Bodegas RODA is one of the most representative wineries in Rioja Alta, its innovative vision and work philosophy has positioned it in the first row of the best wines in the world.

Bodegas Roda is committed to sustainability and respect for the environment as a basic pillar of its business philosophy and strategy. That is why RODA found in Ship2fair an opportunity to adapt to Climate Change in terms of the use of energy. SHIP2FAIR (Solar Heat for Industrial Process towards Food and Agro Industries commitment in Renewables) aims to foster the integration of solar heat in industrial processes of the agro–food industry. At Bodegas Roda, solar heat is specifically used for the process of fermentation and aging of the wine.

Our demo site is in line with RODA’s motto ‘architecture as a cultural expression’

At RODA we understand architecture as a cultural expression, in which buildings are not a mere container of machinery and facilities, but are a harmonious construction integrated with the landscape. Somehow we try to honor the beauty of the landscape through utility. The solar-thermal installation had to follow aesthetic criteria that integrated it into our architecture and landscape and should not present inclination.

The RODA Winery demo site is placed beside the Ebro river, in a balcony of the station district of Haro (La Rioja, Spain), on a centenary cellar. RODA’s main activities are winemaking and wine selling. The company manufactures and markets four brands: SELA, RODA, RODA I, CIRSION. From a commercial point of view, RODA markets its products in both national and international markets.

RODA before SHIP2FAIR

Before developing the SHIP2FAIR project in RODA, cooling demand was covered by chilled water produced at 7°C and variable pressure depending on the machine involved. Also a secondary system was present. In addition, heating was produced in form of water at 45°C and pressure of 1.5 bar. The system was monitored through a Siemens automaton monitoring system.

The selected processes were responsible of a high percentage of the total energy consumption of the factory. In particular, heating needs were covered using LPG as a fuel and were considered to be constant at monthly and daily scale during the heating period, i.e. from October to March. On the other hand, regarding cooling, the total demand was covered by an electric chiller.

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RODA’s new status thanks to SHIP2FAIR

RODA has a solar installation consisting of 70 m2 of vacuum tubes; solar thermal collectors, model Vitosol 200 TM SPEA, 3m2 of 3.26 m2 of opening area. It is a high performance vacuum tube solar panel with ThermProtect. The capacity of our solar field is 50 kW.

RODA is a solar installation with centralized storage of 4000 liters, in two tanks that receive solar heat through an external plate exchanger. The heat from these tanks is used to partially replace the energy input by conventional sources. To improve the performance of the above-mentioned cold-generating absorption machine, a 1,000 liter tank is used.

The solar design has been integrated with the conventional one so that maximum use of both the solar and conventional systems is guaranteed.

From the beginning of the project, in 2018, work began on the design and development of engineering. The design phase was laborious, but the execution was carried out in record time. In June 19 the vacuum tubes arrived and the installation began to operate in September of the same year.

With SHIP2FAIR RODA contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change using renewable energies, specifically solar-thermal energy and reducing CO2 emissions. Ideally, it would be a more competitive company, reducing its energy bill and improving its image as a sustainable winery.