- New Holland and FPT Industrial, subsidiaries of ag machinery manufacturer CNH Industrial, are teaming up with historic Italian winery Fontanafredda to develop what they claim will be the world’s first carbon-neutral Barolo wine.
- To achieve carbon neutrality, Fontanafredda is deploying New Holland’s TK Methane Power tractors equipped with FPT’s F28 engines, fueled using biomethane.
- The partners are hoping to uncork their first ‘zero emission‘ bottle in 2025.
Why it matters:
Wine production can be a high-carbon endeavor, with electricity and diesel among the key inputs for grape growing and winemaking. This is why biofuel is such an attractive option for Fontanafredda, which needs to use tractors and other mechanical equipment on a daily basis.
The winery — which was founded by Italian king Victor Emmanuel II in 1858 — has also made some changes to the way it grows, harvests, and makes its wine to reach carbon-neutral status. This includes the adoption of organic growing methods and use of autochthonous yeasts in the growing cellar.
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Recently awarded the title of Diesel Engine of the Year 2020, FPT Industrial’s F28 is designed to be compact, efficient, and environmentally friendly. It can operate on diesel or natural gas, and is ‘hybrid-ready,’ according to the manufacturer.
“Using biomethane does not lead to a compromise in performance. [A biomethane-fueled F28] guarantees the exact same performance as its diesel equivalent, even when working on steep slopes and slippery terrain,” a spokesperson for the companies told AFN.
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