ENERGY EFFICIENCY
& SAVINGS
Registration opens
Workshop II: Are EVs Really Better? Understand the Emissions Tipping Points (Including MCE rebates & charger incentives)
Breakfast with Sponsor Scavenger Hunt
Official Welcome: Charles Krug’s Peter Mondavi Jr. and Napa Green’s Anna Brittain
RISE Leadership Award TEDTalk
Break
Asking the Critical Questions Forum: To Till & EV or Not to Till & EV?
Closing Thank You from Dan Petroski, Napa Green Interim Board Chair
Catered lunch & Wine
Thank you to our exclusive event sponsor MCE.
MCE is a not-for-profit, public agency that has been setting the standard for clean energy in California since 2010. MCE offers 60-100% renewable power at stable rates, significantly reducing greenhouse emissions and reinvesting millions in local programs.
Two parallel workshops. Spend 30-35 minutes at each workshop, then groups will switch.
Hot water heating is energy and cost intensive. Join ergSol’s Wolfgang Weiss, Treasury Americas’ Will Drayton, and Schneider Electric’s John Westerman for an actionable exploration of nascent opportunities for the wine industry–solar thermal hot water and battery energy storage. Learn how ergSol’s building-integrated designs provide renewable hot water while preserving winery aesthetics. Drayton will share the why, how, and outcomes of the ergSol system at their Sonoma bottling facility, and how it integrates in their plans for net zero emissions by 2030. Westerman will discuss the evolution of battery storage, both in increasing cost-effectiveness and the ability to not only shave peak loads but also provide windows of independent energy. Consider if solar thermal and battery storage could make sense for your operation, both to reduce energy costs and mitigate risk.
Action Opportunities:
Assess facility potential for visually-integrated solar thermal systems
Evaluate battery storage solutions for peak load management and backup power
Set ambitious yet achievable renewable energy and emissions reduction targets
Explore financing and implementation pathways
Complement renewable investments with opportunities like MCE Deep Green
Will Drayton is the Director of Technical Viticulture, Sustainability and Research at Treasury Wine Estates
(TWE), one of the world’s largest wine companies. Will has been with TWE since 2008, beginning in
viticulture at Etude Winery and has held many positions within the viticulture and winemaking groups.
In his current role, Will guides TWE’s US sustainability efforts in addition to technical and scientific aspects of winegrowing in California. He serves on the committee that guides the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, Chair of the PD-GWSS board for the CDFA and board member of the Los Carneros Water District.
Will holds a Master’s degree from UC Davis in Horticulture and Agronomy and undergraduate degree in
Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Will resides with his young family in Sebastopol, CA.
Wolfgang Weiss, CTO and Co-founder of ergSol, is driven by his strong belief in sustainability, his passion for innovation, and his focus on best fit solutions all to shape a place worth living for generations to come. ergSol provides innovative, advanced solar thermal heating and cooling solutions. Emphasis is placed on integrated solutions designed to fit the customer needs and to ensure installation efficiency and easy maintenance.
He worked as an executive and CTO across several alternative energy industries on emerging technologies, renewable energy, alternative fuels, manufacturing, and thermodynamic solutions. He has proven technical expertise and leadership competencies, as well as an ability to “see what’s next”, all honed from working in corporate hierarchical organizational structures, startup ventures, as well as in collaborative organizational structures. He holds an advanced Master of Science in Physics from the University of Stuttgart, Germany.
Two parallel workshops. Spend 30-35 minutes at each workshop, then groups will switch.
As California mandates 35% zero-emission vehicle sales by year’s end, this workshop cuts through the confusion surrounding EVs’ environmental impact. Understand the lifecycle analysis comparing EVs to conventional vehicles, examining crucial factors like battery production, grid electricity sources, and vehicle usage. Understand the science-backed tipping points where EVs become the cleaner choice. Get practical guidance for evaluating electric cars, trucks, and tractors for your wine industry operations. Plus, get up-to-date information on available incentives, including MCE Clean Energy rebates and California CORE subsidies for cleaner off-road vehicles, which can significantly reduce your transition costs.
Action Opportunities:
Chris works with MCE’s commercial customers and business partners, helping customers learn about, evaluate, and select MCE programs that enable them to envision and achieve their energy, financial, and sustainability objectives. Prior to 2015, Chris worked at Constellation Energy and EnerNOC (acquired by Enel), where she helped large energy users make decisions about adopting energy storage, demand response, and energy efficiency. Previously, Chris worked in tech in international business development in California and Europe. She earned a master’s degree in international affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in political science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
In her free time, Chris loves spending time actively in the great California outdoors with her family and friends.
