Jacuzzi Family Vineyards squeezes more out of the sun

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards is a new winery set on 190 acres in the Carneros region of Sonoma, Calif. The beautiful 18,000-square-foot, rustic-Italian stone structure was inspired by the Jacuzzi family home in Udine, Italy. Owned and operated by descendants of the Jacuzzi family of pump and spa fame, the winery produces 18 different wines, all under the Jacuzzi Family label.

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards is an example of a company that has made a commitment to producing high-quality wine through environmentally conscious business and sustainable farming practices. In mid 2007, the vineyard contacted SolarCraft of Novato, Calif. to inquire about installing a solar electric system on the winery grounds. On February 22, 2008, the winery began generating clean energy from its new 124kW solar electric system.

The winery's solar electric system uses 748 Mitsubishi Electric 165 watt modules and two 50 kW Satcon inverters for a total system size of 124 kilowatts of DC power. The solar system will produce an estimated 185,130 kWh annually. By choosing solar energy, the new system will keep nearly 98 tons of harmful greenhouse gases from entering the environment annually, or 2,940 tons over the life of the system. Over the next 30 years, the air pollution saved will be equivalent to driving 6 million miles.

The three different mounting structures used in this system make it a unique installation. A fixed ground-mount structure, a fixed pole-mount structure, and a ground-mount single-axis tracker were all employed due to limited ground space.

The fixed portion of the solar system, 61.7kW, provides nearly 100 percent of the electricity for the water well and fire pumps and is comprised of two separate mounting systems. A fixed ground-mount system holds the solar panels in a fixed position facing directly south, and a single pole-mounted system ensures the panels are above any tree shading.

The remaining 61.7kW portion is connected to a single-axis tracker, allowing the solar panels to follow the sun, thus generating an estimated 15 to 20 percent more electricity for the winery than if the panels were in a fixed position. This system will provide a significant portion of the electricity for the winery building, though the exact amount is unknown since the building is new.

The entire solar electric system is expected to pay for itself in six years. By taking advantage of the federal tax credit, California state rebates, and accelerated depreciation, the vineyard was able to reduce the total system cost by nearly 75 percent. For more information please visit www.mitsubishielectricsol.com

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