Biggest solar panel project for an Australian winery

Penfolds, Wolf Blass, Wynns, Squealing Pig and Pepperjack will all be produced using 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2024 as Treasury Wine Estates switches to solar across its Barossa and Karadoc wineries.

The solar installation will be the largest of any Australian winery with around 9,500 solar panels to be installed by the end of 2022 at Barossa Winery and Production Centre in South Australia, and Karadoc Winery in Victoria.

The installations are forecast to generate more than 5,500 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, as much as is required to power 900 homes.

TWE Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer Kirsten Gray said it is the most significant contribution the company could make on its journey to net zero direct emissions.

“Electricity makes up about 70% of our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, so switching to renewables is the single biggest and quickest action we can take to reduce emissions. It paves the way to meet our target of net zero direct emissions by 2030 and forms the foundation for future innovation and resilience,” Ms. Gray said.

“Sustainability is front of mind for our consumers, customers, and our employees globally, and we’re proud to be making progress towards our bold targets. Cultivating a brighter future for everyone means taking action and leading the industry to produce cleaner, greener wine that’s enjoyed by consumers all over the world.” 

TWE developed the initiative in partnership with Shell Energy.

Shell's CEO Greg Joiner said, "TWE’s commitments in renewable electricity were an important step in becoming a sustainability leader in the global wine and beverages sector. 

“With nearly 13,000 hectares of vineyards all over the world, TWE has an opportunity to shape how the wine industry navigates the energy transition."

The Barossa and Karadoc installations are part of TWE’s wider plans to install more than 29,000 solar panels at its wineries and vineyards across the globe, and purchase offsite renewable electricity.

At the start of 2022, the company’s Melbourne, Victoria and Napa Valley, California headquarters became the latest of its corporate head office sites to become powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity.