Energy efficiency benchmarking: a novel approach for the wine industry

The wine industry, a major contributor to the EU economy, consumes approximately 1,750 million kWh annually, with Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal as key producers. Improving energy efficiency is imperative for achieving the EU’s 2050 climate goal. For this purpose, this study introduces a novel methodology by refining existing benchmarking procedures based on Energy Performance Indicators. It aids wineries in systematically evaluating their energy performance over time and comparing the results with those of industry peers. The methodology classifies wineries into 11 models based on the peculiarities of their production processes. In addition, three novel "outsourcing indices" related to the most energy-demanding phases within the production cycle are introduced. The approach is designed to be user friendly, requiring only fundamental input and output data that are easily available to wineries. For this purpose, a customdesigned data collection tool was developed. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology was validated by correlating data from 20 Italian wineries of various sizes. This study demonstrated significant shortcomings in conventional benchmarking methods, potentially leading to incorrect conclusions. By incorporating the proposed process-based categorization and outsourcing indices, the methodology can provide a detailed and accurate assessment of energy use, evidencing critical inefficiencies, even in wineries initially deemed as efficient according to usual benchmarking. This comprehensive approach can serve as a practical resource for companies, decision makers, and certification bodies, fostering alignment with environmental goals while advancing the sustainability of the entire sector. Apart from supporting energy optimization, the methodology has the potential to be used as a base for developing novel certification standards for the wine sector, promoting best practices, and helping companies and policymakers align with environmental objectives.