As part of the project Torres & Earth, the Catalan winery family is rehearsing with a new model of sustainable viticulture that uses a pioneer electric tractor in all Europe. With zero emissions, the wine group wants to contribute to the fight against climate change and for this, it is committed to not polluting from the field. Thanks to this means of working in the vineyards, innovation reaches Vilafranca del Penedès from the French manufacturer sabi agri. Will it be in the not too distant future a common vehicle to see in the hectares of vineyards? We tell you more about this tractor here.
New model of sustainable viticulture
This innovative but small in size pioneer electric tractor in the European environment has been the protagonist of a test carried out in a vineyard near the wine cellar Torres family. The one that is located in Pacs del Penedès, where some twenty people interested in knowing how it works have also come. As well as the advantages both in the agronomic and environmental fields of this new sustainable viticulture model. It could mean a revolution in the sector when it comes to working the vineyard without contaminating the gasoline from the traditional tractor. This is how you have valued its use Josep Maria Ribas, the director of climate change of the Catalan winery group:
“One of the main advantages is that it does not emit CO2 and this will allow us to achieve our emission reduction target, which is 30% in 2020 compared to 2008 ″. Within another ten years, Familia Torres expects to raise that percentage to 55%. Undoubtedly, this is a respectful line with the environment that the wine group wants to continue with more and more emphasis. Because it can also help to change the mindset in the management and work of the vineyard. Other organizations can look to this model to follow the same path in the face of a organic viticulture from the non-use of chemical sulfates to the non-emission of gases.
This is the pioneering electric tractor
El ALPO 4 × 4 model This pioneer electric tractor has come for the first time to Spain and it is equipped with four wheels. Its power is 50 horses, a figure that allows it to carry out a large part of its operations like a traditional small combustion tractor. Of course, its great features allow you to use ten times less the energy used by the vehicle of a lifetime. In addition, it is completely silent when running on electricity. Its batteries have a very useful autonomy of up to eight hours and it only takes two hours to charge. The solar panels incorporated into the roof help this ecological tractor to supplement the totality of that load. Of course, it is compatible with other normal accessories for growing the vineyard.
Its manufacturers Laure and Alexandre Prévault Osmani, from the gala company sabi agri, have been present at the trial of Torres family. The idea that the Catalan winery has is to gradually incorporate this vehicle into its viticulture work. «It would be like working the land with a horse; it is very respectful for the soil, which does not compact since the tractor is also very light and this allows to protect the biodiversity of the vineyard ", he argued Xavier Sort, production manager of Towers.
Prototypes by John Deere or Fendt
Although electric cars they are already more integrated into the mobility environment in cities, this is not yet the case with tractors that move with the same energy. This market is developing with some brands such as the famous John Deere, which surprised in 2017 with its tractor SESAME. It was funded by the German government and has two engines 150 Kw. Later, at the end of 2018, the same firm took out its gridCON It did not require a conductor and was charged with cable directly.
Also three years ago, the company Fendt launched his model e100 Vario (50 Kw), the same as this pioneer electric tractor in Europe. Of course, its autonomy was three hours less than that described above. Could it be this last one who has already seen work Torres family the one that starts the ecological revolution in the wine field with this type of respectful zero-emission vehicles? We will be attentive to the next few years.
