- García-Carrión, the largest winery in Europe and fourth largest in the world, develops a 360° sustainability strategy with the aim of reducing and neutralising the carbon footprint associated with its production operations
- Endesa and its energy services subsidiary, Endesa X, are assisting the company in its decarbonisation process with the installation of solar self-consumption in 9 of the production plants owned by the García Carrión family in Spain, and with a long-term energy contract with guarantees of renewable origin to cover their energy needs.
- The solar plants have a total power of more than 18 MWp and 33,637 photovoltaic modules (the equivalent of 13 football fields) – this is one of the most important projects in Spain and an example in the wine sector.
- The solar installations designed and built by Endesa X are located in Huelva, Daimiel, Valdepeñas, Almería, Jumilla, Segorbe, Vilanova i la Geltrú, La Rioja and Haza
García-Carrión, the largest winery in Europe, fourth largest in the world and leader in the juice sector, continues to focus on decarbonisation and has increased its renewable energy generation in its production plants in Spain after Endesa X, Endesa's energy services subsidiary, commissioned 9 photovoltaic solar installations for self-consumption in each of these premises. The solar plants, which are already fully operational, have a total capacity of 18.16 MWp. As a consequence, this is one of the largest business self-consumption projects and an example for the wine sector.
The project involves the wineries of Jaume Serra, in Vilanova i la Geltrú, specialising in cava and member of the DO Cava, Catalunya y Penedès; Los Llanos, in DO Valdepeñas, Marqués de Carrión, which produces and bottles wine in La Rioja; and Viña Arnáiz, in Haza, with presence in DO Ribera de Duero; and the plants in Huelva, Daimiel, Almería, Jumillaand Segorbe, which produce Don Simón juices, gazpachos, cream soups and broths, among others.
Endesa X has installed a total of 33,637 photovoltaic modules, which occupy an area equivalent to 13 football fields and, together, will prevent the emission of 8,300 tons of CO2/year. With all the facilities already connected to the electricity grid, García Carrión meets 30% of its energy needs for its production processes with kilometre 0 solar energy: all the GWh produced in each of the plants will be used entirely for self-consumption.
To meet the rest of its energy needs, and thanks to the trust placed in Endesa after 20 years of commercial relationship, García Carrión has a long-term energy supply contract, in force until 2032. Specifically, it holds a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and guarantees of renewable origin.
Commissioning these solar installations, designed and built by Endesa X, shows García Carrión's commitment to sustainability and the reduction of the environmental impact in the production of its wines and juices. The García Carrión family, with over 130 years of winemaking tradition, has a firm commitment to 360º sustainability and seeks to reduce and neutralise the carbon footprint associated with production through an approach across the entire value chain.
The potential of self-consumption in the wine sector
Spain is the largest vineyard in the world, and the wine sector has deep roots in the country, which makes it an engine for environmental conservation and rural development. For this reason, companies such as García Carrión are firmly committed to developing sustainability strategies that encompass the entire value chain, from production in the fields to the consumer's table. This strategy was developed in line with the European Union's Farm to Fork and the strategy for Sustainable Development 2030, which propose a way to seriously address the social, economic and environmental problems faced by the planet.
The wine sector's large areas of land, or large buildings with roofs that can be used to place solar panels, make solar self-consumption an increasingly attractive prospect for the sector, particularly considering that Spain is the third largest wine producer in the world (more than 35 million hectolitres in 2022) and has 2,500 hours of sunshine per year.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end electricity generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X, it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. It is also the leading operator of charging stations in Spain through Endesa X Way, a business line dedicated entirely to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribution, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.
Endesa X is Endesa's business line dedicated to energy efficiency. Endesa X is a division of Enel X Global Retail and a leader in the development of innovative solutions in support of energy transition. It is aimed at consumers, companies and administrations, providing a modular and integrated offer based on their needs and promoting the electrification of energy uses and digitalisation as motors driving the creation of new value. Endesa X's ecosystem of solutions includes products and services for the optimisation and self-generation of electricity and premium energy efficiency solutions, with the aim of helping customers to create their energy roadmap. Globally, Enel X Global Retail manages demand response services, with 8.1 GW of total capacity. It has installed more than 3 million street lighting points worldwide and provides energy services to 67 million residential customers on a daily basis.
About García-Carrión
The García-Carrión family, the largest winery in Europe and the fourth largest in the world, has a long winemaking tradition. Across five generations and for more than 130 years, it works daily to achieve excellence and offer the best quality of its wines to everyone. Currently, the company exports to more than 150 countries and has prestigious wines in 12 designations of origin, as well as the Don Simón brand, which includes a wide range of products, each of which are first or second in the food market. The García-Carrión family is a leader in quality production. And does so while respecting the environment, prioritising renewable energies in production, as well as the respect for biodiversity, the creation of stable jobs and the responsible use of natural resources.
For more information, see familiagarciacarrion.com or its profile on LinkedIn