Oregon is one of the top wine producers in the US. Vineyards and wineries stretch all along the state, from the Willamette and Applegate valleys in the west and south, to the Walla Walla and Snake River valleys in the north and east.
As wine culture (viticulture) continues to grow, and Oregon wineries and vineyards prosper, many vintners are considering how to decrease their costs while also bolstering their resilience and environmental responsibility.
To do this, many wineries and vineyards are turning to solar energy. Solar energy can not only power vital machinery, it can also protect from power outages and help reduce or eliminate the winery or vineyard’s carbon footprint.
SOLAR REDUCES WINERY ENERGY COSTS
Growing, harvesting, and processing grapes to make wine is very energy intensive. The machinery and equipment involved all along the way require a lot of energy to ensure the speed and quality of the winemaking process. These energy needs can be very expensive and eat into profits.
From the very beginning, ensuring the strong growth of grapes is vital to the winemaking process. This requires the grapevines to receive a consistent and reliable source of water, often in the form of irrigation lines. These irrigation systems require a lot of energy to pump the water, especially in times of drought.
Read more about the importance of solar energy during times of drought.
The next steps in the winemaking process also require a lot of energy. These steps include crushing the grapes, fermentation, pressing, and filtering. Each of these steps requires special machinery that consumes a lot of energy.
Once the wine has been made, it must be aged. Aging requires the wine to be kept at a constant temperature and humidity level. This requires refrigeration and humidifiers to run for years on end, which consumes a ton of energy.
Each of these steps in the winemaking process require a lot of energy. And each of these steps presents a money-saving opportunity.
By installing solar panels, wineries and vineyards can produce their own energy and significantly reduce or totally eliminate their energy bills. These savings can increase winery and vineyard profits, which can be used to reinvest in the business, expand operations, and create a competitive advantage.
Find out how much your business could save with solar. Contact Green Ridge Solar today.
Estimate your total savings, payments, and total energy usage with our FREE solar calculator.
SOLAR & BATTERIES CAN PROVIDE RESILIENCE
Wineries and vineyards are businesses that require constant and reliable sources of energy. If any step along the winemaking process fails, it can have devastating consequences.
For instance, if irrigation pumps can’t pump water, acres of grapevines could be stunted or die. If fermenting tanks do not have power, untold gallons of must (unfermented grape mixture) could be wasted. If refrigeration fails, hundreds to thousands of bottles of wine could go bad.
That’s why many wineries and vineyards are turning to solar + storage. By installing solar panels and batteries, wineries and vineyards can ensure every step of the winemaking process is resilient and protected against power outages. This provides a level of profit protection that every business needs.
And solar can also provide resilience against other unforeseen hardships, such as drought. Research has shown that heatwaves and drought are increasing year over year. These climate changes are becoming an increasing concern for wineries and vineyards.
By installing solar panels, wineries and vineyards can strengthen their ability to react to drought conditions. The increased need to pump water to their vines and to cool their building and storage can be offset by the energy production from their solar panels. This can reduce huge and unforeseen expenses and protect profits at the same time.
SOLAR CAN IMPROVE BUSINESS IMAGE
Along with reducing expenses, protecting profits and providing resiliency, solar panels can also improve a business’ image.
Many consumers are becoming more and more conscious of their carbon footprint. This includes knowing where their wine comes from and how sustainably it is sourced and made.
By installing solar panels, many wineries and vineyards can demonstrate their commitment to reducing or eliminating their carbon footprint. Solar panels will not only be providing energy, they will be a physical reminder that your business is doing its part to help protect the environment, and customers will certainly notice.
COULD SOLAR HELP YOUR WINERY OR VINEYARD?
The benefits of solar energy for Oregon wineries and vineyards are huge. Not only can solar panels cut energy costs, they can also increase and protect profits. On top of that, solar panels and batteries can protect wineries and vineyards from power outages while also demonstrating their commitment to the environment to their customers.
More and more wineries and vineyards in Oregon are installing solar energy. To them, solar just makes sense. The benefits of solar energy, as well as the current incentives for businesses and agriculture, have convinced them the time to go solar is today.
Could solar energy be a good solution for your winery or vineyard? How much money could you save with solar? At Green Ridge Solar, we can help answer all these questions and more.
Contact Green Ridge Solar today to learn how solar energy could help you, and to get your free solar analysis.
