Chañar Winery, La Rioja: Harnessing Solar-Plus-Storage to Power Sustainable Winemaking at the Foot of the Andes
In the heart of Chilecito County in La Rioja Province, vineyards stretch beneath the Andes, where intense sunlight and dry air create the perfect environment for growing high-quality grapes. Yet for the local winery, these natural advantages come with a challenge: a weak rural grid, frequent outages, and rising energy costs.
To ensure sustainable expansion without being limited by the grid, Furen Energy partnered with the local team to deploy a 1MW solar extension combined with a 3.8MW/8MWh energy storage system, enabling the winery to truly “craft wine with the power of nature.”
01. Case Scenario: Abundant Sunlight, Underutilized Energy
The winery already operated 2.1MW of solar PV, generating strong output for roughly seven hours a day. However, with relatively low daytime consumption, a significant portion of solar energy was being wasted.
As the winery prepared for expansion, adding an additional 1MW of solar PV became essential. However, to fully unlock the value of solar energy, they needed more than generation alone—they needed a way to store sunlight and reliably support the winery’s agricultural electricity demands:
Providing stable power for groundwater pumps and drip-irrigation systems
Storing excess solar energy to avoid daytime curtailment
Strengthening energy independence for critical agricultural loads
Reducing reliance on the unstable rural grid
This combination of high irradiation, weak grid, and fluctuating load made the site a perfect candidate for a solar-plus-storage solution.
02. The Solution: A 3.8MW/8MWh ESS That “Saves the Sunlight for Later”
Based on load analysis, PV output patterns, and planned expansion, we designed a 3.8MW/8MWh energy storage system featuring:
✔ 31 units of 125kW/261kWh all-in-one storage systems (FR260SL)
✔ Groups of 3–4 units forming flexible storage clusters
✔ Centralized scheduling for optimized charge and discharge
With the energy storage system in place, surplus solar energy can now be stored and continuously supplied for:
Operating groundwater pumping systems
Powering drip-irrigation pumps
Ensuring stable and reliable electricity for farmland irrigation
The addition of energy storage allows irrigation to run independently of daylight hours, making the entire water-management cycle more flexible and dependable. At the same time, solar utilization has increased significantly, and reliance on the unstable rural grid has been greatly reduced.
03. Product Highlights: A Reliable, Safe, and Highly Integrated ESS
The project uses Furen Energy’s FR260SL all-in-one storage system, engineered specifically for commercial and industrial applications:
High-Integration Compact Design
Integrates core components such as PCS, liquid cooling, and fire protection into a compact footprint—only 70% the size of traditional products and weighing around 3 tons.
No dedicated equipment room required; can be installed directly outdoors and easily handled via forklift or crane.
Installation takes ≤8 hours, significantly faster than competitors’ typical 24+ hour setup.
Flexible Deployment
Supports both centralized or modular deployment, precisely meeting the energy needs of commercial and industrial users.
Efficient Thermal Management and Protection
Advanced liquid cooling ensures stable battery operation even in high-temperature environments, maintaining internal temperatures around 25°C with a temperature difference under 2.5°C.
Enhanced dust protection with IP55 rating, suitable for harsh conditions like heat, wind, and sand.
Excellent Grid Compatibility
PCS achieves a maximum conversion efficiency of 98.6%, with total harmonic distortion ≤3%, supporting multiple control modes such as PQ and VF.
Seamlessly connects to low-voltage commercial and industrial grids, minimizing interference with other equipment.
Intelligent Energy Management and Grid Support
EMS enables dynamic reactive power compensation, voltage regulation, and frequency response.
Strengthens grid stability, particularly in regions with voltage fluctuations or frequency deviations.
Off-Grid and Emergency Power Capabilities
Optional off-grid module available for areas without grid access or emergency scenarios.
Supports hybrid energy storage solutions (battery + diesel generator), ensuring reliable power supply.
Fast Deployment for Multiple Scenarios
Ready for commercial, industrial, remote areas, or emergency backup applications.
Notably, thanks to our in-house EMS cloud platform, we enable remote monitoring, real-time data access, and operational diagnostics for solar-plus-storage projects, providing continuous safety assurance and efficient O&M support. Through this platform, customers can easily control their energy systems from mobile devices and stay informed about their energy usage anytime, anywhere.
04. Project Impact: Bringing Real “Green Energy” Into Winemaking
In a region defined by strong sunlight and a fragile grid, the winery has gained not only reliable power but also a credible pathway toward sustainable production.
Key outcomes include:
Improved Energy Efficiency: Stores excess solar power, avoids wastage, and increases self-consumption of PV energy.
Stable Power Supply: Provides night-time discharge to reduce peak load pressure, ensuring reliable emergency backup.
Reduced Energy Costs: Minimizes reliance on purchased electricity, optimizing overall energy expenses.
Smart Operation & Maintenance: Full-process monitoring and remote management lower O&M costs while enhancing safety and system reliability.
For a winery serving international markets, sustainability is not just a responsibility—it is a powerful brand advantage.
05. Furen Energy: Ensuring Every Ray of Sunlight is Used Efficiently
From the vineyards to the irrigation system, from day to night, our integrated solution enables true energy independence for the winery.
And this is only the beginning. Furen Energy will continue delivering similar solutions to farms, food-processing facilities, agricultural estates, irrigation systems, and other remote operations—bringing clean energy deep into the industries that need it most.
