Renewable energy to cut refrigeration & cold chain emissions
The reduction potential, measured
Time horizon: Immediate to medium term
How it cuts it
Since cooling is mostly electricity, powering it with renewables greatly cuts the cold-chain footprint.
What to measure for this pairing
Why this source matters
Refrigeration is an often-underestimated source: cooling ferments, cold-stabilising and storing wine consume a lot of energy, especially in warm climates. Beyond consumption, refrigerant leaks have a very high warming potential.
Improving insulation, the efficiency of cooling equipment and refrigerant management — and powering the cold with renewable energy — reduces this source significantly.
Source indicators
Scope & reporting: Combines Scope 1 (refrigerant leaks) and Scope 2 (energy) in a complete inventory.
How to implement the lever
- 1Assess solar self-consumption on the cellar/warehouse.
- 2Contract certified renewable electricity.
- 3Track % renewable and consumption per bottle.
- 4Reflect the change in the footprint calculation.
Frequently asked
Does buying “green energy” count in the footprint?
Certified renewable electricity reduces Scope 2 emissions under market-based methods. Solar self-consumption reduces them under any method.
Is solar worth it for a cellar?
Harvest and the refrigeration peak coincide with sunny summer, which makes solar self-consumption particularly well suited to many cellars.
Same lever, other sources
Same source, other levers — Refrigeration
How GrapeFlow helps
The footprint per bottle and per season, always up to date — the basis of any low-carbon report.
Energy & fuels (invoices by OCR)
Electricity, diesel and other fuels captured from invoices, with consumption per kWh, per litre and per bottle.
Carbon footprint per bottle & season
GrapeFlow gathers energy, fuel, packaging and inputs and computes the footprint per bottle and per season — the basis of any report or low-carbon label.
Packaging materials & bottle weight
Weight and composition of each bottle and material by SKU — to quantify and cut the largest footprint source.