Ways to Reduce Your Climate Impact

​Sustainability has emerged as a paramount focus for vineyards and wineries, as the tangible impacts of climate change, ranging from increased temperature variability to altered precipitation patterns, are being experienced in real time by farmers and business owners. Preparing one's business to withstand the adverse effects of climate change requires the implementation of both mitigation and adaptation practices across all aspects of operations. Mitigation practices involve taking actions to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, such as transitioning to electric vehicles or reducing packaging weight. Adaptation practices, on the other hand, aim to limit vulnerability to the effects of climate change, such as implementing dry farming techniques or creating onsite wetlands.
​This page will focus on mitigation practices and resources any stakeholder in the wine industry can use to reduce their carbon footprint.

Quick ACTIONS Summary

Here are quick actions you can take to reduce and curb greenhouse gas emissions:

• ​Research electric tractors, cars, and forklifts 
• Switch your electricity to MCE Green
• Switch all lighting sources to LED
• Research heat pumps/ HVAC systems
• Decrease non-necessary air travel 
• Reduce the weight of your bottles 

In the Vineyard

​Electric Vehicles

Making the switch from a diesel or gas-powered vehicle to an electric vehicle is one of the most evident ways to reduce your carbon emissions. Fuel production and combustion make up around 10% of the total emissions for the production of a bottle of wine across the vineyard and winery operations.

FORKLIFTS
Switching from diesel-powered forklifts to electric forklifts will be a necessary part of any vineyard’s journey to achieving net-zero emissions. In one case study, switching just one diesel-powered forklift to an electric forklift helped avoid GHG emissions equal to 2,877 miles driven.
 
TRACTORS
The industry-wide transition from diesel-powered tractors to fully electric tractors is just beginning but it’s important to be aware of the benefits of an electric tractor so that when the time comes to update your fleet, you can make the best choice for both your bottom line and the environment. EV tractors will greatly reduce the carbon emissions of any vineyard operations.
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​For example, Monarch Tractor estimates that its new MK-V autonomous tractor accounts for 14 passenger vehicles taken off the road, in terms of emissions. Additionally, its automated settings should lead to increased vineyard productivity and improved worker safety further adding to its carbon reduction potential. Its battery can last up to 14 hours on a single 5.5-hour charge and a swappable battery for the tractor makes any 24-hour operation a possibility.   

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
​While the cost of a new electric tractor is more than double that of a conventional, combustion tractor at $89,000 - California offers rebates that can significantly drop the price to be on par with that of a diesel tractor. The California Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Program (CORE) is a $273 million voucher project intended to encourage Californians to purchase or lease currently commercialized zero-emission off-road equipment like a Monarch tractor. In 2022, applicants who received the CORE voucher saved 60% off their Monarch Tractor, bringing the cost down to a similar-sized combustion engine tractor. The program is based on a first-come-first-serve basis. To learn more visit the California Core Website or read about it on Monarch’s Website.  
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Additionally, there is the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Program that provides grant funding for cleaner-than-required engines, equipment, and other sources of air pollution. Almost $1 billion has been granted to date to equipment owners, and the Program continues to provide over $60 million in grant funding each year to clean up older polluting engines throughout California. Learn more about the program here. 

COMPANY TRANSPORTATION
Finally, most vineyard operations require the use of multiple cars and trucks to transport labor and machinery, check in on different parcels of land, and commute to and from the vineyard. Switching company-owned and operated vehicles from combustion-based to electric-based vehicles would drastically reduce any company’s carbon footprint, especially if your operations are powered by 100% renewable energy. Additionally, adding any EV charging capabilities on your property for employees or visitors to the tasting room would help perpetuate the growing EV movement. 

​California just increased the rebates available for income-qualified customers who are interested in purchasing a new EV vehicle which can be found here. Additionally, the federal government offers tax incentives of up to $40,000 for businesses that buy a qualified commercial clean vehicle - more information can be found here.   ​

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In the Winery

​Switch to MCE Green

​Luckily, in Napa Country, one of the biggest and easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is only a phone call away. Napa County is one of the four counties included in Marin County Electricity (MCE). This non-profit electricity provider provides renewable power to customers, at stable rates, within your already existing electricity infrastructure. Connecting to MCE Green significantly reduces energy-related greenhouse gas emissions from your operations and the company reinvests their profits back into local renewable energy programs. 

MCE works within your already existing power infrastructure. All you need to do is pick up your phone and call 1 (888) 632-3674 or visit their website to opt-up your power supply. Be sure to switch to the MCE Deep Green Plan to secure 100% renewable electricity to reduce the carbon footprint of your electricity use to zero. For commercial use, MCE Deep Green is generally only 3% more expensive than your average PG&E plan. MCE’s generation rate simply replaces those of PG&E’s - it is not an additional charge. PG&E will continue to send one monthly bill. Instead of one electric fee that combines delivery and generation charges, the bill will show separate lines – one for PG&E’s delivery and one for MCE’s generation, replacing what PG&E would have otherwise charged. 

Switch to LED Light Bulbs

Another simple change you can make throughout your operations to increase your energy efficiency is to switch all your lighting sources to LED light bulbs. LED lights use 75% less energy and last up to 5x longer than Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs and 25x longer than incandescent bulbs. You can learn more about the benefits of LED lighting here. By switching out all your lighting to LED one can begin to drastically increase their energy efficiency. 

