Carbon dioxide recovery tech sees Familia Torres break new ground

By Hamish Graham

Published: 28 February, 2025

A pilot test conducted by Orchestra Scientific has allowed the Familia Torres’ Pacs del Penedès winery to concentrate carbon dioxide from wine fermentation in its purest form for reuse at the winery.

If implemented, the technology developed by Orchestra Scientific, a spin-off of the Catalan Institute for Chemical Research (ICIQ), would allow the winery to became self-sufficient in producing the carbon dioxide it requires to inert wine tanks, preventing oxidisation.

At present, the winery meets half its carbon dioxide needs through its existing carbon dioxide recapture technology, with the remainder sourced from the chemical and gas industry.

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The cutting-edge technology is based on a material developed by ICIQ known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which have shown a high capacity for carbon dioxide capture.

This initiative forms a key part of Familia Torres’ Torres & Earth climate action programme which sees the company striving to reduce its carbon footprint and promote a circular economy.

Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres, is excited by the opportunities such technology would provide.

"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," he commented.

The pilot test has shown the technology’s effectiveness in a real production environment, opening up the possibility of reusing carbon dioxide in other key industries, including the agri-food and energy sectors.

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