Schneider Electric announced Domaine Carneros, grower-producer of ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wine and limited production pinot noirs, reduced its carbon emissions last year through the deployment of a solar-powered microgrid, achieving $70,000 in annual savings.
In the heart of Napa Valley, Domaine Carneros has deployed Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid, a standardized, validated microgrid platform that manages the winery’s onsite energy generation. Through its deployment of solar arrays and the microgrid, Domaine Carneros self-generates nearly 80% of its energy for winery operations such as fermentation, bottling and wine tastings.
“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 winery manages its energy usage through Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor software platform, which uses AI to monitor energy generation from the on-site Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). The deployment of the microgrid doubled Domaine Carneros’ energy generation capacity over the solar system that the winery originally installed 20 years ago. Excess solar energy is stored in the onsite battery for use at night or during a power outage, and the backup generator is available to provide additional energy when solar power isn’t available.
“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. “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.”
The microgrid enables Domaine Carneros to have complete self-sufficiency during power outages. It allows the winery to connect and disconnect from the grid, allowing for operation in “island mode,” with a battery storing energy for use as needed. If the power grid goes down, or electricity prices peak, the microgrid responds, providing a continuous supply of power during disruptions to the grid and helping avoid excess electricity demand charges during peak hours.
Schneider Electric partnered with PowerFlex, a division of EDF Renewables, to design the microgrid. PowerFlex provided the electrical infrastructure to integrate the solar power and battery storage system.
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