La prestigiosa revista norteamericana Vineyard & Wine Managment dedica en su número de diciembre 2010 un extenso artículo sobre nuestra bodega y el proceso que llevamos a cabo, gracias a la geotermia, para elaborar nuestros vinos. Os reproducimos parte del mismo y un enlace para su completa descarga.

In a move that meshes neatly with the growing concerns of many consumers about the carbon cost of wine production, Bodegas Regalía of Ollauri in La Rioja, Spain, has installed the world’s first geothermic system in a working winery. Brothers Manuel and José Azpilicueta – members of one of Rioja’s most illustrious wine families, which founded the Azpilcueta brand in 1881 and became one of the first Rioja producers to target the supermarket trade – took the opportunity to incorporate the system into the design of their ultra-modern winery, which was completed in the summer of 2009.

The process, developed in collaboration with the winery’s owners and a local energy consultancy, was supported financially by both the regional government and a Spanish industrial technical agency.

The geothermal system is straightforward: Heat for the winemaking process is generated by sending water to a depth of 100 meters (328 feet) in a closed circuit of 6-inch diameter pipes, where the temperature is a constant 57˚F-64˚F year-round. When the water returns to the winery, it is used to heat or cool the system in the winery to bring it to the required temperature for winemaking.

According to Julia Sanchez, Regalía de Ollauri’s export manager, the use of this renewable energy source produces direct benefits for the wider ecology, as well as the bodega. “The wine production system is, at present, creating less pollution for the planet than conventional methods,” she said. “Geothermal systems are one of the most efficient systems available for heating and cooling, and for our production, it is perfect. The most important thing is that we are using renewable energy, clean every time, with zero emission of CO2 (carbon dioxide).”

HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

There are four basic types of geothermal heat-pump systems: horizontal, vertical, pond/lake closed-loop, and open-loop. The best type for a given project depends on the climate, soil conditions, available land and installation costs at the site. All of these approaches can be used for residential and commercial building applications.

Regalía de Ollauri uses the vertical system most popular with commercial operations. This requires deep drilling for pipes that can often descend to at least 450 feet. At the bottom, the pipes are connected with a U-bend to form a loop. The vertical loops are connected with the heat pump in the building.

All heat pumps, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC), have an outdoor unit, known as a condenser, and an indoor unit, called an evaporator coil. A refrigerant carries the heat from one area to another. When compressed, it is a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid. If it is allowed to expand, it turns into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. The gas then absorbs heat. Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but instead of using heat found in outside air, they rely on the stable, even heat of the earth to provide heating, air conditioning and, in most cases, hot water.

This means in winter months, they draw heat from the earth, while in the summer, they pull the heat from the winery and discharge it into the ground. Studies show that approximately 70% of the energy used in a geothermal heat-pump system is renewable energy from the ground. The earth’s constant temperature is what makes geothermal heat pumps one of the most efficient, comfortable and quiet heating and cooling technologies available today, according to the CEC.

While they can be expensive to install (see below), geothermal pumps can produce markedly lower energy bills than regular heat pumps – 30%-40% lower, according to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which now includes geothermal heat pumps in the types of products rated in the EnergyStar program.

BOTTOM LINE

Innovation in any field never comes cheap. Bodegas Regalía’s geothermic system came at a cost of 250,000 euros ($350,000 at October 2010 exchange rates). However, there is an immediate payback for the bodega, Sanchez said. “One of the benefits of the geothermal system is that we are saving money in our electricity bill – up to 80% – but the investment is high.”

Equally important, she said, is that once installed, the geothermal system requires minimal maintenance and continues to offer superior savings for the life of the system. Sanchez acknowledged that the use of geothermal energy is not new in commercial applications. “In thousands of homes, buildings and factories across the world, geothermal heat pumps also use the steady temperatures just underground to heat and cool buildings, cleanly and inexpensively,” she said. “We are the first winery in the world with this system. Around the world, you can find a lot of houses,  buildings and hospitals similarly equipped, but no wineries.”

Now that the system is in operation, Sanchez said that other Rioja producers have expressed interest in it. “When we gave a presentation in the Wine Future conference in Rioja in November 2009, a number of wineries showed their interest. We know that other wineries are in contact with the company that installed the system in our winery, but for the moment, we are the only working example.” In a move that meshes neatly with the growing concerns.

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