This is the second winery owned by Barbara and Tony Holler that is opting for solar. In 2017, we installed 391 solar PV modules connected to 108 APSystems YC1000-3 Microinverters at the Monster Vineyards in Penticton. This year the couple opted to build a solar roof structure over the restaurant patio at Poplar Grove Winery for the Vanilla Pod Restaurant. Now the solar shaded patio provides enjoyable lunches and dinners for visitors, while harnessing the sun’s energy year round. The bifacial glass on glass solar PV panels make brilliant use of the sun by generating up to 35% more energy per Watt than traditional on-sided modules.

Tony Holler, owner of Poplar Grove Winery and Monster Vineyards says: “The reason we opted for solar power really revolves around the Okanagan’s high sunlight hours, the increased efficiency and lower costs of solar panels and our belief that if you can use a renewable energy source like solar rather than fossil fuels, why wouldn’t you do it. Solar also has the lowest environmental footprint of other renewable energy sources like hydro and wind.”