Grant: Engage Grants Program

Management of the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard in Oliver British Columbia have expressed an interest in working with UBC researcher D. Roberts to examine the handling of the waste and wastewater produced from grape production as well as their winery. As British Columbia's wine industry grows, the need to deal with the waste and wastewater in a sustainable manner is important for the maintenance of the environment and to maintain a competitive edge in the business. The ability to produce a high nutrient quality compost and methane from the waste components, while maintaining a high quality effluent will greatly improve the economic competitiveness of the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard and serve as an example for other wineries in the area. The proposed research will provide an assessment of the current waste production (volumes and timing of generation), an analysis of the potential methane production from these wastes, suggested best waste handling practices and processes. The Tinhorn Creek Vineyard has invested much energy and resources into their composting process and has expressed a need to reduce the sugar content introduced by the large percentage of white grapes used. The research will be carried out in the Environmental Engineering Research Laboratories on the Okanagan campus of UBC by Technician R. Das, MASc student J. Garcia, under the supervision of Dr. D. Roberts. The research team has the collective experience required to perform the research and some familiarity with the local wine industry. The Tinhorn Creek Vineyard will contribute samples of waste and waste water, facility tours, and the time and expertise of the staff as in-kind contributions. A final report will be produced and if deemed appropriate, proposals for further funding will be generated.