​Research Heat Pumps

​Summer in Napa County can be incredibly hot, and the average summer temperature is only bound to get hotter as global temperatures rise. Heat pumps, or HVAC tech units, use 100% electricity to cool or heat any indoor operations as opposed to more traditional gas-powered heating and cooling systems. Heat pumps are essentially two-way air conditioners. In the summertime, they work like any other air conditioning unit, removing heat from the air inside and pushing cooled air back indoors. In the cooler months, they do the opposite by drawing heat energy from the air outside and moving it indoors to warm the air. Heat pumps are incredibly efficient and use up to half as much energy as other home cooling and heating systems. If you are already getting your power from MCE Deep Green your carbon footprint from heating and cooling your operations will be zero. Just be sure to check with your contractor to ensure your current eclectic panel has the voltage capacity to handle a new heat pump. 

While installing a heat pump is an added cost, there are many federal and state credits and rebates available for Californians who upgrade their system. Below are a few opportunities to save and further information on if a heat pump is right for you: 

• As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, most heat pumps and mini splits are eligible for a federal tax credit of $2,000 or 30% of the cost of installation (whichever is less). Learn more here. 
• Income-dependent rebates of up to $8,000 (earmarked in the Inflation Reduction Act) are slated to become available in California beginning in the summer of 2024. Learn more here. 
• Rebates from utility companies are offered around the state. Use this incentive finder tool to find out what’s available in your zip code.
  
• Heat pump installers can also apply for a $1000 rebate. This rebate is only available to contractors, not homeowners. But talk to your installer and ask if they would be able to pass on any of the $1,000 savings to you as the purchaser.

Sales, Marketing, & Distribution

​Decrease Air Travel

​Traveling by air is one of the surest ways to increase your carbon footprint. Try and cut back on all business travel and only travel by air when absolutely necessary. Try to host only virtual tasting events for buyers and wine club members whenever possible and travel by air when it is the only possible means of transportation. 

For example, when Tablas Creek measured their carbon emissions to establish a baseline for their emission reduction plan they found out that 25% of their emissions for their base-line year came from a single trip they sponsored for their wine club members! 

​Eliminate Capsules

​Historically, capsules were put on bottles to protect the cork from being eaten by rodents and bugs when wine was stored underground in cellars. Now they serve no functional purpose and are just thrown away (rarely recycled) with the opening of every bottle. Some of the highest-end capsules can add up to $4 to the producer’s cost of a case of wine. 

Ship via Rail

Whenever possible, ship your products via rail over freight-trucking or air. Transportation of a finished bottle of wine accounts for as much as 13% of the bottle’s overall carbon emissions. Moving your shipping operations to rail instead of freight trucking can lower your GHG emissions by up to 75%. We know making the switch to 100% rail shipping isn’t possible for everyone, but any chance you have to use rail over other methods would drastically reduce GHG emissions. 

Be sure to properly schedule out your shipments if you are shipping by rail since rail takes longer than all other alternatives. However, rail does offer more reliable delivery dates since it’s generally not affected by weather conditions. Finally, look for inventory and distribution centers around the country to store finished products when possible, that way not all orders are shipped from Napa Valley, decreasing your overall emissions from shipping. 

​Reduce the Weight of Your Bottle 

Glass bottles account for 29% of a wine’s carbon footprint according to the California Wine Institute. When packaging and transportation of that finished product are combined, it accounts for over 50% of a bottle of wine's carbon footprint. 

There is a perception in the wine-drinking world that a heaver bottle means better quality wine. This perception is 100% inaccurate - the weight of the bottle does not indicate the quality of the wine inside. All it does is add to the price of the wine and its impact on the environment. Thankfully perceptions seem to be changing and customers have begun caring more about the utility of the bottles i.e. can they lift a case, will it store easily, and can the bottle fit in a pre-made wine rack? Wine reviewers and writers such as Jancis Robins have begun including the weight of the bottle in their reviews so readers know which wineries are serious about climate change.

A study by the California Wine Institute has shown that by simply changing a typical 750 ml glass bottle to a lightweight 750 ml glass bottle you can reduce the carbon footprint of that entire bottle by 10%. This change can also be positive for your bottom line. Lighter glass costs less to make and transport. A Paso Robles winery has estimated that they have saved over $2.2 million over the past 14 years by switching from average-weight to light-weight bottles. 

A step further would be to package your wine in cardboard boxes rather than glass bottles, especially for a wine that is made for short-term consumption i.e. not meant to age. The carbon footprint of a bag-in-box package is 84% less than that of the same volume of wine in an average 750ml glass bottle (there are generally four bottles of wine in every boxed wine container). Additionally, you will save on shipping costs because boxed wine is lighter and more compact. While boxed wine in the US is generally associated with cheap, bottom-self wine, see where you can incorporate boxed packaging into any of your distribution plans. 

Finally, some wineries are going even further than boxed wines and are incorporating kegs in their distribution whenever possible. Tasting rooms and restaurants where you have long-standing relationships are great places to incorporate wine kegs to reduce the number of glass bottles in your operations - just pour the wine from the keg into a reusable glass, carafe, or decanter - you can do this with boxed-wine as well! Wine poured from a keg or a box will be fresher and can be stored longer because wine in these types of packaging is never exposed to oxygen.