Where Five-Star Luxury Meets Commercial Solar
From panels to impact:
Annual Energy Production: 932 MWh/ yr
Economic value: Powers 25% of the resorts energy needs
Environmental value: 67,000 kg carbon offset/ yr
Deployed by:
643 kWp of solar energy
The Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island is a five-star retreat where beach resort meets luxury hotel, framed by Fiji’s beauty and culture. In 2024 Sunergise’s EPC partner Clay Energy completed a 643 kWp rooftop PV system for the resort. It generates around 932 MWh of solar electricity per year, powers around 25 per cent of the resort and produces enough energy to run 170 homes on Denarau Island. The project shows how commercial solar can carry a real share of the load in a large luxury resort.
The Challenge: Rising Energy Costs and Guest Expectations at Five-Star Level
Five-star hospitality is energy-intensive. Cooling for guest rooms and suites, the spa, pools, restaurants and back-of-house operations keep demand high all day, and every kWh bought from the grid adds to operating costs. Higher electricity prices and a grid that still relies partly on diesel and fossil fuels made these costs harder to plan, while any disruption to supply would be felt immediately by guests. Sofitel promises an exclusive stay without complications. The resort was looking for a way to produce its own electricity and cut its grid consumption, diesel dependence and carbon footprint while keeping every part of the guest experience running smoothly.
Sunergise’s Solution: 643 kWp of Commercial Solar on the Resort’s Roofs
Sunergise and Clay Energy designed and installed a 643 kWp solar system with 1,169 solar panels. Ten inverters feed the solar electricity directly into the resort’s switchboards. Generation peaks in the middle of the day, when cooling loads are highest, so the system cuts the resort’s grid consumption and energy costs exactly when demand is greatest.
Project Highlight: A Five-Star Resort Powered by Renewable Energy from the Sun
Generating your own clean energy lowers carbon footprint. Thanks to the size of the solar array installed at Sofitel Fiji Resort, it offsets more than 67,000 kg of carbon emissions per year. With around 25 per cent of its energy now coming from a commercial solar installation sized to the resort’s energy consumption, the Sofitel Fiji is a standout example of a solar powered resort in the Pacific. Its sustainability programme, which also includes on-site water bottling and filtration process, holds the EarthCheck Bronze Benchmark 2025 certification.
The project also strengthens Denarau Island’s role as a showcase for commercial solar in tourism. Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa is one of several Sunergise and Clay Energy projects in tourism and hospitality on Denarau Island. Together with Radisson Blu Resort Fiji, Port Denarau Marina and Denarau Golf Terrace Apartments, around 1.5 MWp of solar has been installed across six sites on the island.
