May 30 2008

Energy Snobs

Posted by: Katie Romans

Wineries are developing a palate for energy efficiency and clean energy, looking into some pretty innovative ways to leverage their facilities and surroundings to realize energy savings. And, with 1,100 wineries in the state of California, which collectively produce 500 million gallons of wine, the movement can have a huge impact on California's energy use.

As reported in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle, the Far Niente winery in Oakville recently covered their irrigation pond with a floating solar installation, designed and installed by SPG Solar of Novato, using the "Floatovoltaic" technology developed by Thompson Technology Industries Inc.

Not only will the Floatovoltaic arrays provide the winery with up to 447 kw of clean renewable energy, it is also likely to result in less water loss due to evaporation, according to the article, and less algae growth. Dividends.

In related news, PG&E's own Emerging Technologies group is also working with wineries to help them realize energy savings through energy efficiency. The team conducted two studies at two major yet-to-be-named NorCal wineries that show that the use of a European technology called electrodialysis in the process of eliminating tartaric acid in wine is 99 percent more efficient than the refrigeration process regularly used, called cold stabilization. To put a finer point on it, that's 8 watt-hours per gallon v. 22-1,200 watt-hours per gallon.

As such projects become more and more feasible through financing mechanisms and rebates, hopefully more California wineries will get snobby on their energy use -- and pass on the savings. Cheers to that!

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