Vondeling Wines is driven by a clear mission: to craft exceptional wines in harmony with nature. With this vision in mind, they partnered with 2Zero50 to reduce the carbon footprint of their three neighboring farms—Vondeling, Klein-Vondeling, and St. Clement.

After a series of consultations and a thorough assessment of their energy requirements, we devised a unique and efficient solution. Five of their six Eskom supply points were decommissioned, leaving just one 200kW point, which is smaller than their energy load. As a result, the farm now operates almost entirely on solar power, generated by 396 solar panels, supplemented by 600kW of battery storage and a centralized generator. Their transformer-based inverter can support a 500kW load, which accommodates higher energy demands during peak harvest season, particularly the inrush currents from the water pump system. The three farms are interconnected by a 3.5 km MV network.

This system ensures that, outside of the peak harvest period, the main wine cellar, bottle store, tasting room, chapel, and all staff accommodations are fully self-sufficient, relying entirely on solar energy. During peak season, the remaining Eskom supply point provides the additional energy needed by Vondeling Wines.

Thanks to this innovative solar PV solution, Vondeling Wines has successfully achieved its goal of significantly reducing its carbon footprint, and they are delighted with the results.