REC Solar has partnered with Trinchero Family Estates to integrate solar energy into one of the largest winery operations in California’s Sonoma County. This collaboration aims to reduce emissions and costs across the wine production supply chain. The initiative highlights how renewable energy can support sustainable practices in agriculture.
The wine industry, like much of the food and beverage sector, relies heavily on energy for every stage of production, from grape cultivation to bottling and distribution. This dependence contributes significantly to emissions, prompting innovations in clean energy adoption. In a recent episode of Earth911’s Sustainability in Your Ear podcast, originally aired on May 26, 2025, experts discussed how wineries are shifting to renewables to lower costs, cut emissions, and ensure long-term viability.
James Presta, Business Development Manager at REC Solar, and Mario Trinchero from Trinchero Family Estates joined the conversation. Their partnership brings modular solar installations to the family-run winery in Sonoma County, one of the country’s largest. Presta described an emerging decentralized electric grid, powered by solar and supported by power purchase agreements (PPAs) that secure fixed energy prices over time. These systems, when connected, create a resilient renewable network, incorporating solar, wind, and geothermal for stability amid climate challenges.
Trinchero emphasized the family’s motivations: “Sustainability is not just good business, it’s essential to preserving the land and legacy that define the brand.” The solar integration has already reduced emissions and operating expenses, reinforcing environmental commitments. The discussion compared PPAs to the 1930s rural electrification efforts, but noted that today, private firms like REC Solar drive expansion through partnerships offering fixed pricing, risk sharing, and maintenance.
Such agreements enable full supply chain electrification, phasing out diesel generators and extending power to remote areas. With growing clean energy abundance, Presta and Trinchero envisioned expansive possibilities, from innovation to pollution-free infrastructure, limited only by development speed.
