Jordan Winery Goes Solar

Jordan Winery has been on the cutting edge of the wine industry for some time. John Jordan, owner and CEO of the company, integrated iPad technology into all aspects of its daily operations a few years ago. Now, approaching its 40th anniversary, the winery has announced the completed installation of solar power machinery that will save energy and money by increasing sustainability and decreasing their carbon footprint.

Rather than using their solar power to compensate for wasted energy, Jordan felt strongly about reducing its energy consumption before going solar, and for the last six years they have done exactly that. The 1,932-panel solar photovoltaic array is 100 percent American-made, and according to a press release, "the solar power generated is expected to...save nearly $4.9 million in electricity costs over the next thirty years." Located on a steep hill beside the winery, the panels will reduce energy consumption for the winery and offset its utility bill by an astounding 99 percent.

Despite efforts from the wine industry to create more sustainable and efficient production, only about 100 wineries currently utilize solar power technology. Lisa Mattson, communications director at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, is doing her part to encourage others to follow in their footsteps, and even started a Solar Powered Wineries group on Facebook. "I'm hoping to build more awareness around how many wineries are using solar, as my research and conversations with insiders at trade groups indicate the numbers are low," said Mattson. "I hope they are wrong."

It's a good thing Jordan Winery is located in California's Sonoma wine region, where the sun always shines. "California's bountiful sunshine has nurtured our grapevines for 40 years, and this harvest, we'll use that same sunlight to power all of our crush equipment for the 2012 vintage," reads an entry from the winery's blog.