Duxton Vineyards Group has partnered with Lavo Hydrogen Technology Limited to develop hydrogen-storage solutions to create a negative carbon winery. Kim Berry writes. This article first appeared in the July 2021 issue of Food and Drink Business.
The large scale, vertically integrated wine business Duxton Vineyards Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with hydrogen specialist company Lavo to look at how hydrogen storage solutions can be used in commercial applications.
Lavo CEO Alan Yu says reliable, affordable and sustainable power generation and supply is one of the biggest challenges facing governments, businesses and individuals today.
The company was launched in Australia in September last year, and according to Yu is the first and only commercially ready hydrogen energy storage system in the world designed for everyday use both domestically and by businesses.
“The system is designed to be easily integrated with existing solar panel infrastructure, with the company exploring further applications for its patented metal hydride solution,” Yu says.
The company was established to fast track the commercialisation of technology developed within the Hydrogen Energy Research Centre, which was cofounded by Providence Asset Group and the University of New South Wales.
Duxton Vineyards Group launched in 2015, with 2400 hectares of vineyards in the Mildura and Sunraysia region of New South Wales. It supplies domestic and global large-scale wine businesses as bulk and bottled wine through a mix of long term and spot contracts, as well as producing its own branded product.
Duxton has a sustainability focus at the core of its business, using regenerative farming practices to improve soil health and improve biodiversity.
Chair of the Duxton Group Edouard Peter says that increasing soil carbon content is a key goal for the company. “Healthy soils are critical for the vines to be resilient to our harsh climate. Our organic inputs include compost and biological stimulant microbes. We also cover crops and minimise till farming,” he says.
The company maintains more than 2000 hectares of prescribed native vegetation, with native flora plantings establishing a native insectarium to attract a diverse range of beneficial insects to counter invasive pests. Beekeepers are also allowed access to the area.
The vineyard’s Euston site is recognised as a sanctuary and one of the last breeding grounds for the endangered regent parrot.
“We are committed to achieving positive environmental outcomes and playing our role in progressing a circular economy,” Peter says. “Our work with Lavo reflects our commitment to progressing environmentally-focused partnerships that promote a sustainable relationship with the land we operate on.”
Duxton has set the target to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and to maintain a carbon negative agricultural asset portfolio thereafter.
Under the MoU, Lavo and Duxton will collaborate on a pilot project which will utilise Lavo’s cornerstone product, the Lavo System, across its vineyards and winery assets. The overarching aim of the pilot will be to determine how Lavo can work within and support Duxton’s ecosystem vision for a “negative carbon” winery on a long-term basis.
Following the pilot, the two will work together to develop and implement an expanded strategy for hydrogen storage solutions across Duxton’s operations and its agricultural asset portfolio.
Yu says the MoU allows Lavo to put its ambitions to build the next generation of energy storage in Australia into practice. “Reliable, affordable and sustainable power generation and supply is one of the biggest challenges facing governments, businesses and individuals today,” he says.
For both companies, the partnership is another step forward in Australia’s shift to a greener future.
