Paso Robles winery installs major rooftop solar array
New system offsets 60 percent of winery energy use
– Hope Family Wines has launched a new rooftop solar array that offsets 60 percent of the energy required to power the winery’s wine production facility, administration offices, and warehousing operations in Paso Robles.
Owner and winemaker Austin Hope said the project allows the winery to rely more heavily on renewable energy generated on-site.
“We can now proudly say that the majority of our wine is bottled using the same sunshine that makes the Paso Robles region so special,” Hope said. “Paso Robles averages nearly 300 sunny days per year. It’s an abundant resource that allows us to grow world-class Bordeaux, Rhône and other varieties—and that now provides our winery with a significant amount of renewable energy.”
The solar array is the result of a nearly three-year effort led by Hope, Vice President of Winemaking JC Diefenderfer, Director of Facilities Bill Sheffer, and Project Manager Leticia Vasquez. The team worked with Conley Rodman of Bahama Solar on permitting, planning, engineering, and construction, with additional input from Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
The 875-kilowatt system includes 1,500 panels installed on top of the winery’s warehouse and bottling facility, which opened in early 2025. Winery officials said the installation marks the latest sustainability milestone for the Paso Robles operation.
Hope Family Wines converted its original estate vineyard to regenerative organic farming last spring. Tufera Farms, a 328-acre vineyard acquired by the winery, is also in the process of converting to regenerative organic farming. In 2024, the winery announced that 99.9 percent of its fruit supply, sourced from more than 50 grower partners, comes from sustainably grown vineyard blocks, completing a four-year effort.
“We believe that sustainability is something that extends beyond the fenceline to benefit the surrounding ecosystem and community,” Hope said. “It makes a difference for our water supply, air quality, biodiversity and more. The solar array is the latest chapter in a larger vision to continually improve how we manage our resources for the greater good.”
