A boutique hotel in the Mayan jungle, on the coast of Mexico, offers twenty luxurious air-conditioned rooms and yet has no grid connection. It meets its power requirement with a hybrid generator.
A hybrid generator prioritises power supply from battery-stored energy. Battery power is replaced as far as possible from solar energy – and the generator is used to make up any shortfall. Generator efficiency is maximised because it runs only when needed, and at its maximum rating. 
Originally the Dune Boutique Hotel relied on a diesel generator running 24 hours a day – but the fuel costs and frequent maintenance schedule were not only a financial burden, but incongruous with the natural environment in which the hotel is situated.
After discussion with local Victron Energy distributor Marine and Solar Energy the hotel owners initially installed a small system to satisfy themselves that hybrid generator technology was wise investment before installing a much more powerful energy system.
One of the advantages of Victron Energy devices is that they are modular allowing easy expansion to meet future growth. 
System Build
The current system comprises:
- 9 x Quattro 48/10000 in three-phase mode offering 90kVA continuous power output
- 48 x Pylontech US3000c batteries
- 8 x SmartSolar MPPT solar charge controller 250/100.
- Cummins generator 80kVA.
- 80 x solar panels provide 40kWp.
- Cerbo GX communication centre device with GX Touch 70 which together provide system control and a local user interface. The Cerbo GX also allows remote system management by engineers from anywhere in the world via Victron Energy’s Remote Management platform VRM.
Customer care – instantly, from anywhere
Marine & Solar Energy can offer their customers a level of support far beyond expectation using Victron Remote Management (VRM).
Without needing to visit site, engineers or technicians can monitor the installation, analyse performance according to selected data sets (battery state-of-charge / PV yields / AC consumption / Generator input (grid meter data and PV inverter V/A are also available where relevant)) chosen from any point in the system history, and then fine tune the programming or prove the need for system expansion in order to achieve optimal performance …tailored to customer need.
In the event of a change of circumstance in power supply or demand, data can be examined at any point during the day, week, month or year…. and beyond, allowing analysts to identify the exact moment any change occurred.
As with all installations connected to the free-to-use VRM platform this installation can send status alarms whenever a defined parameter has been met. The alarm status can trigger a notification email to be sent to Marine & Solar Energy engineers.
Push notifications can be triggered in response to data-triggers such as low voltage; temperature; tank levels and much more. In fact, if ever there is a problem with a system, push notifications allow engineers to know about it even before the customer does!
System installers who manage dozens or even hundreds of customer power systems can organise VRM instances by alarm state, geography or system type and allocate responsibility to designated maintenance engineers.
Different levels of access to any installation from ‘read only’ through ‘technician’ to ‘full access’ can be invoked depending on the viewers role. Security measures such as ‘settings lock’ can also be initiated. You can read more about ‘fleet’ management in VRM here.
Vertical veggies
Hotel Dune also boasts a hydroponic vertical garden. Climate control allows the kitchen staff to grow cool crisp salad ingredients, for example, and serve them to the table within minutes of picking.
Hybrid generators achieve their dramatic cost savings in two principal ways: firstly, the diesel genset only ever runs when needed …and at maximum rating; and secondly the unique ‘PowerAssist’ feature of Victron inverters – by which battery power is added to generator power to meet Peak Power demands – allows a much smaller generator to be specified for any application, saving capital investment. For more information about Hybrid power generation take a look at our brochure, view our webinar, or watch this recent video by Jono.
Sebastian Lehmann of Marine & Solar Energy says his company “…specialises in domestic Energy Storage – either with or without access to public grid; vessels requiring power – but with minimal use of a generator; and in commercial applications where machinery must be guaranteed an uninterruptible power supply.”
Further examples of their work can be found on their website; Facebook page; or on Instagram.
Let’s take a look at Hotel Dune’s exotic location and the power system installed by Marine & Solar Energy:
