FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed Wines. The 2006 Napa Valley Summer Blend Chardonnay is the winery's first release bearing the words "Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed." Wine Business reports that the winery, located in the Spring Mountain district of the Napa Valley, recently completed a solar power system on their property. The system will supply all of the winery's power needs. When the winery's reds are released in the fall they will carry the same "Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed" phrase on the label.
	Newsletter columns from 1999 to 2007
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TRIBUTE: PART TWO Spring-Summer 2007 #17 Four years ago my father had a solar powered electrical generating system installed at his home in San Mateo. He loved the idea of generating his own power and even more, loved bragging about the fact that he no longer had to pay the utility company anything for it. And though my father would certainly never be accused of being a fan of Al Gore, installing this system pleased his natural conservative sense of protecting the environment. So with system installed and his meter spinning backward he began to regularly bug me about installing a system at the winery. "Too expensive," I replied, "and unlike you, I have to worry about my budget and have too many other pressing issues to address right now." When I looked at my end-of-the-year expenses and saw what a small percentage my utility bills were of my overall costs and combined that with what I thought it would cost to install solar it seemed unfeasible at best. Keenan Winery Installs Solar Energy When my father got a good idea (or thought he had!) he could be very persistent. So he kept bugging me. I knew he would not stop until I did something about it. So last summer I had two companies give me a proposal to install a system at the winery that would meet all our power needs for the winery and the houses on the property. I was convinced that when I had these proposals in hand I could then show my father in writing how expensive and therefore unfeasible his "great" idea was. Imagine my surprise when, after meeting with Katrina and Rob from Sunlightelectric last July, installing a photovoltaic system suddenly seemed not only do-able but a darn good idea to boot. Not only did all the numbers make sense, but also Sunlightelectrics' pole-mounted design was an inspired solution as to where we could locate the solar panels. Well, with Dad's all to pleased blessing last July I signed the contract with Sunlightelectric and now the system is complete and we are spinning the meters backwards! Cheers Dad, good one.     --Michael Keenan Solar Panels in the Chardonnay Field Past Newsletter Columns in PDF Help us find the missing #5 Newsletter. Receive a signed bottle of Cabernet or Merlot from Michael Keenan. READ MORE : : : #01 Fridays at the Winery #13 Trials, Trials & More Trials and the Return       of the "Mailbox"?! #02 Cosmology& The Historical Importance       of Wine #14 An Extraordinary Year #03 Springtime at the Winery #15 One More Time?! #04 Confessions of a Dirt Farmer #16 Tribute #05 Ist Half of the Story (Missing)   #06 A Glimpse of the Future, A Glance at       the Past   #07 The Second Half of the Story   #08 Impossible Dream...Guess Who's Coming       to Dinner   #09 News Flash! (The End of the Story)   #10 Remembering   #11 Milestone   #12 Second Season

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