The 2.4 megawatt solar panels that were installed at Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives Resort, Noonu Atoll by SwimSol Maldives generate the electricity required by the resort. The company estimates that with this achievement, the resort saves around USD 1.5 million from diesel expenses.
Founder and CEO of SwimSol Maldives Martin Putschek said that when they started installing solar panels for the first time in Maldives in 2014, a lot of questions were raised regarding the future of the project, with the biggest question being whether the panels could be maintained for a long time.
Nevertheless, the solar panels that were installed at the resort have been generating electricity even as 10 years have gone by. SwimSol has successfully completed similar projects across Maldives since.
"The beauty of Maldives is a treasure that needs to be protected. We acknowledge solar energy completely and we respect the generosity of nature, and have reduced our dependence on fossil resources," said Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives Resort's General Manager Lionel Valla.
He said that along with renewable energy having become the only responsibility, the steps they have taken are their most beneficial one toward the planet.
The first time solar panels were installed at sea
According to SwimSol, the solar panels they installed at Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives Resort in 2014 is the first platform to have installed solar panels as such in the world. The reason they had to do that was because the landmass in Maldives only accounts for one percent across the entire nation. Most islands are small enough where it can be circled on foot in around half an hour.
While the islands are small, solar panels that can produce 2.4 megawatts of electricity need an area larger than two football fields. That is why the SolarSea platform was made at sea.
SwimSol's solar platforms now at 50 islands
As per SwimSol, when they had proposed to install solar panels at resorts in Maldives, most of the islands had gone against the idea. This is because even though it pollutes the air, diesel is a reliable energy source. Engineers at the resort do not want guests to spend USD 2,000 daily and run the risk of the power going out.
SwimSol went on to say that even though their team came to Maldives with the technology to install solar panels in the ocean, solar panels had to be installed on roofs. This is to ensure generators can be turned off if the required electricity can be generated with solar energy.
In order to do that, the company spent six years finding a resort to take on such a major project. This story spread across the tourism industry, with 50 resorts now generating electricity with SwimSol PV Systems. Famous resorts include Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, One and Only and the Ritz-Carlton.
