Familia Torres achieves pure CO₂ recovery from wine fermentation using innovative technology from ICIQ
The result of a pilot test conducted by Orchestra Scientific poses a significant opportunity to advance the Penedès winery's emissions reduction strategy.
Familia Torres continues to make strides in capturing and reusing CO₂ from wine fermentation as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and promote a circular economy. This initiative is a key component of the winery's Torres & Earth climate action programme. In a pilot test conducted at its Pacs del Penedès winery, cutting-edge technology developed by Orchestra Scientific—a spin-off of the Catalan Institute for Chemical Research (ICIQ)—has enabled the winery to concentrate carbon dioxide from wine fermentation in its purest form.
This breakthrough technology marks a significant step forward in Familia Torres' strategy towards achieving Net Zero emissions. Its implementation would allow the winery to become self-sufficient in producing the CO₂ it requires to inert wine tanks, preventing oxidation. Currently, the winery meets half of its CO₂ needs through its existing capture system, with the remainder sourced from the chemical and gas industries.
The pilot test has demonstrated the technology's effectiveness and efficiency in real production environments, opening up new possibilities for reusing CO₂ in key sectors such as industry, agri-food, and energy.
The pioneering technology is based on an innovative material developed by ICIQ—metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—which exhibit a high capacity for CO₂ capture. Orchestra Scientific has scaled and refined this technology, achieving a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to existing solutions. Furthermore, the use of standardised components in its construction has made this innovative solution more accessible and cost-effective for industrial-scale implementation.
"Achieving this level of purity in captured CO₂ unlocks a wide range of reuse opportunities, from applications within the winery itself to commercialisation in other sectors. This progress underscores our commitment to driving sustainable change through innovative solutions in the wine industry", says Miguel A. Torres, President of Familia Torres.
Pioneers in carbon capture and reuse from wine fermentation
Familia Torres began capturing and reusing CO₂ from fermentation in 2015 with the introduction of the Oresteo system in red winemaking tanks. In 2021, the winery extended this practice to white and rosé winemaking through a pioneering in-house system, which was further expanded in 2023.
The main limitation of these existing technologies lies in the purity of the captured CO₂, which restricts its potential applications within the winery. During the most recent harvest, these systems provided the winery with 50% of its CO₂ requirements, primarily for uses such as inerting tanks and pumping over red wines.
Since the initial tests with Orchestra Scientific began in 2017, the project has involved collaboration across multiple areas of Familia Torres, including production, engineering, innovation, and sustainability. This cross-disciplinary approach, combined with the teams’ perseverance, has been instrumental in overcoming technical and operational challenges. It has enabled progress towards a more sustainable and circular winemaking model, aligned with the decarbonisation goals of the Torres & Earth environmental programme.
