Monday 15 June 2020

Green wine soon to be uncorked in New Zealand

Pernod Ricard Winemakers, the wine subsidiary of French spirits producer Pernod Ricard, has committed to producing wine using 100% renewable energy.

The company has partnered with the energy company Meridian Energy to fuel its production sites in New Zealand with 100% renewables.

This will be achieved by a renewable energy certificate (REC), which will be issued to verify a renewable energy generation equivalent to the wine firm's consumption.

New Zealand’s electricity grid has presented challenges for certifying renewable energy use because electricity generated from hydro stations and wind farms is combined into a single wholesale pool with energy generated from non-renewable sources.

Brett McKinnon, Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ Chief Operations Officer, said: “Being sustainable and responsible is an integral part of our New Zealand wine business and has been for many years, which makes this a natural next step for us.

"Our aim is to minimise our impact on the communities where we operate and preserve the environment for future generations to come.”

The Australian sites of the winemaker transitioned to renewable electricity in 2019.