Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), the hospitality arm of the Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), signed a power supply agreement (PSA) with Skye Renewables to transition several of its hotels to renewable energy.
The partnership will initially cover three hotels—Summit Hotel Naga, Go Hotels Plus Naga, and Grand Summit General Santos.
These properties will soon be powered by rooftop solar systems, which include a state-of-the-art Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) system, marking a major step in RHR’s sustainability strategy.
RHR, which currently operates 26 company-owned hotels across the Philippines, plans to expand the solar initiative to other properties. “This partnership is a pilot project,” said Barun Jolly, RHR senior vice president and business unit general manager, at a signing ceremony held at Midtown Hall in Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha recently.
“If it proves successful, we will extend it to more hotels in our portfolio, potentially covering all 30 properties, including four new hotels set to open soon.”
“Robinsons Land Corp. has a strong ethos of being a sustainable company, and at Robinsons Hotel and Resorts, we are aligning with that vision by reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy,” said Jolly.
This partnership underscores RHR’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint through solar power and is part of RHR’s broader goal to have 10 percent of its energy usage come from renewable sources.
Selecting Skye as their partner was based on three vital criteria: credibility, ability to address RHR’s specific needs, and long-term commitment.
“For hotels, solar projects represent not just an environmental initiative but an economic one—our assets require significant capital investment, so protecting them is paramount. Skye addressed our concerns about installation impact but also provided actionable solutions and committed to remediating any potential issues,” Jolly said.
According to Lucky Jay Damaso, Corporate Energy head of RLC, the solar installations at Naga and General Santos will result in significant reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions.
“These installations will help reduce the hotels’ carbon emissions by 10 to 15 percent, translating to around 460,000 kWh of renewable energy annually and over 326 metric tons of carbon dioxide avoided equivalent to 5,314 trees planted,” Damaso said. This reduction will help RHR contribute to RLC’s larger sustainability goals and decrease its overall greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to moving towards renewable energy, RHR is actively reducing its environmental impact in other ways.
Annalyn Yap, Robinson Hotels and Resorts vice president, said RHR had already replaced single-use plastic amenities with bulk dispensers and introduced water in glass bottles across its international brands. “These efforts are part of our mission to minimize plastic waste and improve overall sustainability,” Yap added.
RHR’s leadership is firm in its dedication to sustainability. Yap noted the company’s commitment to sustainability. “We understand the role we play in the communities where we are located. We take that very seriously and we also want to make sure that we do our part in looking after Mother Earth, which is the only home we have,” she said.
Jolly said RHR’s “commitment to a greener environment is resolute.” “As one of the largest hotel operators in the country, we believe it’s our responsibility to lead the hospitality industry in sustainable practices.”
Gary Espino, Skye Renewables head of Philippines, said this project aligns perfectly with the company’s goal of providing clean, cost-effective energy to businesses across Southeast Asia. “We are thrilled to be partnering with RHR, one of the most iconic hospitality brands in the Philippines. This is a significant step towards a sustainable future,” Espino said.
With this partnership, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts and Skye Renewables are setting a new standard for sustainability in the hospitality sector, proving that businesses can operate responsibly while also achieving significant cost savings. As the demand for greener business practices grows, this collaboration demonstrates the power of partnerships in achieving ambitious sustainability goals.
