Obsidian Wine Co.

Winery Solar Electric Installation Project Profile

Already familiar with the benefits of solar power, Obsidian Wine Co. increased their solar output by 121.22 kW—growing their utility savings by thousands and boosting the sustainability of their operations.

SolarCraft installed two separate solar panel additions to existing arrays on their Sonoma wine warehouse.  One solar addition of 68.02 kW and a second at 53.20 kW, each powering separate office suites within their winery warehouse facility.  The combined 121.22 kW addition will provide 188,060 kWh of additional clean, green power to their operations every year.

Committed to sustainability, Obsidian follows traditional and natural winemaking practices, in addition to utilizing renewable energy.  Obsidian Wines are aged exclusively in barrels made from Tokaj oak by Kadar Hungary craftsmen, where the forests have been sustainably managed since 1769.

The combined solar electric system additions will offset 133 metric tons of carbon dioxide every year that would otherwise be emitted by fossil-fuel based utility power. This impact is equivalent to saving 309 barrels of oil, removing air pollution produced by over 335,000 miles of driving, or the pollutants removed by planting 163 acres of trees annually.

Customer Profile

Obsidian Wine Co. planted their first vineyard in 1999 amid red volcanic soils shot with black obsidian, and among abandoned walnut trees, overlooking a dormant volcano. Today, these Red Hills are proving to be the next great frontier in Cabernet Sauvignon. Co-Owners Michael Terrien, Peter Molnar and Arpad Molnar have farmed their own vineyards, coopered their own barrels and vinified their own wines from the start in 2002 when the first 98 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon were produced. They are family and employee owned – ensuring consistency and stability

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