Area pet food maker goes 100% solar

HARVARD - Pedigree Ovens and The Pound Bakery has completed installation of a 200,000-square-foot solar panel array that powers 100% of the pet food manufacturer's energy needs.

Pedigree Ovens and The Pound Bakery, located in Harvard's Arrowhead Industrial Park, finished construction of its 212,000-square-foot facility in 2018. During planning, the company committed to continually making improvements to minimize their impact on the environment.

The energy project supports the company's rapid growth as a provider of large and small batch, handcrafted pet treats.

"Switching to a solar energy source is not only substantial for our business, but for our environment as well," said Pedigree Ovens and The Pound Bakery owner, Kurt Stricker. "Installing these panels is another step in our progress to make our operations more sustainable."

The original plan called for installing panels on the roof, but was revised in consideration of future expansion. The panel array now sits on approximately 4.5 acres.