Energy efficient production and relation to competitiveness
In modern competitive market proper resources management play crucial role. The basis for modern
green wine industry is cost effective management of processes, use of renewable energy resources,
waste minimization. This covers all segments of production from irrigation system to prmises lighting:
company’s vehicle fleet, field machinery, product packaging – where the energy is used for production,
storage or transportation.
After identification of the needed data, optimization of energy use will allow improvement of
production processes. Information analysis, followed by conclusions and recommendations increase
energy performance, develop the enterprise through adoption of ISO 5001 green management
principles, uses renewable energy instead of traditional one.
These are the means that uses wind, solar and geothermal energy installation and cut down by 30% of
grid electricity demand.
Using renewables as as primary sourse of energy, increasing energy performane by various methods,
and having poper energy managemet, it is realistic to achieve 50% reduction in buying grid electricity.
Energy audit as a tool for resources efficient management
Purpose of energy audit in wine industry is obtaining detailed information about production processes
and used equipment, identification of cost optimal potential for energy savings, calculation and analysis
of results. This tool can be applied at each stage, identifying the problems and finding solutions.
Industrial energy audit can form a view on the challenges in wine production energy management:
- How and I which area can be energy performance improved, therefore – reduce cost in wine
value chane? - Which alternative solutions suite my business? For my region?
- Which approaches are sustainable and in which extent?
- How can different types of energy be co-utilized or be inter connected?
- What is time scale for different alternative options implementation, savings, payback?
- How to store on the site the excess energy produced during not loaded shift, and use when
needed? - Is implemting of planned changes alone financially feasible or joint effort with other actors will
be better? - Network or separated systems?
Good practice example
Cold preliminary fermentation maceration during wine ethanol fermentation is already widely used in
wine factories in Georgia and worldwide. For fermentation process there is developed energy saving and
processes optimization methodology. For the particular wine production there are analyzed different
energy saving approaches, followed by action plan and verification of results.
New legislation on energy performance, responsibilities of enterprises and new challenges
Georegian legislation, particularly Law on Energy Efficiency” -21/05/2020 aims at energy saving, increase
of energy supply and security, as well as elimination of energy efficiency barriers on the energy market.
The law (article 5 – Energy Efficiency Policy in Industry) obliges the first category enterprises, including
wine producers, to conduct full energy audit once in 4 years, or adopt permanent energy management
as follows:
a) If the production facility consists of energy final use large segments / elements, – then individual
energy audits series for each segment / element.
b) If the enterprise has 2 or more small scale sites, and conduct the same or similar activities, –
then audit of 2 or more sites selectively.
c) In case of fulfillment both condition stated in “a” and “b” – in the same way as considered by
both articles “a” and “b”
Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia developed targeted programs for
medium and small size wine companies (which do not fall into the first category companies), and
provides information on adoption of energy management system and certified experts.
Legal entity of the public Law “Georgian Accreditation Center – the Unified National Body of
Accreditation“ is responsible for accreditation of energy auditors. This body, on the basis of agreement
with relevant bodies of EU member states, also can validate energy auditors certificates.
Legal responsibility for energy management and fines in case of failure
The law sets responsibilities and fines in case of law requirements fulfillment failure.
The failure to implement an energy audit by an enterprise, or the failure to implement the
introduction of a certified energy management system ….. and/or the non-submission of a copy of an
implemented energy audit report to the Ministry, or the failure to notify the introduction of a certified
energy management system or an environmental management system, shall result in a warning, and the
failure to rectify the violation within 90 days after the
warning shall result in a fine of 50,000 GEL to 100,000 GEL.
Conclusion
Energy audit is a powerful tool which provides cost effective management in wine industry. Supported
by Georgian llegislation, it is the milestone in Georgian green wine sector development road map.
Zaal Kheladze
