Lowe Family Wine Co – a leader in organic and biodynamic winemaking – has become one of the first wineries in Australia to operate entirely off-grid.
The Mudgee-based estate now powers its entire operation including the vineyard, winery, cellar door and hatted restaurant The Zin House, with a solar and battery system.
The $850,000 project was made possible through a financial structure by Smart Ease, which reduced upfront costs and ensured the system was cash-flow positive from day one.
It has an expected payback period of seven years on an asset with a 25-year lifespan.
Owner and winemaker David Lowe said, “We are constantly working to become more sustainable.
“Kim and I have a list of sustainability projects and goals that covers a whole wall, however this particular milestone was particularly big for us.
“The project has taken almost a year from inception, but the fact that we are now reliant only on the sun is a monumental win for our organic and biodynamic business.”
The system – by SPS Solar + Water – was designed and installed between February and September.
It consists of 414 solar panels (265kW) and 1.2MWh of battery storage, engineered to provide seamless three-phase power across the property.
It tackles the significant energy loads of cold storage, refrigeration and cooking required for both the winemaking facilities and the restaurant, ensuring reliability during critical periods like harvest.
The system is projected to reduce annual emissions by approximately 255-325 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking up to 70 cars off the road annually.
It is also expected to deliver an estimated $85,000 in annual electricity savings.
“This transition to 100 percent renewable energy is the latest step in Lowe’s holistic approach to regenerative farming,” David said.
“As the only certified biodynamic and organic vineyard in Mudgee, the team, including onsite biodynamic viticulturist Kesh Mudaly, uses methods such as multi-species cover cropping, crash grazing with livestock, and creating our own biodynamic compost to enrich the soil.
This commitment to sustainability extends to the grapes themselves.
In 2021, Lowe established the ‘Climate Change Vineyard’, proactively planting varieties suited to Mudgee’s predicted future climate.
Anticipating conditions similar to Southern Italy, David planted Mediterranean grapes “that will require fewer resources to thrive”.
Recent Comments