This article originally appeared in NEXT100, a blog on the next century of energy supported by PG&E.
By Paul Moreno
Those passing by the hop fields of the Sierra Nevada brewery in Chico may be doing a double take at the sight of a herd of sheep grazing in an area known more for retail and light industry.
Sierra Nevada is known for innovative, sustainable solutions.
It’s a classic move by the Chico-based Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a craft brewery known for sustainability: controlling weeds between towering hop trellises in a natural way. Sheep are neatly mowing foot-high weeds that sprouted quickly after a wet winter and warm weather. The brewery doesn’t spray weeds among the organically grown hops, and trimming weeds is labor intensive. Unlike goats, which tend to overgraze, the wooly visitors leave the weeds closely cropped and in return, fertilize the fields.
Once the sheep have finished grazing section by section, they will return to a local farm. Their nearly two-month stay required the brewery to obtain a special-use permit to allow the sheep to dine and dally within the city limits of Chico.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s sustainability philosophy is reflected in its widespread use of energy efficiency, renewable power and recycling. The brewery was an early user of hydrogen fuel cell co-generators, for which it received a $2.4 million rebate from PG&E. It also received rebates from PG&E for its 1.9 megawatt solar plant, which shades building rooftops and parked cars from hot Chico summers as well as bringing the business closer to its goal of using 100 percent renewable power. Heat and CO2 recovery means reduced energy usage and air emissions. Even methane is captured from the anaerobic digestion of effluent brewing water and used to heat boilers.
To counteract the impact of energy used from the power grid, Sierra Nevada is enrolled in PG&E’s ClimateSmart Program, a voluntary program through which utility customers pay a fee to offset the carbon impact of their energy usage.
The brew pub kitchen uses locally grown vegetables and naturally fed beef. The company even maintains its own two-acre organic garden and herd of cattle to supply fresh produce and beef to the restaurant. While none of the visiting sheep are on the menu, visitors will find plenty of fresh choices when pairing food with brews.