Climate change mitigation in the wine sector: sustainable practices in vineyard and winery

Introduction

The European wine sector is one of the most affected by the threat of climate change, but it also presents great potential for big improvements in sustainability. Therefore, the CLIMAWIN project seeks to show that wineries and vineyards can become a model of sustainability, incorporating several actions against climate change, focusing on mitigation, with adaptation and circular economy measures.

Project Goals

The project will focus on several key areas:

1. Land Use Change
   Assess the impact of land use change from traditional cereal mono-cropping to organically managed vineyards combined with forestry on the GHG mitigation potential.

2. Organic Carbon Stocks
   Enhance long-term organic carbon stocks in soil, using it as a carbon sink.

3. Non-CO2 Emissions Reduction
   Reduce non-CO2 emissions from livestock manure management and soils, as well as CO2 emissions from pruning and forestry residues burning. This will be achieved by reusing the pruning of the vineyard as biochar, which will be incorporated into the soil in organic management practices (manure composting), thus improving the efficiency of nitrogen use.

4. Innovative Techniques for Emission Reduction
   Introduce two innovative techniques to reduce emissions caused by refrigeration of wineries:

   • Avoid the purchase of CO2 and the use of HFCs, based on carbon capture produced by alcoholic fermentation.
   • Use irrigation water to increase the efficiency of the heat pump for cooling the fermentation vats and the winery premises.

5. Energy Use Emissions Reduction
   Reduce the emissions associated with energy use in wineries and vineyards, greatly increasing the renewable fraction of energy consumed.

6. Microgrid Implementation
   Implement a microgrid and a smart controller capable of managing the energy used.

7. Mitigation Measures Identification
   Facilitate the path for winery managers to identify the most effective and efficient mitigation measures in each case, as well as promote their application.

Conclusion

The project will demonstrate the great possibilities that the wine sector has to become a model in the fight against climate change, producing environmental and socio-economic benefits in rural areas.