Rodney Strong Vineyards Helps Keep Sonoma County Green
Visit our green webpage to learn more about our susatinable practices. Rodney Strong Vineyards believes in careful stewardship of the land. One way we do this is by conserving and protecting the environment through our use of solar power. To that end, we have installed a 766 kW, 4,032 panel solar electric system--the largest solar array in the wine industry.
The lightweight photovoltaic system is installed on top of our 100,000 square foot barrelhouse. Our energy conservation plan combines solar power generation with customized lighting upgrades designed to optimize energy savings, reduce thermal load and enhance lighting quality. Along with the lighting systems, the solar array helps reduce the demand for energy from the utility grid and generates enough energy during the daytime to power almost 800 homes.
By avoiding the purchase of fossil fuel-generated electricity, we are sparing the environment from thousands of tons of harmful emissions, such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide which contribute to smog, acid rain and global warming. The energy efficiency measures will help reduce our annual energy usage by nearly 45% and reduce our electricity costs by nearly 50%.
Over the next 25 years, the solar-generated electricity will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 89,700 tons. These emissions reductions are equivalent to planting 2,500 acres of trees or not driving 22 million miles on California's roadways.
Tom Klein, owner of Rodney Strong Vineyards, notes that “Solar electric systems have never been more suitable to the wine industry. Solar technology improvements, along with flat-surface winery storage areas in sunny locations, have made renewable energy more commercially viable.” As responsible stewards of Sonoma County wine country, Rodney Strong Vineyards strives to conserve and protect the environment in all aspects our our operations.
Solor Generator Rebate from PG&E. Read the Press Release.
