Green grapes: Armenia’s sustainable wine journey
25 Feb 2025
Every glass of wine tells a unique story. With every sip, you learn about the vines, the land, and the people who crafted it. This is the story of Vedi Alco.
Nestled amidst the stunning landscapes of Armenia, the Vedi-Alco winery is one of the nation’s largest wine-making enterprises, established in 1956. Across the sprawling vineyards, spanning 120 hectares, 70 hectares are exclusively dedicated to nurturing the indigenous “Areni” grape variety dating back 4,000 to 6,000 years, a testament to the company’s devotion to tradition.
While maintaining tradition is important to Vedi Alco, the winery is paving the way to a green, sustainable future. With support from the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), Vedi Alco has been replacing Soviet-era equipment and installing a new production line with upgraded grape-receiving and processing machinery to reduce the company’s energy consumption.
GEFF is a programme that supports businesses and homeowners in investing in green technologies by operating through a network of local financial institutions across multiple countries. Implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), GEFF in Armenia is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).
Before, we had to spend several days producing one unit of a product. Now, we can produce the same volume in one day. As a result, we have made significant savings on electricity and energy carriers.
Deputy Director at Vedi Alco
Through an innovative financing structure and technical assistance, an investment of USD 547,187 has delivered Vedi Alco an annual energy saving of up to 80 MWh, USD 10,000 annually, and a 20-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions.
Asatur Gevorgyan, General Manager of Vedi-Alco, notes the impact of investing in high-performance technologies.
Not only did the company witness financial gains and environmental impact, but it also benefited from better product quality, continuous operation, variable capacity, and an extended service life of new equipment.
General Manager of Vedi-Alco
Materials supplied by EBRD. Edited by Zeenia Dastur, GCF.
