Couples Tower Isle all-inclusive luxury resort in Ocho Rios has signed a deal to procure and install a clean-energy solution at the property to become one of the greenest hotels in Jamaica.

The resort is purchasing a C800 Signature Series micro-turbine, along with a 20-year Factory Protection Plan from Innovative Energy Corporation (IEC), the exclusive distribution partner in Jamaica of Capstone Turbine Corporation.

Capstone, which announced the deal in a posting yesterday, said the C800 Signature Series will be installed in a combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) configuration. This will be the third Capstone micro-turbine installation at a Couples Resorts property in Jamaica, as the luxury resort management team continues to find creative ways to reduce their carbon footprint as well as their annual operating costs. The Capstone C800S will be installed and maintained by IEC.

In early 2018, IEC successfully developed and installed a Capstone C65 factory-integrated combined heat and power (iCHP) system at the laundry facility located at Couples Negril. The system now produces 100% of the required hot water for the resort’s laundry and 495,000 kWh electricity annually. This system saves the Couples Negril resort over 350 tons of greenhouse gases annually and significant dollars in their energy bill, resulting in a less than two-year payback on their investment.

In April 2018, IEC successfully secured a follow-on project for another C65 iCHP system at the same Couples Negril resort, which now produces 100 per cent of the domestic hot water for the 234-room all-inclusive hotel and 495,000 kWh electricity annually. This system saves the resort over 400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually and dramatically cut their energy bill, resulting in another two-year simple payback similar to that of the unit dedicated for the hotel’s laundry operation.

This third project is expected to reduce the resort’s greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,000 tons annually, making it one of, if not the greenest hotels in Jamaica. In addition, the project will yield energy savings of approximately 40% annually.

“When I met the forward-looking Couples Resorts engineering and management teams last August, they were impressed by the reliability and simplicity of the Capstone C65 product. More importantly, they praised and appreciated the attentiveness, dedication and technical capabilities of the locally owned and operated IEC team,” said Darren Jamison, president and chief executive officer of Capstone.

Jamison pointed out that this all-inclusive luxury resort was one of a dozen or so customers he visited back in August 2018, accompanied by executives of IEC, and led by local energy entrepreneur, Nigel Davy.

He concluded that with vast technical expertise and strong leadership, IEC is in the process of developing multiple projects for resorts, grocery stores, beverage manufacturers, and the local airport.