by designing a flat, slightly elevated field, resembling the surrounding waters and framed by the island landscaping to complement Anguilla’s natural beauty. Most importantly, the solar panel field’s enclosure was specifically designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.
The solar panel installations were created to power different sections of the resort, offsetting the costs of all energy-intensive operations such as water production, air conditioning and hot water heaters.
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 restaurant, Straw Hat, also recently replaced plastic straws with paper straws.