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California Wineries Continue to Face Significant Headwinds with Energy Prices

Regardless of the utility zone, the rate of cost increase is unsustainable for most producers. Switching to renewables is a great idea, but an even better idea is to simply reduce the amount of energy being consumed.

With 75% of the average winery’s electricity bill owing to cooling costs, the opportunity for reducing monthly costs is significant (between 20% and 40%). After combining immediate savings with rebates/incentives and financing programs, the average winery deploying energy saving technology should have positive cash flow in the first year.

A great combination for most wineries is PolarClad insulation, VinFoil mixers, and VinWizard load scheduling, pulse cooling, and VinFoil automation. This strategy should guarantee a winery 30% total cost savings on their chilling. Reach out to me or BevZero if you’d like to mitigate California utility costs.

Commercial/light-industrial energy trends mirror the residential energy chart below. 

 

About

Founded in 1996 VinWizard is established as the default technology for next generation tank control and complete facility integration. Over 200 leading wineries around the world rely on the system to help maximise the potential of fruit entering the winery while reducing power consumption and staff requirements.

Operating a tank control system in isolation is no longer an option for wineries concerned with production cost and wine quality. Through integration with refrigeration plant and application of powerful software logic power savings of up to 50% are readily achievable. Wine is better protected with alarms raised at the source and not when tanks have suffered the impact. Refrigeration resources can be directed to the tanks that most need it and plant can be operated at an appropriate level according to load and power price periods.

Tank control is taken to new levels giving winemakers a greater understanding of what is actually happening inside the tank. Tank temperature control, automated pumpovers, air injection, headspace gassing and agitator control save labor, reduce mistakes and enhance the wine. In-tank sensors deliver on-line monitoring of temperature stratification, brix and redox with data readings triggering temperature changes, pumpovers and agitators. Integration with winery production software allows a seamless bi-directional exchange of data which can trigger temperature profiles in VinWizard and display data where most needed.

VinWizard Temperature Control Introduction

VinWizard Modules, Power and Water

Multi-Level-Probe Introduction

VinWizard Pneumatic Air Valves Introduction


Temperature control with single or multiple sensor options 

Interface to refrigeration plant for control & energy savings 

Interface to your crushpad  

Water monitoring and alarming 

Barrel hall monitoring and control 

Contact

Contact List

Title Name Email Phone Extension
Managing Director Kelly Graves kelly@vinwizard.us +1 7202842059
COO Robert Richards bobrichards@vinwizard.us +64 021731770

Location List

Locations Address State Country Zip Code
Wine Technology Incorporated 703 2nd St Ste 445, Santa Rosa CA United States of America 95404

List of Locations