Reaping the rewards of renewable energy.
A natural fit. Among agricultural entities, wineries, with on-site production, bottling, and extensive hospitality areas, can be the most energy intensive, making them an excellent fit for solar energy systems. In addition to plenty of sunshine, many wineries have abundant ground and roof space ideally situated for harvesting sunlight. The seasonal nature of winery activity and energy consumption during harvest and crush season works in harmony with and enhances the economic benefit from solar energy production throughout the year. More than many other agricultural entities, wineries have the opportunity to benefit from the marketing value of their renewable energy system by attracting new customers and increasing the perceived value of their brand.
EOS Estate Winery - Nestled in the vineyard covered hills of Paso Robles, EOS is the first winery on California’s Central Coast to meet all of it’s energy needs with solar power. The 540 kW installation comprises more than 3,000 PV modules mounted on over two acres of solar tracking arrays and 100 solar thermal collectors on the roof providing all the electrical power and water heating needs of the winery and tasting room.
Over the next 25 years, EOS’s environmental stewardship will reduce CO2 emissions by over 21,000 tons. This is equivalent to planting 360 trees or not driving 68 million miles. “At EOS, we believe strongly in producing our wines in a way that is friendly to the land and the environment as a whole,” said Jeff Hopmayer, owner of EOS Estate Winery. “Because of the abundant sunshine, California is the perfect place to harvest solar power and utilize it to create our award-winning wines. By using alternative energy, we are doing our part to protect our environment while continuing to produce the highest quality wine.”
“We knew we wanted solar, and we knew it could be done on our site, but we just didn’t know how it could be done in the most efficient way,” he added. Conergy’s state-of-the-art active solar tracking system enables EOS to efficiently produce the most power possible throughout the day. The tracking system maximizes the winery’s daily solar energy harvest by following the sun from east to west, delivering significantly more energy than fixed-tilt technology. A smaller ground-mounted fixed-tilt solar system powers the tasting room and a large roof-mounted solar thermal system provides the winery’s water heating needs.
Conergy’s expert finance partners are well versed in the myriad benefits and underlying asset value of on-site renewable energy generation. We worked closely with EOS management to deliver a financial and contractual package with the best overall value. To support EOS’s financial objectives, Conergy’s Projects Group structured financing with immediate and lasting energy cost savings and positive cash flow for the winery from day one. By financing their systems, EOS avoids upfront capital expenditures and still benefits economically from state and federal incentives, valuable Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and Net-Energy-Metering. In addition, as electricity prices continue to rise, the savings continue to escalate for the winery since EOS has secured its price of electricity at a much lower rate.
EOS Estate Winery will benefit from a total savings of about $8.5 million on their electricity over a 25-year period. Hopmayer noted, “If you look at our monthly energy bill usage, the system is costing us less to fund per month than it would cost to pay our energy without the system.” For companies paying higher energy rates, like EOS, the credits and rebates currently available in California make investing in solar energy a no-brainer. For added peace of mind, Conergy’s operations and maintenance specialists will remotely monitor the systems and provide preventative maintenance services ensuring years of worry-free operation and economic return on EOS’s solar energy investment. EOS and Conergy have partnered to create a reliable, cost saving and environmentally sound energy strategy for the future.
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines - J. Lohr owns 3,000 acres of California Vineyards including 2000 acres in the Paso Robles region where they have now added a state-of-the-art 756 kW single axis tracking solar PV system. 4,320 modules were installed on ground-mounted arrays which track the sun from east to west on a daily basis, significantly increasing energy output. A respected leader in the wine industry, the Lohr family wanted their wineries to become more sustainable as well as to set an example for the energy intensive wine industry and the public. “Solar energy is a perfect fit for the California wine industry. We’re innovators and entrepreneurs and we’re committed to the land. The success of our wines depends on our environmental stewardship,” says Steve Lohr, Senior VP of Planning and Development for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
The system is the largest solar energy installation of its kind in the North American wine industry. It will offset most of the winery’s annual energy use with expected first year utility savings of $216,000 and will reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 512 acres of trees or not driving 96 million miles. Owning their own solar electric system makes them more energy independent with more predictable energy costs for decades to come. “There is enough variability in our industry—from rainfall and seasonal weather through the wine-making process to consumer preferences. Our investment in our own energy production reduces our risk in forecasting energy costs. It adds just a little measure of control.”
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines: Project Details |