Solar panels at Constellation Wines' Gonzalas Winery
Four wineries in California owned and operated by Constellation Wines will soon be producing more than quality wines. By the end of 2010, approximately 17,000 solar panels will be installed at the Clos du Bois winery in Geyserville, the Ravenswood winery in Sonoma, the Estancia winery in Monterey County, and the Gonzales winery in Gonzales. The move will result in the largest solar footprint in the United States wine industry.
Once installed, the solar panels will generate close to 100% of the wineries’ electricity requirements.
Greg Fowler, senior VP of Operations at Constellation Wines enthused:
“The four systems will have a combined solar power of 3.95 megawatt DC, which is equivalent to 4.5 million pounds of emitted carbon being removed from the atmosphere. This amount equates to 9 million miles not driven annually or 226 million miles not driven over the next 25 years, a sizeable reduction.”
Genesis Renewable Energy has been retained as the general solar contractor for the project, and will work with locally-based solar firms to complete the solar installations at the wineries.
Funding for the Constellation Wines solar installation project will come in part from federal government incentives – which will defray 30% of the upfront cost – and the California Solar Initiative, through which it will be provided rate incentives for solar power through Pacific Gas and Electric.
The solar panel installations are a significant part of Constellation Wines’ overall sustainability and social responsibility corporate policies and practices. As a result of its sustainability efforts, all of the company’s wineries and vineyards have been certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. The wineries are also members of the Sonoma Green Business program, the Napa Green Program and the Fish Friendly Farming program.
Jay Wright, president of Constellation Wines North America, commented:
“We are extremely proud of this solar initiative, especially in California where many of our brands, employees and customers are located. We are committed to investing in technologies that will allow us to protect our environment while we produce our wines in the most sustainable way possible. Not only will this initiative have a positive impact on the environment, but it is also cost effective, saving approximately $1 million in energy costs per year.”
For more details about each of the four wineries’ solar panel installations, read this article.
Tags: constellation wines, napa green, solar panels wine, solar vineyards, solar wineries, sonoma green business, sustainable winegrowing, wine solar panels
September 20th, 2010 at 9:03 am
LOVE IT! Can’t wait to enjoy their wine knowing that part of my investment goes towards their current and future investments in a better future for all of us! If you’re around LA and also want to be part of the movement, check us out!