The Winery with a lot more than simply wine on it mind, sustainability compliment its high quality grapes and clean green solar energy power its vineyard.
Naches Heights Vineyard is perched on a southwest plateau high above the beautiful Naches Valley.
The elevation at NHV - up at 1780 Feet - places us as one of the highest elevated vineyards in the state. The high elevation (closer to the sun) combined with the rich volcanic soil creates unique growing conditions for our wine grapes.
Far out in the backyard of a popular end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small but very powerful yellow sun. That sun sends energy in the form of light to a small blue green planet called Earth. On this planet that sun's bright glow provides energy to grow wine grapes.
Our love for the land and our environment translated a past orchard life of plums, apricots and apples into a happy, healthy vineyard on this sunny, volcanic site.
The Second day of construction on the racking for the solar array proved to be somewhat of a mystery......April 2010
he Tasting Room Yakima is a perfect place to start your wine tasting tour, go hiking or mountain biking, take in a sunset on the 1900’s era farmhouse wrap-around porch, relax, or watch local wildlife!
The decision was made to place the array up off the main yard at the foot of the rock hill that is close to the chicken coop!
We had considered placing the array atop of the small hill but with concerns for the ancient landscape and the difficult challenges of machinery, the location would be lower down amongst the vineyard.
Our crew proved to be strongly dedicated to installing solar on time without a hitch!
As one can see the day turned out to be just fine.
The rack system was placed and then left to set up for two days.
Sunflower seeds power up the solar installers.
William Fidler the Master Electrician and owner of AMC thanks our assiant contractor Peter for all the hard work on the the trenching and placements. "Good job sir!"
As one can see the interesting shipping needs of Solar are a bit different, and yet more beautiful than most I must say.
10,000 watts stacked neatly awaiting the sun's light.
Looks as though the second pallet didn't have the warning pyramid and thus 2 were accidently broken.
Somehow they knew to include the wine glass,....huh!
Opps
Unloaded, inspected, counted and ready to be installed.
We had a it of a path to cross to the array but we hand carried everyone of them to their position in the array.
Here one can see some of the electric that was done.
A good days work and the last minutes of our power source before it powers down for the night.
Day two, 5 modules up and 39 to go!
We got an early start on a very long day!
"Yes ! We will finish this in one day !! "
A side shot of the rack and the module.
Well after 9 hrs we managed to place all the modules on the rack, tomorrow we will wire em up.
Looks nice and powerful.
Trying to reach those last few fasteners.
Ahh Day two, no snow today!
first light on the array and we are there to see it. WOW! 10,000 watts just quietly sitting amongst the grapes. Simple, Clean and Easy 50yr supply of electricity.
The inverters are on site.
PV Powered inverters from Oregon
Looks like a bad hair day, soon to be perfect and full of electrons.
Nice mounting Job Bobby G!
........Thats better.
The inverters and the disconnects fit nicely on the out shed/ chicken coop.
The under side of the power plant
Not too different from that of the grape leafs.
A final look before we leave back for Seattle.
Bobby G stops from his amazing hard work to wave hello . Almost ready to install the last module to the array. Good job Bobby!
Ahh POWERFUL!
Looks graceful and harmonious
A nice view via the reflection of the tastingroom window capturing the last hrs of the sun on the third day> This will make for a wonderful view of the array while have a taste of incredible wine. A perfect gallery of the suns work.
This man has a lot to be proud of, with clean green energy now powering up the Tastingroom at The Wilridge Winery a foundation has been built that will certainly be able to be passed down for generations to come!
The celebration dance will commence every night around the powerful place called Wilridge.
