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World's First Net Zero Home Stay


Hibiscus Villa, Allepey

Hibiscus Villa is a Home Stay, garlanded by majestic coconut trees and flocks of water birds blanketing its skies. The Villa is located on the banks of the famous Vembanad Lake which is a popular tourist destination in Kerala.

It is a fully equipped Home Stay with modern amenities such as air-conditioning, lighting, television, microwave oven, induction cooker, refrigerators, hair dryers, irons, electrical chimney, swimming pool, sanitation system, water pump, water filtration system, water pressure pump, etc.

The location of the villa being a remote area, the grid-tied supply was of very poor quality with frequent power outages and low voltages, especially during the night when it was needed the most to server the guests. The power failure posed a challenge to the hospitality extended to the guests.

Mr.Thomas Dominic who is a renowned Hotelier, known for his environmental-friendly initiatives in the Hospitality Sector preferred a Green Energy Solution to his Villa rather than choosing diesel generators so as to avoid emission of noise and pollution.

It was in this context that Mr. Dominic sought the expertise of TeamSustain to implement a Green Energy Project for the total power requirements of his Villa.

TS undertook a detailed survey of the site and identified following challenges.

  • High Energy Consumption required for 4.5 Tons of Air-conditioning and Swimming Pool Filtration pump.
  • High Energy Consumption during night which required efficient energy storage.
  • Financial Viability.
  • Space Constraint.
  • Cloudy Weather, long Rainy days and high ambient temperature

Energy Efficiency

In order to reduce the High energy consumption TS, as a first step, conducted a detailed Energy Audit and replaced all the inefficient devices and incorporated energy management measures.

TS was thus able to reduce the existing energy consumption considerably which, in turn, helped reduce the array capacity resulting in cost saving as well as working out solution to space constrain.


Storage System

In order to ensure uninterrupted heavy load requirements, especially during night, TS designed a specialized intelligent battery bank of Trojan Deep Cycle batteries specifically engineered to have enough power to support the entire requirements of the Villa and operate under challenging conditions such as fluctuating or extreme temperatures, remote locations and the intermittent nature of solar


Meeting Challenges

Other remedies included shielding the bedroom walls from Direct Sunlight to eliminate heat gain and thus reducing the power consumption by ACs.

Use of aSi Thin Film modules ensured generation during the worst days of the year. (Cloudy & Rainy days)

Outback Inverters handled all the Surge loads with high efficiency & reliability.


Project Outcome

The successful implementation of uniquely engineered state-of-the-art solar system with energy storage ensured that all the electrical systems and appliances were powered and functioned uninterrupted.

The Villa was totally isolated from the grid and made immune to both grid failures and poor quality of the grid.

Hibiscus Villa thus became India’s First Net Zero Home Stay.


Major System Components

TeamSustain took a holistic approach, ensuring passive and active measures to make the project the most energy efficient property.

Major System Components

  • 6 kW Thin Film Solar Modules
  • 3 kVA x 2 Nos. Outback Inverters
  • 4 kW x 2 Nos. MPPT Charge Controllers
  • 48 V, 1196 Ah – Battery Bank
  • Communication Device
  • Mounting Structure

Project Achievements

  • The most energy efficient Net Zero Home Stay
  • The lowest possible connected load per sqft basis
  • 100% reliable Autonomous Solar PV System
  • Assured Energy Security
  • Zero Reliance on Conventional Fuel - No Grid, No Diesel Generator - no noise, no pollution
  • Reduction of Carbon footprint by 3.456 Tons p.a.
  • Commercially viable project - return on investment in 5 years
  • Zero Down time since 2010
  • Inspiration to the Hospitality Sector to follow and replicate

Devices Powered By the System

  • (3) 1.5 Ton, 18,000 BTU air conditioners
  • (2) Microwave ovens
  • Mixer/grinder
  • 250 litre refrigerator
  • 400 litre refrigerator
  • (45) LED lights
  • Swimming pool pump 1/2 Hp
  • Zero chlorine sanitation system
  • Water pump
  • Water filtration system
  • Hair dryers
  • Pressure pump

Project Inspiration

The Project - Hibiscus Villa illustrated the expertise of TS in harnessing the solar energy by its engineering marvelous.

The project was a clear testimony of the energy independence that can be achieved with solar technology, robust and reliable energy storage and engineering innovation.

The success of the project was an eye opener to naysayers who thought solar energy cannot be an effective alternative to conventional power, especially in the rainy tropical climate of Kerala.

It inspired the Hospitality Sector, in particular, to follow and replicate many such installations in the country.