Dana Estates Vineyard Winery

Winery Solar Electric Installation Project Profile

In addition to producing award-winning wines, Dana Estates Vineyard & Winery practices organic farming and stewardship of the land. The benefits from the sun's renewable energy was the perfect fit.

SolarCraft was selected to design and install a 190 kW solar electric installation for their winery in Rutherford, CA. Dana Estates is now powered by free energy from the sun, providing significant savings for their Napa Valley vineyards and winery.

The project consists of six ground-mounted systems at several vineyard locations in the Rutherford/St. Helena area and the main winery facilities, offsetting close to 100% of their total electricity usage. Combined, the systems utilize a total of 800 Trina 235-watt panels generating approximately 300,250 kilowatt hours of energy annually.

Each of the 800 solar modules is controlled by a micro-inverter, manufactured by Enphase Energy of Petaluma, CA. Microinverters are small, compact units directly attached to each solar panel to convert power independently at the panel, maximizing energy production and reducing impacts from shading. Overall system efficiency is increased by 10-12%.

The new solar energy system will enable Dana Estates to generate enough electricity each day to power over 81 average homes. It will spare the air nearly 117 tons of harmful greenhouse gases annually. Over the next 30 years, the air pollution saved will be equivalent to eliminating over 8.1 million miles of driving.

Customer Profile

Dana Estates is located in the heart of Rutherford in the Napa Valley. The winery has been constructed around the original stone walls built in 1883 by vintner H.W. Helms.This is a "winemaker's winery" and is set up entirely with their vineyards and small lots in mind. The Dana Estates' 2007 Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was one of just a few bottles to earn a perfect score of 100 points from wine critic Robert Parker.

"At Dana Estates the solar offset of our energy needs goes hand in hand with our Certified Organic Vineyards and our natural approach to winemaking. SolarCraft, as a local solar installer, was a clear choice for us. The local, hands-on management and detail oriented employees made the install easy and efficient."
~ Cameron Vawter, Director of Production, Dana Estates