In a first at Corporate Express, we’re offering two new wines from Elgo Estate which have been produced using 100 per cent self-generated renewable wind energy.
What’s so good about wind energy?
• It’s a renewable and sustainable energy source
• It’s a pollution-free, infinitely sustainable form of energy
• It doesn’t require fuel
• It doesn’t create damaging greenhouse gases
• It doesn’t produce toxic or radioactive waste
• It doesn’t require water in the production of electricity (unlike coal-fired and nuclear powered stations)
• It’s quiet and presents no significant hazard to birds or other wildlife
• Wind turbines that are installed on farmland only take up a very small amount of land area. The rest is available for farming, livestock and other uses (such as grape growing)
• Ownership of wind turbine generators by individuals and the community allows people to participate directly in the preservation of our environment
• It creates employment in regional areas.
How does wind energy work?
Quite simply wind energy is the kinetic energy that is present in moving air. The amount of potential energy depends mainly on wind speed, but is also affected slightly by the density of the air, which is determined by the air temperature, barometric pressure and altitude. Energy is generated when the wind spins the turbine’s rotor blades, which then turns a shaft that is connected to a generator, which produces electrical energy. This electricity can be used immediately or it can be fed into the main power grid. The power and energy output increases dramatically as the wind speed increases, therefore the most cost-effective wind turbines are located in the windiest areas. Wind speed is affected by the local terrain and increases with height above the ground, so wind turbines are usually mounted on tall towers.
Elgo Estate Winery
The Elgo Estate winery was established ten years ago in the heart of Victoria’s Strathbogie Ranges. The Taresch family’s vision to conduct business in a fully sustainable way was realised in January 2007 with the commissioning of a 150kW (30 metre tall) wind turbine on Upton Hill, one of Victoria’s windiest inland sites. The positioning of wind turbines is crucial, and this turbine is perfectly positioned to convert a maximum amount of wind into renewable, green energy.
In acting on their vision, the Taresch’s have actually created a wine industry blueprint for the use of renewable energy.
‘Sustainability’ is defined as development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the context of a winery, it refers to the capacity of the business to produce wine, without causing irreversible damage to ecosystem health. General Manager and co-owner, Grant Taresch, has continued the work of his pioneering parents to forge a sustainable business whilst producing quality wines.
“When we bought the property it was very run down, and we’ve been working hard to rehabilitate it. In the process we’ve built a great business, employing ten staff who have all been working to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint to conduct a sustainable, holistic business. Elgo is a carbon negative, energy ‘plus’ business, and we are the only winery in Australia, if not the world, generating and operating on self-generated renewable wind energy. I think we also prove that any size business can implement meaningful initiatives if you really want to make a positive environmental impact,” says Grant.
The decision by the family is a proving to be a prudent one. The turbine saves over 400 tonnes of damaging greenhouse gases annually – a whopping 8 million ‘balloons’ per year . This makes up for 80 cars being on the roads or the equivalent of planting 120 hectares of trees. Where your average household adds around 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year, Elgo saves around one tonne per day by producing enough renewable energy to meet its own power needs; any excess energy is fed into the main power grid, and powers an additional 34 households annually.
Elgo Estate’s environmental initiatives don‘t stop at wind power. Some 80 hectares on the property have been fenced off for the sanctuary of native flora and fauna, complete with six kilometres of wildlife corridors and undisturbed fauna access to natural creeks. Over 10,000 native trees and grasses have been planted since the family purchased the property, with another 5,000 due for sowing when the rains come.
Elgo’s soil is further nurtured through the recycling of grape skins which are broken down and put back in the ground to organically enrich it. Even the sheep have a role to play, as they roam the vineyard rows between harvest and budburst, eating the weeds, resulting in less tractor and fossil fuel use. A state-of-the-art water management program uses specially constructed effluent ponds to aerate all of the winery’s waste water, using a process which also lessens the naturally high organic load of winery effluent. This grey water is then used to irrigate the vineyard. Rainwater is also captured in water tanks for use in the winery.
Elgo Estate’s latest release wines are now being brought to the table via their home-grown, 100% self-generated renewable energy. The Elgo Estate range offers complex wines with intense varietal characteristics, while the Allira range is fresh and fruit-driven, and ready to drink now.
“We not only produce excellent quality wines, we’re a leader in sustainability practices. We live where we work – our vineyard and farm is our beautiful backyard – and producing quality wines is our business and passion.
“We’re proud to be able to create a wonderful product for consumers, and not compromising the environment in doing so.
“Another day, another tonne of greenhouse gases saved – we’ll drink to that!” says Grant.
