Innisfree Hotels completes an ambitious solar power project at its Surf & Sand Hotel in Pensacola Beach, Fla. SunFarm Energy, Northwest Florida’s local solar experts, recently installed a 330-panel rooftop solar array atop the 100-room property, making it the first solar-powered commercial site in Pensacola Beach and resulting in a huge reduction in the hotel’s carbon footprint.
The solar power provided by the rooftop setup will offset nearly half of the Surf & Sand’s annual energy usage and provide substantial savings on utility bills. By reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint by 50 percent, the solar project is reducing emissions equivalent to:
- 37 gas-powered vehicles driven for one year
- 18,740 gallons of gasoline
- 186,551 pounds of coal burned
- 21 homes’ energy use for one year
- 20,258,413 smartphones charged
The Surf & Sand solar project represents a milestone in creating a clean energy future on the Gulf Coast and a major step toward accomplishing Innisfree Hotels’ sustainability goals. The use of solar energy increases the Surf & Sand’s rating for the Green Key Global sustainable hospitality program, in which all 27 of Innisfree’s properties participate.
The partnership between Innisfree and SunFarm Energy extends beyond the Surf & Sand project. The companies are collaborating on the launch of an Employee Solar Program to further Innisfree’s ESG initiatives, and SunFarm Energy has made a donation to The Hive, Innisfree’s philanthropic arm in Pensacola and other local communities.
“By transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy, this project is reducing carbon emissions, contributing to improved air quality and demonstrating that Innisfree is a leader in sustainability,” Bethanne Edwards, director of sustainability at Innisfree Hotels, said in a statement. “What’s more, the solar project helps us deliver on our Triple Bottom Line commitment where success is determined by how well we protect the planet while serving people and communities.”