Sven has over 35 years of experience in the energy/ environmental space, with 20 years spent focusing on electric vehicles and the electric utility nexus with a focus on intelligent, low cost EV charging. He was an angel investor in EverCharge and one of the co-founders of Orange Charger. As Senior Consultant with Sven Thesen Associates, he assists local and regional governments, private employers, and non-profits in making intelligent, cost-conscious choices to deploy electric vehicle infrastructure. At BeniSol Solar, Sven provides financing for solar PV systems to non-profit entities. Sven is also the Founder of Project Green Home, a beyond-Platinum LEED, Net Zero Energy Passive House in Palo Alto, California. He shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with 2200 engineers and scientists for his role in developing the IPCC climate guidelines. With Jarod Gasper, Sven is also the first person to walk both the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails in one calendar year.
Featuring Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine and Author of “The World in a Wineglass”
Join acclaimed wine journalist Ray Isle for a multifaceted exploration of “energy” in wine – from the vitality of healthy soils to the skilled work of vineyard teams, from production and supply chain to market momentum. Drawing from his latest book “The World in a Wineglass” and two decades at the forefront of wine journalism, Isle will discuss some of the trends he’s seeing in sustainable and regenerative viticulture, and the growth in trade and consumer interest in sustainable and climate-smart wines. Through engaging storytelling and market insights, he’ll explore the intersection of fine wine and sustainable winegrowing and the opportunity for cascading benefits: enhancing wine quality, engaging new customers and building loyalty, and leveraging new marketing angles in a challenging wine economy.
Action Opportunities:
Ray Isle is the Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine and the Wine & Spirits Editor of Travel + Leisure. He writes Food & Wine’s monthly “Bottle Service” column, and oversees wine content for both brands as well as contributing regular print and online features about wine, spirits, and wine-related travel. His articles about wine, beer, food and spirits have appeared in a wide range of national publications, as well as in Best American Food Writing. He has won the IACP Award for Narrative Beverage Writing three times, the gold award from the North American Travel Journalists Association, and been nominated three times for the James Beard Award in beverage writing. He speaks regularly on wine at events around the country and is a frequent guest on national media, appearing on programs such as NBC’s Today, CBS Mornings, CNBC’s Squawk Box, American Public Media’s “Splendid Table,” and many others. His recent book The World in a Wineglass was published in 2023 by Scribner’s. Follow his wine exploits on Instagram @rayisle.
Purchase his latest book at RISE Climate & Wine Symposium.
Join Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson for an evidence-based exploration of two actively debated vineyard transitions–conservation/no-till and the pros and cons of EV tractors. Morgan Twain-Peterson MW of Bedrock Vineyards and Margarita Postoronca of CHANDON will candidly share their experience implementing conservation and no-till practices and being early adopters of EV tractors. Praveen Penmetsa, CEO of Monarch Tractor, will provide insight into the evolution of EV tractor technology, highlighting advancements in performance and reliability. Discover how these growers are realizing the documented benefits of dramatically reducing tillage–from enhanced soil health and water retention to reduce erosion–while successfully navigating site-specific challenges like cover crop selection and weed management. Plus, get candid insights about where electric tractors excel, and where traditional equipment may still play a role. This practical discussion will debate when and if to implement these climate-smart practices across different vineyard conditions.
Action Opportunities:
Develop a plan to pilot conservation tillage or no-till
Work with the Napa Green Vineyard team to develop a regenerative Carbon Farm Plan, which includes tillage and cover crop opportunities and recommendations
Select appropriate and diverse cover crops for your conditions
Develop integrated soil health and equipment strategies
If considering an EV tractor, evaluate charging infrastructure, improved technology reliability, and cost offsets from MCE & CORE rebates
Andrea Robinson is a world-renowned Master Sommelier who takes the seemingly daunting subject of wine and food, and brings it down to earth for all to understand and enjoy. Robinson, one of only 26 female Master Sommeliers in the world, couples this distinction with a strong culinary pedigree as a graduate and former Dean of the French Culinary Institute, and the winner of three James Beard Awards. In addition, she has been widely featured across leading national television networks and publications as the “go-to” expert for all things wine. She and her husband John live in Napa Valley.
Morgan’s early exposure to wine and winemaking was thanks to his father Joel Peterson, who had started a small passion project called Ravenswood Winery— a job for which he was steadily not making money while working out of a small building along the big curve on Broadway. Though always enamored with the wine industry, Morgan bypassed a traditional Viticulture and Enology degree and studied History and Political Science at Vassar College. After undergrad, he enrolled at Columbia University with an eye towards a Masters in American Studies. meanwhile working at a small shop in the Upper East Side called Pet Wines. There, he met Chris Cottrell, with whom he became fast friends.
