Much of the adult beverage industry has been taking a grown-up approach when it comes to its energy decision-making in recent years.
From breweries chasing carbon capture to distilleries infusing hydrogen energy and wineries installing microgrids, the spirits are high for choosing decarbonization and energy self-reliance.
The latest and perhaps biggest deal is a microgrid at the Domaine Carneros winery in south Napa Valley. The winery and microgrid partner Schneider Electric celebrated the first full year of operations at the vineyard known for its sparkling wines and pinot noir.
The full year of microgrid deployment in 2024 showed Domaine Carneros that solar and battery storage could deliver more than 70% to sometimes 80% of its energy use. The original rooftop solar arrays were deployed 20 years ago, but in the past two years the winery has updated new solar and batteries while also modernizing its control technology and upgraded inverters from SolarEdge.
The goal is achieving energy security in a region of northern California known for outages and cutting on electricity costs.
"Our ability to craft the highest quality wines and create the most memorable wine experiences is dependent on a reliable and efficient source of energy," said Remi Cohen, CEO of Domaine Carneros, in a statement. "With Schneider Electric's advanced microgrid technology, we've been able to revolutionize our energy infrastructure and maximize our renewable energy use. At a time when power outages are becoming more common, due to wildfires and severe weather, this has been critical to keeping our operations online."
Read a feature-depth look at the Domaine Carneros Winery Microgrid
in Microgrid Knowledge
Domaine Carneros can island the microgrid, or operate it disconnected from the main grid, in the event of an outage. In fact, the microgrid did so several times in 2024.
The winery manages its energy use through Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Adviser software platform, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor energy generation from the on-site distributed energy resources. PowerFlex, part of EDF Renewables, worked with Schneider Electric to design the microgrid.
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"Deploying a resilient and energy-efficient microgrid solution has been critical to the winery's operations in light of an increasing number of Public Safety Power Shutoffs and extreme weather events that have posed significant threats to the winemaking industry in California," said Jana Gerber, North American president of microgrids for Schneider Electric. "The system allows the winery to manage energy from its solar array, battery, and generator, providing backup power. All of this is managed through our microgrid controls, which allows for seamless power to be provided to the winery."
The Domaine Carneros microgrid includes 614 upgraded solar panels which can generate 427 kW at capacity, combined with a 250-kVA battery backup. The project also includes a backup generator set.
Overall, in 2024, the microgrid accounted for 740 MWh of carbon-free electricity, which is equivalent to saving 60,000 gallons of gasoline.
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