Energy is needed at every stage of the food and beverage industry supply chain, from growing grapes to bottling and delivery, and is a key source of emissions and a major target for climate innovation. In this episode of Earth911 Sustainability of your earswe explore ways wineries and other producers are turning to clean, renewable energy to reduce costs, reduce emissions and reduce future operations. James Presta, Business Development Manager at Rec Solar, and Mario Trinchero of Trinchero Family Estate, a well-known family-run winery in Sonoma County, California. Rec Solar and Trinchero work together to introduce solar energy into one of the nation’s largest wineries businesses, demonstrating how collaboration between energy experts and agricultural producers can drive meaningful progress towards the future of carbon China.
James explains that distributed electric grids are emerging. This is led by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that operates by modular solar equipment and locks long-term energy prices. Once networked, these individual installations can form a resilient web of renewable power. Solar, wind and geothermal systems provide flexibility and stability in an extreme climate world. Mario looks back at the motivation behind the family’s move towards solar. Sustainability isn’t just a good business, it’s essential to maintain the land and heritage that defines your brand. By using solar energy in the winemaking process, Trinchero has reduced emissions and operating costs while strengthening its commitment to environmental management. It also delves into the mechanisms of PPA, a modern version of the rural electrification initiative of the 1930s that brought power to American farms. But now, companies like Rec Solar, not government agencies, are expanding their grid through private partnerships. These agreements offer fixed pricing, shared risk, and maintenance agreements, but it is important to understand the provider’s long-term plan. A powerful PPA can electrify the entire supply chain, eliminate reliance on diesel generators, and unlock the possibility of fostering innovations that wires have not reached. And there is an increased possibility of abundant clean power. What can you build if you get more energy than you need? As James and Mario suggest, the answer may be something that can be imagined with the right infrastructure, along with the pollution that defined the last century. Find out more about Rec Solar recsolar.com And about Trincello’s family estate tfewines.com.
