The newly installed Solarus energy system on the roof of the 15 on Orange Hotel, in Cape Town
The newly installed Solarus energy system on the roof of the 15 on Orange Hotel, in Cape Town, is now fully operational.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, the hybrid photovoltaic and thermal (PVT) project is currently the largest in Cape Town and is a system that provides the luxury hotel with both heat and electricity.
The hotel is part of Marriot International’s Autograph Collection and is owned by Spear Property Group.
Spear Property Group hotel portfolio manager Francois Steyn says sustainability is embedded into Marriot International’s business strategy, from design to guest experience.
“Having sustainable management of our energy and water as one of our development pillars, the Solarus system is a perfect solution for us to obtain maximum impact from our rooftop. It is a great location to harvest this free energy instead of using fossil fuel-based sources,” he said.
The Solarus system, which features 124 PowerCollectors, creates a viable and stable energy supply for the 129 hotel rooms, the large restaurant, spa and laundry.
“It is a fact that hotels need a great deal of hot water, thus the choice for a Solarus system, which produces both heat and electricity, is very beneficial. Both in terms of a reduction in fossil fuels and a reduction in the hotels’ operating costs,” says Solarus.
Solarus South Africa MD René Laks explains that the Solarus PowerCollector combines thermal energy with photovoltaic.
Owing to its unique technology and design, Laks notes that it produces one of the highest energy yields ever measured.
“This superior performance gives the ability to accelerate the transition towards a clean energy future. The sun is abundant in South Africa, making for an attractive business case.”
Over a 20-year period, this installation will save the hotel about R24.5-million.
Renewable energy company New Southern Energy (NSE) was chosen as the project’s engineering, procurement and construction partner.
According to NSE CEO David Masureik, solar thermal solutions are ideally suited for clients that require thermal energy, such as companies in the hospitality industry.
“Through our exclusive partnership with unique premium technologies such as the Solarus PowerCollectors, we are able to provide our clients with a solution to all their water heating requirements.
“We appreciate that surface area to install our solution in these sectors is limited; we, therefore, selected to work exclusively with Solarus as their PowerCollectors produce three times more power per installed surface area then traditional PV panels,” he said.