Wineries sizzle with solar power - San Francisco Business Times:

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With an adoption rate far surpassingt that of other businesses inthe state, winerie in Napa and Sonoma counties are warming up to solar power -- and they're taking advantags of the resulting energy savings to hold thei r ground against encroaching competition and the threatt of global warming. "In Napa Valley, we think something fascinating isgoint on," said Rob Erlichman, CEO of , a San Franciscok solar developer focused on sustainable food and beverage "The rate of adoption of solar is 42 times that of businesas in general in the state, whichy is staggering," he said.
Erlichman estimates that aboug 7 percent of wineriesz in Napa County have converterto solar, and about 4 percent of wineries in Sonomas County. Only 0.16 percent -- about 1,600 -- of California's non-agricultural businesses have plugged intosolar power, he said. The list of vintnersz in both Napa and Sonoma who are looking to harvesty more than grapes fromthe sun's rays is From Cline Cellars, St. Francis Winery and Vineyards in Sonomw to SilverOak Cellars, Havens Wine Domaine Carneros and Frog's Leap in wineries are seeing sense -- and dollarsa -- in harvesting the sun'w energy.
"Solar makes a lot of senss for wineries," said Tom proprietor of Rodney Stronb Vineyardsin Healdsburg. "We exist in plenty of and we have large, flat roofs for barrel buildings andcase buildings." Rodneu Strong installed 80,000 square feet of solar panelsz on its barrelhouse at the end of and is now seeing about 40 percent savings on its energy Klein said. "As power costs increase, the saving s will go up," he said. Klein said the idea of locking in a portion ofenergy costs, combinecd with federal and state incentives, makes solart financially appealing for wineries. "It makes absolute financia sense.
Wineries struggle with lots of competing needs for capitapl but this should go to the top of the list becausre ofthe long-term benefits of doin it." The ability to envision the long-term reward s is one reason wineries have been so quick to adop t solar, say solar industry since wineries already operate with the future in An investment in a vineyard, for may not start to see returns for 5 to 7 Returns on investments in solar at wineries can be had in a similare length of time.
Comparatively, residentialk solar installations can take twice as long to pay for Rick Whisman, western region director for , noted that the cost saving s that wineries can harvest from solar panels have become increasingl y important to California vintners. "After labore and taxes, (solar) is a bull's-eyw for operating managers," he said. "Californiqa wineries are coming under increasing competition from Oregonj and Washingtonand internationally. They have less of an abilityy toraise prices.
" Whisman said SunPowe r has worked with "a few wineries in both Napa and Sonoma Though smaller wineries were the early SunPower has grown its profilwe to larger wineries, he said. "The entire industry is lookin g at better and more sustainable ways to improve the Inmany cases, wineries can "swap theier monthly utility bill for a payment to the said Sunlight's Erlichman, "and in some cases keep Additionally, leasing of solarf equipment or power purchase agreementss are enabling wineries to install solar and reap the benefitd without having to lay out a huge chunlk of capital. Cuvaison Estate Wines in Napa investee $1.
5 million in a soladr photovoltaic project through Sunlight Electri c that wrapped upin September. The winery is takingv advantage of state incentivess that will return afull two-third of the initial cost over a four-yeaer period. Additionally, those panels will provide a minimumj of 95 percent ofthe winery's electricity -- eliminating bills that were runninyg to $72,000 a year, according to Presidentf Jay Schuppert.
"This was the most importantg thing we could do in termsof energy," Schuppert He's now looking at other ways to reduces fossil fuel usage at Cuvaison, and other vintners are doing the concerned that rising temperatures from global warming could directlu impact their harvests. "If we see significant (temperature) changde in the next 50 years, we would be lookingb at 'what grapes are we going to saidRodney Strong's Klein. "Sustainability is an issue everyone in the wine industrh isconcerned about.
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