Familia Torres has installed an agrivoltaic pilot pergola in one of its vineyards in the Penedès within the framework of the GO SOLARWINE project, which aims to promote climate-smart and sustainable wine production. This pilot initiative will assess the technical and economic viability of integrating agriculture with photovoltaic energy, evaluating its microclimatic effects and its impact on vineyard productivity and resilience in the face of rising temperatures.
Located in the Mas Rabell organic vineyard in Sant Martí Sarroca, the agrivoltaic installation covers an area of 1,000 m² and comprises a structure of solar panels elevated five metres above the ground. The height of the pergola allows a harvesting machine to pass beneath the photovoltaic cells, thereby facilitating the automation of the harvest—an innovative aspect of this project. Furthermore, to comparatively evaluate their effect on crop development and energy yield, two types of solar panels have been installed: opaque and semi-transparent bifacial panels.
The pilot is equipped with a network of sensors to monitor soil and climate parameters, enabling the collection and validation of agronomic and energy data associated with the two types of panels. This monitoring system will provide key data to assess the impact of agrivoltaics on vineyard development and energy production efficiency, thereby supporting informed decision-making and resource optimisation.
The energy generated by the agrivoltaic installation will be used for self-consumption in the Torres Brandy ageing cellars and at the Familia Torres Restaurant Mas Rabell, both located a short distance from the vineyard. This reinforces the winery’s commitment to energy self-sufficiency and emissions reduction.
Mireia Torres, Director of Innovation and Knowledge at Familia Torres, comments: “This project enables us to explore new ways to adapt to climate change and to make agricultural production compatible with clean energy generation, thus moving towards a more sustainable, resilient, and profitable viticulture.
The increase in temperatures is causing harvests to be brought forward, which could affect wine quality. Our aim is to delay grape ripening. The panels above the vineyard provide shade for the vines and protect them from direct sunlight during the summer, while also generating electricity.”
The Familia Torres trial is one of two pilot projects planned within the SOLARWINE framework; the other is being carried out in Castilla-La Mancha. The operational group, led by the Catalan wine cluster INNOVI, brings together Familia Torres, Huerto Tornasol, and the Energy Cluster of the Valencian Community (CECV), with the support of the technology SME INDEREN, the Wine Technology Platform (PTV), the Catalan Institute of Vine and Wine (INCAVI), and Artica Engineering and Innovation (artica+i) as the technical office.
The SOLARWINE project has a budget of €706,696.55 and funding of €599,938.89, within the framework of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027, financed by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
