Casella Family Brands’ Largest Solar Farm in Australia
Australia’s prominent winemaker, Casella Family Brands, has recently unveiled a 5.7MW solar farm adjacent to its Yenda production facility in New South Wales. This solar farm, which commenced operations in April, is a significant achievement as it stands as the largest solar farm within Australia’s beverage and wine industry.
The $10 million solar farm comprises 8,730 solar panels sourced from Trina Solar, a leading Chinese solar PV manufacturer. These panels, specifically the Vertex 650-655W bifacial modules, are installed on around one hundred TrinaTracker Vanguard 2P trackers. The solar farm is anticipated to generate 11.53GWh of electricity annually, meeting approximately 35% of the energy requirements of the Yenda site.
Casella Family Brands, renowned for its Yellow Tail wines, has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. This initiative aligns with the company’s ethos of environmental responsibility and reducing its carbon footprint.
In addition to the primary solar farm, which is among the largest directly linked to a privately owned enterprise in Australia, Casella Family Brands has also invested in a secondary solar system. This system will power the wastewater treatment plant and has the capacity to produce 890.47 MWh of electricity per year.
John Casella, the founder and managing director of Casella Family Brands, expressed his pride in the company’s investment in clean energy through these solar initiatives. He highlighted the dual impact of reducing the company’s environmental impact and contributing to the broader goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Australian wine industry.
Emphasising the family-owned business’s dedication to the longevity of the Australian wine sector, Casella reiterated their commitment to supporting local growers, navigating market challenges, and making strategic decisions for sustained success.
The 5.7MW solar farm represents a significant achievement as the first in the Asia Pacific region to fully integrate TrinaTracker’s Vanguard 2P trackers with Trina Solar’s high-capacity 650-655W modules. This collaboration between Casella Family Brands, Trina Solar, and Next Generation Electrical (NGE) underscores a shared commitment to sustainable practices and renewable energy development.
Edison Zhou, the head of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands at Trina Solar Asia Pacific, commended the partnership with Casella Family Brands, highlighting the innovative solar solutions and tracking technology that have enabled the harnessing of solar power on a large scale. This collaboration signifies a step towards sustainable development and reshaping the landscape of renewable energy in Australia.
Independent validation of the solar system’s milestones was provided by Sunwiz, a leading solar and storage market analyst in Australia, affirming the significance of Casella Family Brands’ and Trina Solar’s contributions to the renewable energy landscape.
