Energy, water and nitrogen-based synthetic fertilisers should be key concerns for every producer, in view of ever-present climate change. 

The recently released 2014 Confronting Climate Change (CCC) industry benchmark report highlights a positive and continued interest and commitment from the industry. This is due to an increase in participants, but more participants are still needed to be representative of the industry as a whole.

“The wine industry database has increased to a total of 192 data points,” explains Anél Blignaut, project manager of the Confronting Climate Change – Fruit & Wine Industry Initiative. “The data range now covers the minimum required three year period, and reflects seasonal variances. However, the sample is not yet representative of the industry at large. The figures should therefore be viewed as an indicative, rather than a fully representative, industry benchmark.

“Wine farms and wineries can now gain additional points in the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) audits if they calculate their carbon footprint,” she points out. This, together with the CCC communication campaign, increases in input costs and the looming carbon tax, plays a role in the greater awareness and understanding of the potential benefits of the exercise. An added benefit is that wine producers, assessing themselves against the benchmark for their specific area, will be able to identify areas for improvement.

Currently the coverage of wineries in the CCC benchmark database is approximately 6.9% of all wineries in SA, but only 2.15% of wine farms, based on hectares. CCC would like to see a significant increase in the number of participating wine farms and wineries to allow for even more accurate reporting.

Cross-industry initiative

This report, funded by Winetech, Hortgro and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, provides meaningful information for the South African wine industry to better understand and reduce their use of fossil fuel-based resources as reported through the carbon footprint. It also highlights areas where modification action will have the greatest effect.

Blignaut explains the importance of the project for the wine industry: “Agriculture is a large emitter of greenhouses gasses, but also one of the industries most susceptible to climate change. The CCC Project is a strategic cross-industry initiative aimed at supporting efforts to effectively respond to the opportunities and challenges posed by climate change. The aim is to enable farms, pack houses, wineries and others to accurately measure the energy use and carbon emissions of their activities.

“Such measurement is generally accepted as a prerequisite for effective management towards greater efficiency in resource use, reduced emissions and the longterm sustainability of business activities and operations,” Blignaut says.

The combined season data (2011 – 2014) was used for assessment and analysis based on the main business activities: farm, winery processing and winery bottling. All results in the report are shown in the internationally accepted form of kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per unit, in this case, per kilogram of fruit produced (kgCO2e/kg fruit) – or for wineries as kgCO2e/litre wine.

Narrowing down key findings, it emerges that bottling activity is the most carbon intensive process in the supply chain. “This is mainly due to glass packaging,” Blignaut explains. Grid electricity used in wine processing and cooling also increases the carbon footprint of the wine, and so do wine barrels from carbon-intensive material, if used for a short period only.

Creative strategies

In recent years several wineries have embarked on creative packaging strategies to reduce the amount of wasted material, to increase the reuse or recycling of material or even to change the type of material altogether. For example, some shortlived wine products switched from heavy to lightweight glass or PET bottles.

Electricity in South Africa is predominantly coal-based, therefore grid-supplied electricity consumption is a big contributor to carbon emissions on farms. Water pumps, nitrogen-based synthetic fertiliser and diesel all contribute hugely to the carbon footprint.

According to Blignaut, a more representative sample size is required to make meaningful regional comparisons, as many regions are underrepresented. 

“Regardless, the progress made to date indicates a marked improvement and the results form the foundation of a carbon emission profile for the industry,” Blignaut says.

Carbon emissions calculator

Continued support from industry organisations through communication to their members is critical in ensuring the continued uptake of the CCC carbon emissions calculator. CCC provides training opportunities in the use of the calculator and encourages wineries to attend. In addition, they provide telephonic and e-mail support free of charge. In their bid to raise awareness of the tool and the benefits of calculating the carbon footprints of products, CCC is keen to be invited to meetings or producer days.

Looking forward, Blignaut is of the opinion it may be more challenging to sustain yields and to maintain the existing quality of wine because of climate change. “Energy efficiency and other mitigation options need to be used in the wineries – not only to lessen the environmental impact, but also to lower overhead costs and to ensure sustainability of the business.”

Grid electricity use at farm and winery level needs to be monitored and efficiency measures put in place in view of its rising costs and high carbon intensity, Blignaut advises. Irrigation is the main contributor to high electricity use at farm level and improved efficiency here is imperative in the light of increasing water scarcity and the high cost of pumping. Synthetic nitrogen is especially harmful to the environment. Spread onto soil, it breaks down and releases nitrous oxide, which is a powerful greenhouse gas, resulting in a large amount of carbon emissions. The CCC tool enables monitoring, and consequently management of these processes.

“For the individual, the rewards of calculating your carbon footprint are cost reduction, greater resource efficiency, reduced emissions and long-term sustainability of business activities and operations. For the industry as a whole, it means market differentiation,” Blignaut says. “There is increasing pressure from international retailers on producers to declare their carbon emissions, which is a key factor in maintaining market share.”