OSSA off-grid and on trend

There was a time when living and working off grid was regarded as the domain of hippies, dropouts and ne'er-do-wells; as much about self-sufficiency as being economically and environmentally sustainable. These days, two percent of all Australians live off grid, according to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Indeed, going off grid is right on trend. According to ARENA, key drivers of recent interest in renewable energy generation are 'to increase electricity supply, improve reliability, and reduce the costs of electricity for regional communities and industry.'

OSSA Wines' Rod and Cecile Roberts suspect all that's true. But when the couple first made plans for a 30ha off-grid vineyard on Tasmania's East Coast, their decision was underpinned by something much more fundamental.

"It was just economically sensible — and there wasn't a power pole in sight!" says Rod Roberts.

"We're some kilometres from having access to TasNetworks. There's no mains power here at all, so we're genuinely 100 percent off grid. That's a first for Tasmania. We're unaware of any other vineyard in Australia that's entirely unconnected from the grid."

Brought up in the sleepy rural hamlet of Flowerdale on Tasmania's North West Coast, Roberts is as far removed from being a ne'er-do-well as you're ever likely to find. In 2019, he and wife Cecile bought a 50 percent stake in Tasmania's largest contract winemaker, Tasmanian Vintners. A year ago, they sold that stake to their partner in acquisition, Western Australia's Fogarty Wine Group.

Rod Roberts doesn't usually do things by halves.

Belbrook lies in the picturesque Wye River Valley, north west of Swansea. The couple purchased their 600ha property in 2017. Initial plantings of 18.5ha of cool climate wine varieties were expanded a further 10ha in 2022.

Operation and real-time management of the vineyard is made possible via a fully autonomous, on-site power station capable of generating 100kW of solar electricity. It was designed, constructed and installed by Launceston-based renewable energy specialists, Mode Electrical.

The facility is carefully managed and can be remotely monitored and accessed via a wireless network linking Belbrook's homestead, workshop and power station to the internet. 

Its solar array of 256 panels adds a futuristic dimension to the surrounding landscape. The 100kW energy generation, coupled with 200kW of battery storage, utilises 10 state-of-the-art inverters and an extensive battery bank. Backup power, if required, is provided by a Pramac diesel generator capable of producing 78kVA.

The off-grid system performs a multitude of functions.

Foremost among them is providing a reliable supply of 3-phase electricity to power pumps for watering the vineyard and operating centre pivot irrigators. Depending on growing requirements, season and time of day, water can be pumped from Tasmanian Irrigation's Swan River Scheme as well as from the Wye River flowing past the property.

The multi-pump, soft start irrigation system has a larger-than-normal capacity. That enables water to be taken relatively quickly from its river source, allowing the task to be completed within a six-hour window during winter's reduced sunlight hours. Power then can be sourced directly from the solar array, alleviating unwanted battery drainage incurred by pumping overnight.

In addition to supplying 3-phase power to a large workshop and a machinery shed, other renewable energy demands include the electrification of vermin-proof fencing, as well as the heating, cooling and lighting of a comfortable family residence with all mod-cons.

More than 2.5km of cabling was required for the project. Every metre of it has been installed underground, to maintain the aesthetics of what is undoubtedly a very scenic and environmentally sensitive landscape.

"The system has been designed specifically for seasonal variability in load and solar generation," says Mode Electrical co-owner and chief engineer, Martin Dingemanse.

"To balance power generation with load through the seasons, we recommended installation of electric floor heating. That takes advantage of surplus power available over winter when there is little or no need for pumping.

"Strategies developed to match load with power generation enable the system to run with practically zero generator backup."

The Roberts family may be newcomers to the Tasmanian wine industry, but Rod has an impressive record in business leadership and investment. Back in the 1970s, he was an investment banker based in Sydney. In 1996, Roberts then began a 20-year career at Webster Ltd that included stints as managing director and company chairman.

As the country's fourth oldest registered company, Webster Ltd has played a critical role in the development of Australian food and agribusiness. Roberts' tenure saw the company grow from a $20 million bit-player to a $700 million ASX company with considerable street-cred among industry stakeholders and Australians more generally.

