August 4, 2006—MMA Renewable Ventures, a specialist in renewable energy project finance, and 3 Phases Energy, a renewable energy developer and marketer, recently announced a collaborative effort to develop what is reportedly the largest solar energy vineyard project in the US.
The 901-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) project will be positioned on the roofs of the bottling facility and Red Wine Barrel Room at Fetzer Vineyard’s winery in Hopland, CA, making Fetzer the first major winery in the country to use 100 percent clean power, according to MMA.
Generating 1.1 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually, the installation will supply 80 percent of the bottling plant’s electricity needs while reportedly offsetting more than 960,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the equivalent of taking approximately 80 cars off the road for a year, the companies say.
The Fetzer system marks the first project to be financed through MMA Renewable Ventures’ solar fund, and the first to be commissioned under 3 Phases Energy’s Daylight Savings service. The companies say that MMA’s third-party financing model (offering clean electricity at a fixed rate) and 3 Phases’ Daylight Savings program present ideal clean energy solutions for organizations with large facilities and substantial electricity needs including, schools, factories, business parks, wineries, warehouses, airports and municipal sites.
