Pernod Ricard Winemakers has become the first large wine company in Australia to achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity.
AGL has installed more than 10,300 solar panels across the company’s two Barossa Valley wineries, predicted to power the equivalent of almost 800 South Australian homes annually.
As well as in-house measures, Pernod Ricard Winemakers has also been connected to offsite wind and solar farms through a 10 year Virtual Generation Agreement with wholesale electricity retailer Flow Power.
Brett McKinnon, Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ Chief Operations Officer, said that completing the project ahead of schedule illustrates the company’s commitment to leading sustainability and responsibility for large wineries.
“Pernod Ricard Winemakers is excited to be the first large wine company in Australia to produce wine using electricity sourced entirely from renewable sources, well ahead of our initial goal and other large wine companies,” McKinnon said.
“Being sustainable and responsible is an important part of our business, particularly as producers of wine – a product that takes its character from the land where it was grown. We want to minimise our impact on the communities where we operate, responding to the local climate and preserving the environment for future generations to come.”
“Our journey began in 2016 with a pilot solar installation after we recognised that we had a huge opportunity across our wineries to harness the power of the sun through solar panels. Three years later, we are exceptionally proud to say that we are now sourcing all electricity from renewable sources, in alignment with our global ambition,” he said.
The achievement means that all wines from the Jacob’s Creek, St Hugo and Wyndham Estate brands will be produced using power from renewable sources.
Renewable electricity is part of Pernod Ricard’s commitment to sustainability and responsibility in their global strategy. The group also recently launched its 2030 sustainability and responsibility roadmap, setting out ambitious goals aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and it’s Ten Principles for responsible business.