OSSA Wines takes its name from the craggy summit of Tasmania's highest mountain. The 1617m peak overlooks the iconic Overland Track, a 65km hiking trail through the State's spectacular Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park.

The brand means something else again to the Roberts family. Its unerring focus is to reach the absolute pinnacle of Tasmanian wine quality. Compromising on viticulture and winemaking will never be a part of that vision, Rod says.

"I know Tasmania's East Coast pretty well," he explains. 

"It's a good deal warmer and sunnier than much of the rest of the State. There's also a significant rain shadow effect. The district seldom gets prolonged, debilitating rain periods that can make farming difficult."

Two decades ago, the former Webster Ltd managing director and chairman oversaw the development of more than 500ha of walnut orchards on the East Coast. Now operated by Stahmann Webster, investments at Swansea and in The Riverina (NSW) account for 90+ percent of Australia's annual walnut production.

Belbrook occupies land Webster Ltd had earmarked for orchard development. However, it was eventually sold to a local farmer who returned it to the market some 15 years later.

"Parcels of land in this revered wine growing appellation are tightly held and rarely become available," Roberts points out.

"I'd always liked Belbrook for its generally easterly aspect and its unique microclimate, nestled in the Wye River Valley. The mix of ironstone and sandstone in its soils makes it a really interesting proposition for intensive horticulture or viticulture."

Roberts understood from the outset a vineyard there would need only a third of the volume of irrigation usually required by walnut trees. But without a reliable and cost-effective means of supplying life-giving water to the site, he also knew such a bold venture would be stillborn.

"Besides, if we were ever going to do anything significant in the ag space, we wanted to be sure it would be entirely sustainable," Roberts adds.

"Being completely off-grid is only part of that story. Removing weeds, planting trees, operating beehives and generally enhancing biodiversity are all important signals of our sustainability. So, too, are meticulous management of the environmental impacts of day-to-day vineyard operations, including minimising our chemical inputs."

Roberts says completion of Tasmanian Irrigation's Swan Valley Irrigation Scheme in the district in 2017 provided the spark that ignited preliminary planning for the vineyard.

"Belbrook really stretches the boundaries of what can be done with solar power on a commercial site," Dingemanse says.

"Unlike the award-winning, stand-alone systems we created and installed in two hospitals in South Sudan in 2013 and 2016, we've had to account for significant variability in load and solar generation. The sun doesn't shine all year around in Tasmania. The end result is a robust, reliable renewable power supply with few ongoing costs."

Roberts says all vineyard planning and establishment have been conducted with the same rigour and uncompromising approach to viticulture that underpin Belbrook's off grid operation.

Renowned Tasmanian viticulturist Marty Smith (Absolute Viticulture) has provided key advice in the task of bringing wine grape production to fruition on the site. A graduate of Charles Sturt University, Smith literally grew up among vines and wines at Clover Hill Vineyard in northern Tasmania.

Just two years after starting his own company with wife Lisa, Smith was nominated for the 2015 Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Viticulturist of the Year. Today, their clientele reads like a who's who of Australia's cool climate wine industry.

Smith says Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris account for the majority of initial plantings. Shiraz, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Grüner Veltliner are also represented, with Sangiovese being added in late 2022.

"It's a fantastic property," Smith says.

"The soil is typically East Coast. ­The site itself has its own unique strengths and characteristics. It's inland and a bit more protected from coastal weather than vineyards at Swansea or Bicheno further north."            

Already, Rod and Cecile Roberts appear to have found a diamond in the rough in Tasmania's wilderness. Not long off the bottling line, the first release of OSSA Pinot Noir from the 2020 vintage won the Australian Pinot Noir Trophy and Best of Region Trophy (Tasmania) at the 2021 Australian Pinot Noir Challenge.

That's off grid and on trend for you.

First published January 2023: Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker, Issue 708

Post-script: In June 2024, OSSA 's 2022 Pinot Noir was awarded a gold medal at the National Wine Show of Australia, held in the ACT. Only wines that have won a gold or silver medal at one of the event's 32 qualifying shows can be put before the judging panel in Canberra. Show organisers believe top award winners in the national event truly reflect the best of the best in Australian Pinot Noir.

Last page update: 26 May 2026