KELSEYVILLE – A free workshop exploring energy management, renewable energy opportunities, and energy planning strategies for wineries and vineyards is set for Wednesday, May 12, at Moore Family Winery, 11990 Bottle Rock Road.

Presentations will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 2 p.m.

The Lake County Winegrape Commission, partnering with the Wine Institute, the California Association of Winegrape Growers, and the Lake County Winery Association, joins the workshop sponsors, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and PG&E, in presenting the "Lake County Winery & Vineyard Energy Efficiency Workshop."

Pre-registration for the free event is encouraged by the Winegrape Commission. Individuals may complete an online registration form at www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/workshopcalendar.php, the website for the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Those without access to the Internet should call Lisa Francioni, 415-356-7545, prior to the workshop.

Augmenting the sustainable winegrowing self-assessment workshops and additional education presentations on subjects such as integrated pest management, the energy efficiency workshop is part of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program to assist winegrape growers and vineyard operators.

Designed for managers of winery and vineyard facilities, operations managers, and chief financial officers, seminar topics will include energy evaluation and planning strategies, best practices for energy management, renewable energy opportunities, and development of an action plan to improve practices and scores in the energy efficiency chapter of the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Workbook.

There also will be information on PG&E programs including free winery energy audits, equipment rebates, technical support services, and new resources, according to a flier announcing the event.

Working with partner organizations and its own Research and Education Committee, the Lake County Winegrape Commission sponsors and presents numerous workshops throughout the year, many of them free of charge to the area's winegrape growers, vineyard managers, and winery operators.

The commission's Board of Directors has made a commitment to assist winegrape growers with their efforts toward improvement of sustainable winegrowing practices.

For more information on the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County vineyards, and Commission events and workshops, visit the commission Web site at www.lakecountywinegrape.org.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 02 May 2010