In its commitment to achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2050, Casella Family Brands has switched on the largest solar power facility in the Australian beverage sector.
Casella Family Brands is based in Yenda NSW and is known for producing iconic Australian wines including [yellow tail] wine, Peter Lehmann Wines, Brand’s Laira of Coonawarra, Baileys of Glenrowan and Morris of Rutherglen.
The facility will provide clean, renewable electricity to the company’s largest winemaking site in Yenda New South Wales, which is home to the world-famous [yellow tail] wine.
Through a staggering 8730 solar panels, it is capable of generating 11.53 GWh of clean electricity per year. This will offset 7800 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which is enough to meet the electricity needs of approximately 1900 Australian homes, or equivalent to planting 325,000 trees.
The announcement underpins the company’s broader sustainability plan. The new state-of-the-art solar facility is the first step in the company’s pathway to reducing Net-Zero GHG emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, and achieving 100 per cent by 2050.
Casella Family Brands has measured its Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions to outline key reduction areas. The largest source of direct GHG emissions was identified as Scope 2 electricity at the Yenda site which makes up approximately 65 per cent of total Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The solar farm will provide approximately 35 per cent of the Yenda site’s electricity. The site will use all the clean electricity the solar system produces, therefore reducing the company’s environmental impact.
The facility features a two-panel tracking system incorporating a smart algorithm that optimises the positioning of the solar panels to allow for maximum sun exposure and energy generation year-round.
It’s not just the winery that will benefit from solar power, the facility will also power Casella Family Brands’ on-site brewery, home of the Australian Beer Company and its brands including Yenda Brewing Co., Son of a Nun and Pressman’s Cider.
In addition, Casella Family Brands has invested in a second solar system. This facility will provide clean energy to power the wastewater treatment plant and is capable of generating 890.47 MWh of electricity per year. Consisting of 936 panels it boasts 20-degree fixed tilt mounting selected for maximum generation and will contribute approximately 30 per cent of the facility’s electricity needs.
John Casella, founder, and Managing Director of Casella Family Brands states, “I’m extremely proud to unveil our investment in clean electricity through our two new solar systems. As well as reducing our footprint, we are making a direct contribution to the Australian wine industry’s GHG emissions reduction goals via the products we make and supply, as we all strive to ensure a sustainable global wine sector.”
“As a family-owned business, we’re committed to playing a role in ensuring the resilience of the Australian wine industry for generations to come. This includes investing in the regions where we operate, supporting our growers during challenging market conditions and making strategic decisions to ensure our business is set up for long-term success.”
In September 2023, Wine Australia released an Emissions Reduction Roadmap for the Australian grape and wine sector. Wine Australia CEO Dr Martin Cole said Casella Family Brand’s new solar farm is another signal of the recognition from Australian grape and wine businesses to act now towards a lower carbon future for all.
“We know that sustainability is an increasingly high priority for consumers, and Casella’s strong actions to reduce their emissions are an extremely positive step towards the sector’s emissions reduction goals. This is an important investment for Casella and the Riverina region and supports the broader sector’s work to safeguard the future of Australian wine.”
The Net Zero targets are part of Casella Family Brands’ full spectrum, strategic sustainability plan, which considers the company’s impact on the planet, its people and communities, and its products. As well as utilising renewable energy, the company is looking at other ways to improve its energy usage, including the optimisation of wastewater treatment and displacing traditional fuel with biogenic energy and waste from the production process.
John Casella concludes, “Our Net-Zero targets directly support global climate goals, as well as those of the Australian wine industry, our global customers and distributor partners. This is also a positive step for our consumers as we know they increasingly care how the products and brands they purchase are made.”
Both solar facilities were developed and constructed by Australia’s leading engineering, procurement, and construction company Next Generation Electrical. The large system is located 3.5km from the winery site in Yenda NSW. With land holdings across the Riverina, Casella Family Brands was fortunate to have an 11-hectare (ha) plot that was not suitable for agricultural purposes and after a Biodiversity Assessment and Aboriginal Heritage Due Diligence Assessment, it was deemed well suited to host the solar farm development.
Peter Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Next Generation Electrical states, “Next Generation Electrical is proud to be a strategic partner in this project. Our commitment to providing renewable and reliable electricity aligns perfectly with Casella Family Brands’ ambition to achieve Net-Zero GHG emissions by 2050. The investment in these two solar farms demonstrates our shared vision for a greener future.”