I am originally from Moldova, and I have moved to California in 2017. My journey through wine industry along with my educational background helped me discover that viticulture is my true passion. I am currently a part of Chandon Winegrowing team and my position is Viticulturist-Grower Relations. As a Viticulturist I oversee farming and vineyard operations on our Estate vineyards in Yountville and Mount Veeder (160 acres of premium Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir). My responsibilities include, but are not limited to establishing fertilization programs, generating irrigation plans, creating and overseeing organic pesticide spray program, maintaining and leading sustainability certifications. In addition to that I oversee all the vineyard operations, manage ranch supervisor, am involved in budget planning and redevelopment projects. As a Grower Relations I work with 20+ growers and brokers in 3 major regions of California – Sacramento/Delta, North and Central Coast. I enjoy the diversity of my role, because it allows me to explore both sides of the business – growing the best fruit on the Estate vineyards and working on business side by achieving yearly fruit supply plans.
Praveen Penmetsa has over 22 years of experience turning audacious ideas into tangible products and technologies with global impact. His work has spanned areas like sustainable mobility, energy generation and storage, and farm robotics resulting in delivered products ranging from autonomous electric aircraft to farm weeding robots.
Currently focused on agriculture, Penmetsa is bringing a new type of tractor company and agricultural technology to farmers worldwide through Monarch Tractor. Also serving as the chairman and founder of Motivo Engineering, Penmetsa is building teams that develop and scale the next generation of robotic solutions for mobility, energy and food. He believes the greatest impact of digital transformation and electrification lies in farming rather than urban mobility. This realization forms the foundation of Monarch’s vision of working towards a healthier and sustainable farming future that will make farmers profitable.
Penmetsa was the 2023 Bay Area award winner of Entrepreneur of the Year®. Together with his Monarch Tractor co-founders, Carlo Mondavi, Zachary Omohondro, PhD, and Mark Schwager, Penmetsa is changing the future of agriculture and the world’s food systems for the better.
MCE is a not-for-profit public agency and the preferred electricity provider for more than 580,000 customer accounts and 1.5 million residents and businesses across Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. Setting the standard for clean energy in California since 2010, MCE leads with 100% renewable power at stable rates, delivering a 1200 MW peak load and significantly reducing greenhouse emissions and reinvesting millions in local programs. For more information about MCE, visit mceCleanEnergy.org, or follow us on your preferred social platform @mceCleanEnergy.
The Agriculture Energy Savings Action Plan (AESAP) helps agriculture operations by offering a variety of rebates, incentives, and financing options to help your operation reduce energy usage and costs.
Upgrading ventilation, irrigation, and other critical systems with more energy-efficient options is one way to reduce your overhead, improve production, and preserve natural resources.
CLEAResult is the largest provider of energy efficiency, energy transition and decarbonization solutions in North America. Since 2003, our mission has been to change the way people use energy. Today, our experts lead the transition to a sustainable, equitable, and carbon-neutral future for our communities and our planet. Our hometown teams collaborate with a diverse network of local partners to deliver world-class technology and personalized services that make it easy for agricultural, commercial and industrial businesses, governments, utilities, and residential customers to reduce their energy use and carbon footprint. CLEAResult is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has over 2,400 employees in more than 60 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
CLEAResult is the approved third-party implementer of the MCE Agricultural & Industrial Resource (AIR) Program serving Napa County.
We make appliances with integrated battery energy storage.
To fight climate change, we must electrify our homes and install battery energy storage to support the electric grid.
It’s easier to do both when we do them together.
Our appliances deliver tons of power without requiring major home electrical upgrades.
The battery ensures you’ve got the power you need, no matter what the grid is doing.
GenShift Energy – Always On
GenShift provides integrated on-site energy systems tailored specifically to meet the demands of your business. Our systems typically provide 100% of a facility’s electricity and thermal needs, including heating and cooling.
GenShift’s solutions help clients cut energy costs by up to 20% on day one while removing any reliance on the grid. Additionally, we support long-term sustainability goals and promote cleaner, more resilient energy infrastructure.
Labor shortages, climate change, and food safety concerns create a multitude of challenges for farmers. Monarch Tractor provides a farmer-first approach to innovation, making each decision with our farming community and their biggest challenges in mind. Our dedication to solutions for the farmer also means healthier solutions for the planet, for the consumer, and for the global food ecosystem.
Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.
Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency.
We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.
We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.
The Perfect CATch rescues, rehabilitates, and finds homes for friendly or socializable homeless cats and TNRs community cats to prevent overpopulation. Cats that aren’t feral but not suited for indoor life are secured safe working environments where they can thrive—like barns, warehouses, and gardens.
We strive to provide a safe environment for cats and are committed to advocating for their welfare, promoting responsible pet guardianship, and providing community education.
Napa Green is a global leader in sustainable winegrowing, setting the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry. Napa Green facilitates systematic soil to bottle certification for wineries and vineyards, and provides the resources, tools and connections to continuously level up leadership. In 2021, Napa Green was the first sustainable winegrowing program in the world to redevelop Vineyard certification standards to focus on climate action, regenerative carbon farming, and social equity. In 2022, Napa Green and community partners launched a first of its kind, six-event Climate & Wine Symposium (Napa THRIVES now RISE) with over 65 speakers and 600 total guests.
Thank you to everyone who helped make @risegreenwine a huge success! The 2025 RISE Climate & Wine Symposium engaged 650+ guests sharing leadership opportunities and generating commitments to action.
Reach out to @napagreen for support with your commitments to action. Our team has your back!
Read more and other media coverage at the link in our bio.
#climateaction #wineindustry #wineindustryleadership #winebusiness
Wow, we really did it y’all! As we rest & recover from that monumental undertaking, we reflect for a moment on the incredible community of the brightest & most compassionate minds that came together to make this happen at such a pivotal time.
From the bottom of our hearts at Team Green we cannot thank you enough, nor adequately put into words how much it all means.
Keep working, keep speaking up and keep fighting for what is right. We stand tall next to you. #rise
📸: @briana_marie
We thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful conversation between @abrittain, @cathycorison & @gracecorisonmartin about the heritage & horizon of regenerative farming in Napa Valley. Thank you to all of our wonderful speakers that joined us at RISE 2025!
📸: @briana_marie
On our final day of RISE 2025 we were fortunate to have an impactful conversation with @drreneelertzman & @finn.does concerning the mental & emotion cycles of the environmental work we all do. The how and why of what motivates our work is as important as the work itself.
If you missed this beautiful conversation please know that we have professionally recorded all sessions at RISE and will announce how to view them.
We offer a sincere and deeply felt thank you to both of these amazing speakers for joining us today.
In our current climate, RISE has meant more than ever. As we head into our final day today of Climate Action & Regenerative Farming, we want to take a moment to thank our visionary founders, @abrittain & @reyeswine.mw.
Thank you for the countless hours you’ve put in, the bravery to raise your voices, the vision to use your platforms meaningfully and for the beautiful community we’ve built together. Here’s to you! 🥂
We’ll see you all today at RISE Climate & Wine Symposium.
📸: @briana_marie
Incredible keynote from the one and only @realwolfofwine!
Catch him tonight at @statelineroad_smokehouse in Napa!
#wine #hiphop #wineandmusic #winestyle #winewinewine #winelife #winebar #winewriter #winespeak #wineandculture #dei #socialjustice
Who else has loved being greeted by these smiling faces the past week of RISE? 🙋♀️ Thank you @mp_egan39 & @marisataylorwines, you make our days a little brighter with your welcoming energy! ☀️
Thrilled to welcome you all to our Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion Day! Still two more days to go after this. Be sure to grab your tickets!
Our final three events kick off tomorrow at 1:00pm AFTER the CIA Summit! Come hear from the @realwolfofwine, @nikki_silvestri and many more luminaries as we enter our first afternoon session! Stay for our first RISE Happy Hour & Snacks afterwards.
There are still tickets available at the link in our bio and you can use code RISE10 to join!
See you tomorrow 🥂
Stand out speakers and stand out quotes at RISE Proactive Farming, Soil Health & Diversity Day..
“Nature responds quickly if you let her” - @cainethompson
“25% of the population is enough to create a tipping point for regenerative agriculture.” - @profkimberlynicholas
“It starts with a single step!” - @cainethompson
“We have to connect with the problems we want to solve” - Dr. Jonathan Lundgren
“Farmers are stewards of not just land, but life!” - Dr. Jonathan Lundrgen
📸: @briana_marie
Today was moving. We had many inspiring & stunning moments at RISE. Yet this photo captures the soul of it perfectly. Nature, balance and the deeply riveting beauty in regenerative farming. Thanks for being with us today all for another full house.
THANK YOU to our incredible photographer @briana_marie for capturing this, and seeing our world in the thoughtful, informed and compassionate way that you do.
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