Jackson Family Wines is introducing a new water recycling technology that returns 90% of water for reuse and can cut total water use up to 70%, a move that could signal a new era of efficiency in the wine industry. If the technology is adopted by even a third of California winemakers, the wineries could conserve as much as one billion of water annually.
The company, best known for its Kendall-Jackson brand, recently completed a yearlong “proof of concept” pilot program that hinted at the technology’s potential. For the program, Jackson Family Wines partnered with Napa-based Civil Engineering firm Riechers Spence and Associates, and winery wastewater specialists Heritage Systems, with the University of California at Davis providing independent third-party validation of testing results.
The system returns 90% of water, much of which is used for rinsing wine barrels and tanks, enabling a winery to reuse water up to ten times. Since the recycled water also retains 75 percent of its heat properties, the new process will also reduce energy use and cost.
“This is the first time that the wine industry has seen a water filtration system that is so efficient and cost effective,” said Jess Jackson, founder and proprietor of Jackson Family Wines. “We expect this to have a major beneficial impact on water and energy use not only in the wine industry, but in many industries throughout the state. As a family business, we remain committed to being a leader in responsible stewardship of our natural resources.”
For Jackson Family Wines, the system is expected to result in annual reductions of 6,000,000 gallons of water, 133,000 kWh of electricity, and 73,000 therms of natural gas, part of the winery’s Sustainability Program, focused on the triple bottom line and takes into account the environmental, social, and economic needs of the world. Over the last year, the Jackson family’s investment in energy efficiency initiatives has resulted in electricity savings of 9,000,000 kWh per year (equal to 1,300 homes usage).
Check out two of previous posts on innovation at wineries (Picking The Right Wine To Go With Your Planet, from Dec of 2008, and Wineries Getting Greener, from Aug of 2008).
[Source: GreenBiz]