Winery refrigeration efficiency

Refrigeration accounts for as much as 50 per cent to 70 per cent  of winery electricity consumption. Electricity costs are rising and there is considerable interest in decreasing refrigeration-related electricity use and/or costs. 

Wine Australia funded a project by the Commercial Services group at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) to investigate how Australian wineries can improve refrigeration efficiency.

A short reference guide produced by the project can be downloaded below. This includes an overview of winery refrigeration and improvement opportunities.

Downloads

Improving Winery Refrigeration Efficiency – Reference Guide

Case studies investigating selected topics in more detail were performed at two wineries (Winery A and Winery B) during 2011. Three technical reports on this work are available for download below. The topics considered in each report are listed.

Winery A – Case study report

• Warmer brine temperatures
• Cooling system operation and control systems
• Cooling system maintenance
• Plant shutdown/infrequent running
• External heat exchangers

Winery B – Case study report 1

• Warmer white fermentation temperatures
• Tank stratification

Winery B – Case study report 2

• Storage temperatures
• Night-time cooling