Awaiting harvest

As someone who really enjoys fine wines, I was pleasantly surprised by news about an Oregon-based winery that has implemented the power of the sun through the entire winemaking process.  That’s right – solar wine production is the wave of the future for vitners concerned about the environment and the longevity of certain grape varietals.  Oh, and its also great for those wanting to save some serious cash on utility bills.  What a way to… um… “crush” the competition!

Of course, we all know that grapes grow in sunlight.  But once they are harvested, most wineries rely on electricity from the grid (usually coal-based) to power the fermentation process and light up the facilities.  Not at the Torii Mor Winery in Yamhill County, Oregon!  They are solar from start to finish – an excellent example of solar wine production.

You may know that Oregon is known for its fabulous wineries, mostly located in the fertile Willamette Valley on the west side of the Cascade Mountains.  Oregon has also been a renewable energy leader in the country when it comes to solar and wind power.  Why not combine the two into a successful solar wine production outfit?

Last year, Torii Mor Winery joined 30 additional local wineries in a challenge sponsored by the Oregon Governor’s office, the Oregon Wine Board and the Oregon Environmental Council.  The Carbon Neutral Challenge Initiative was designed in response to global warming concerns.  If wineries could cut carbon emissions to zero through solar wine production, then hopefully certain grapes (e.g., Pinot Noir) will be saved from the negative effects of a warming world.  Pinot Noir grapes, in particular, can only flourish in certain climates such as exists in Oregon.  If world temperatures increase by only a few additional degrees, production of wine will be significantly affected.

Other wineries in California have also converted to solar wine production, as shown in this video from Frog’s Leap Winery, located in the famous Napa Valley.

But getting back to Oregon (my home state!), the Torii Mor Winery is clearly implementing solar wine production as evidenced by the solar panels installed on the top of its fermentation room. A second solar panel system is on top of the tank room.  The fermentation room boasts a 47.5 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system and the tank room has a 20 kW system.  Together they generate so much clean, solar energy that the winery is able to export excess energy back to the local electric utility.  Who would have thought that to be possible in cloudy, rainy Oregon?

Wine fermentation

There are a number of other environmentally sensitive features at the green winery.  All lightbulbs have been replaced with energy-efficient bulbs.  Rain collectors on the roofs provide water for on-site fountains.  The barrel cellar is built right into the hillside and is planted with a live eco-roof to help keep it cool.

Grapes are grown in the sun.  Why not process them into delicious wine through solar wine production?  Follow in the green footsteps of the Torii Mor Winery and watch your energy costs drop while your “spirits” rise!