Shropshire vineyard becomes first UK operator of UV Boosting
6th March 2025
Following extensive research and assistance, Veenow Vineyard has become the first operator and sales agent of the UV Boosting technology, standing at the forefront of sustainability in UK vineyards.
After a year of research into the usage of UV-C and the different application methods, the vineyard owners, Robert and Katie Greenow, came across UV Boosting based in France and made contact with Emanuele, who was very helpful in explaining independent research and historic data from trials covering over seven years.
After testimonials from other operators around the world on what they can achieve, it was a straightforward decision with a visit to the headquarters just outside Paris.
They said: “We decided to choose UV Boosting due to the patented technology, robust build quality and technical ability within the team, which made it a great partnership” says Robert Greenow from Veenow Vineyard.
“The benefits are huge across our 40 acre vineyard, which are not only financial but they also increase the sustainability of our spray regime”.
‘Our passion is sustainability’
Mrs and Mr Greenow said that the effect of using UV-C from the UV Boosting Flash Technology allows Veenow to:
- Reduce the risk of frost by up to 50% pre-stimulating the vines at bud burst with a single pass up to 48 hours before a frost period.
- Reduce the amount of chemicals by up to 60% when treating downy and powdery mildew with three to four stimulations per season.
- Reduction of disease within the vineyard of 40% on average with mildews.
- Enhance vine vigour, which leads to a potential 13% increase in yield, as the vine has had fewer stress periods from stimulating self-defence mechanisms prior to the problem developing within the vine.
Veenow plans to carry out four to five passes over the season but also run trials amongst its varieties such as Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Meunier and Cabernet Noir.
Mr Greenow said: “Interestingly, the key benefit with a PIWI due to its existing resistance to mildews is frost protection and yield increase” which alone pays for the application of UV-C.”
Mrs Greenow added: “We decided to be the first in the UK as our passion is sustainability while maintaining quality clean grapes for harvest. Combining this technology with digestate application and specialist cover cropping is hopefully setting an example that monoculture, mass production vineyards are different to us here.”
Baptiste Rouesné, CEO of UV Boosting, concluded: “We are very excited at UV Boosting to have a first unit running in the UK in 2025. We have seen the British vineyards grow rapidly in the last years, and hopefully we will be able to deploy many more units in the coming years.”
Further updates will be provided during the year along with viewing of the machine. To hear more, please contact Robert or Katie at Veenow on hello@veenow.co.uk
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