Grapes ripened under the Australian sun, will now be fermented and bottled by Pernod Ricard Winemakers using only renewable energy. The winemaker will source 20% of its electricity needs from a 2.8 MW on-site solar array, with the remaining 80% provided by Flow Power under a Virtual Generation Agreement (VGA).
The development will see the winemaker go 100% renewable by mid-2019, “well ahead of its original plans.”
AGL is delivering the solar array, the first 1 MW stage of which was powered up today.
The VGA with Flow Power is the electricity retailer’s first ‘Hybrid Power Purchase Agreement’ in South Australia. Flow Power has signed offtake agreements with large scale solar projects including the 200 MW Kiamal Solar Farm in Victoria – allowing it to provide its customers with 100% renewables contract to its customers like Pernod Ricard.
“By matching both solar and wind Power Purchase Agreements, Pernod Ricard Winemakers receives a cost-effective means to get to 100% renewables,” said Flow Power’s Director of Commercial and Engineering David Evans.
Pernod claims that its 2.8 MW on-site solar array will be the largest solar winery installation in Australia.
The announcement comes only days after Australian Vintage signed a PPA with Flow Power to power 90% of its Buronga Hill Winery with renewables, under a 10-year deal. Buronga will also install 2 MW of on-site solar with Todae Solar.
The company has been recognized for its sustainability efforts at the recent Drinks Business Green Awards, the 2018 Australian Drinks Awards and by the South Australia Wine Industry Association.
“We are doing everything within our means to draw upon renewable energy, both in terms of our own renewable electricity sources at our winery and our commitment to supporting the renewable energy industry,” said Helen Strachan, Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ Legal and Corporate Affairs Director.
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