Sustainability Pioneer Fetzer Vineyards to Leverage Internet of Things and Big Data to Stay Steps Ahead of Water Waste

"Integrating APANA's data analytics and cloud computing technologies with our winery operations allows us to leverage crucial environmental data to achieve our sustainability goals," said Cindy DeVries, Chief Operating Officer of Fetzer Vineyards. "It also allows us to update and improve our corporate water stewardship efforts at a time when conserving water is more important than ever."

Uniting Data Flow and Water Flow
Fetzer Vineyards' new smart water meters are part of APANA's Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution, a groundbreaking set of tools allowing businesses to manage water as carefully as they monitor other crucial business assets, such as inventory. The solution's proprietary hardware and software work by building up a perpetually developing database of clients' water use patterns, or water signature, allowing them to quickly spot variances and implement savings activities. Because energy use is closely tied to water use, Fetzer Vineyards expects the water meters could contribute to reductions of more than 10,000 kilowatt hours of energy in addition to savings of up to four million gallons of water annually.

Leveraging Tech for Solutions to Water Challenges
The World Economic Forum identified water as the top global risk for the first time in 2015, and more than two-thirds of the world's businesses report exposure to water risk, often at the expense of growth.¹ With a global shortfall of 40% expected for water supply versus demand by the year 2030,² business as usual in an era of changing climate and growing population requires ever-more-innovative approaches to resource conservation and optimization. Cutting-edge solutions like APANA's that leverage cloud computing and data-driven technologies are poised to help businesses address both the economic and ecological realities of tomorrow, allowing water-intensive businesses such as wineries to remain competitive while continuing to minimize environmental impacts. 

Pursuing a Comprehensive Approach to Net Positive Operations
"Fetzer Vineyards is thrilled to pioneer use of this technology in the wine industry," said Josh Prigge, Director of Regenerative Development for Fetzer Vineyards, who was instrumental in establishing the winery's ambitious goal to become Net Positive by 2030. "We know that implementing digital solutions can significantly reduce impacts in areas like water use, and we see technologies like APANA's working hand-in-hand with comprehensive, efficiency-focused efforts to improve our overall water footprint."

In 2016, Fetzer Vineyards announced it will be the first wine company in the US to install BioFiltro's BIDA® System, a revolutionary wastewater treatment solution that functions as a passive aerobic bioreactor, using red worms and microbes to treat the winery's wastewater 85% more efficiently than traditional aeration technologies.

Fetzer Vineyards supports water conservation advocacy efforts through collaborations with groups like the Blue Business Council and Ceres' Connect the Drops in California, while also pursuing broader environmental advocacy initiatives such as participation in the Low Carbon USA pledge. Recently signed by hundreds of the nation's leading businesses, Low Carbon USA encourages policymakers to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement and the domestic infrastructure required for a thriving, competitive and earth-friendly low-carbon economy. For more on Fetzer Vineyards' sustainability efforts in these important impact areas, visit www.fetzer.com/water and www.fetzer.com/carbonneutral.

About Fetzer Vineyards
A pioneer in regenerative winemaking, Fetzer Vineyards continues its legacy of hard work, rebellious thinking and crafting wines that make a difference. Since its founding in 1968, Fetzer Vineyards has consistently developed and implemented practices that are environmentally friendly, socially responsible and ultimately regenerative, becoming the world's largest winery to receive B Corporation certification, in 2015. B Corp certification standards, developed by the non-profit B Lab, are widely recognized as the highest standards for social and environmental responsibility in business. Ultimately, Fetzer Vineyards strives for the perfect relationship between land, climate and vine to regenerate communities and bring wines of remarkable quality and character to the table. www.fetzer.com

About APANA
APANA is a technology and services company that helps commercial and industrial businesses manage water. The APANA solution provides business with detailed insight into their total water footprint, identifying process drift, mechanical malfunctions and failure points. Real-time, automated information empowers frontline operators with data to address problems when they occur and to institutionalize best practices throughout the organization's water processes. Companies also use APANA intelligence to reduce compliance risk and strengthen operational sustainability. www.apana.com

¹ Source: CDP Global Water Report 2016
² Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Water Facts and Trends

SOURCE Fetzer Vineyards

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http://www.fetzer.com