The Chateau Chantal Winery & Inn on the Old Mission Peninsula has invested in a solar array project that will offset approximately 40 percent of its energy needs. The 148.5 kW system is the largest solar install at a Michigan winery. The Jackson, Mich.-based Harvest Energy Solutions expects to break ground for the project at the end of April and complete it by late May.

The winery was awarded a Pure Michigan Business Connect grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation which provides matching funds up to $50,000 to companies in need of addressing technology gaps with innovative resources or solutions from another Michigan-based company.

This is the latest in a series of environmentally-minded projects the winery has initiated in recent years – the vineyard has been MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) certified for eight years and it ceased application of chemical fertilizers in its vineyard 10 years ago.