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Sustainable wine making at one of Australia’s favourite wineries

How a tailor-made solar solution helped Yalumba maintain its reputation as one of Australia’s most sustainable winemakers.
5 min read
Last updated 12 Feb, 2024

Yalumba installed solar to help power their winery with renewable energy and reduce operating costs.

“It’s an exciting project that delivers significant savings and is consistent with our focus on sustainability,” said Yalumba Managing Director, Nick Waterman.

AGL helped Yalumba's iconic Barossa Valley winery develop a cost effective and renewable energy solution to achieve their sustainability and business performance objectives. We designed and installed a 1.39 MW solar system consisting of 5,384 panels installed across three locations including Angaston Winery, Oxford Landing Winery and Yalumba Nursery.

For over 180 years, we've been a leader in energy innovation - and our ongoing partnership with Yalumba is no exception. Yalumba engaged us to develop a cost-effective and renewable energy solution to achieve its sustainability and business performance objectives.

The result? One of the largest commercial installations at an Australian winery. We also assisted Yalumba in further reducing their energy costs by upgrading existing lighting to energy-efficient LED lights at several winemaker sites.

Here are five facts about the project and our ongoing partnership with Yalumba.

1. Joining forces with an established Australian company

After 167 years of making some of Australia’s finest wine, Yalumba sought a trusted partner with a similar heritage to create a sustainable energy solution tailored to its business needs.

Thanks to our expertly designed solar solution, Yalumba will reduce their grid energy consumption by 18%.1

2. Preserving Yalumba’s capital

Yalumba took advantage of our solar business plan where we design, install, own and maintain the system – they simply purchase the energy generated by the system for a defined term. Yalumba had no upfront capital costs, which gave them the flexibility to invest in other areas of their business.

Additionally, Yalumba was able to start saving from the day the system was switched on by paying a low, predictable rate for solar energy – a rate lower than their current grid tariff and one that will continue well into the future.

We also monitor and maintain their system to ensure good performance, meaning Yalumba can focus on its core business: making great wine.

3. Creating a tailored solution for a unique application

We understand the importance of creating a bespoke solution to meet specific business needs.

During the consultation process, the team worked closely with Yalumba to define and understand the winemaker’s business requirements – to optimise the design of the solar system. Understanding Yalumba’s energy consumption profile was critical in determining the size and layout of the system to ensure it would help Yalumba achieve positive financial and environmental outcomes.

Just as important to the project's success was the delivery of the solar system. Installed across three operational locations over a period of six months, we worked with Yalumba at every step to ensure that safety and quality were never compromised – and that the system was delivered to Yalumba’s expectations.

4. Yalumba’s commitment to sustainable winemaking

Yalumba already understood the importance of protecting the fundamental elements of creating great wine; it’s part of their business ethos and corporate social responsibility. Installing a clean, renewable energy solution complements Yalumba’s existing sustainability initiatives and cements its position as one of Australia’s most sustainable winemakers.

5. Meeting Yalumba’s sustainability objectives

Environmental sustainability is an important goal at Yalumba. Our solar systems will generate approximately 2,050 MWh of clean energy annually.2 This is equivalent to the average electricity usage of 580 South Australian homes.3 Additionally, the LED lighting upgrades will save 235 MWh of electricity. 

Yalumba’s solar system will offset around 1,008 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly for 25 years.4

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1This is an estimate based on AGL’s understanding of the customer’s annual energy consumption at the premises at the time of proposal and AGL’s modelling of the solar system’s expected annual energy output at the premises at the time of proposal, taking into account predicted export to the grid.

2This is an estimate based on AGL’s modelling of the solar system’s expected annual energy output at the premises at the time of proposal.

3AEC residential electricity use and customer numbers per state for FY2015 (Electricity Gas Australia 2016).

4This is an estimate based on AGL’s modelling of the solar system’s expected annual energy output at the premises at the time of proposal, converted using the relevant National Greenhouse Account Factor for scope 2 emissions at the time of proposal. 

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