OMCO Solar announced the completion of a 1.7-MW array for Harvard, Illinois-based Pedigree Ovens. Honoring the bakery’s 25+ years producing top-of-the-line pet treats, the array was custom-built into the shape of a dog bone and paw. Spanning roughly 4.2 acres, the ground-mount solar array will produce approximately 2,044,224 kilowatt-hours of power each year – enough energy to fully cover the company’s energy needs.
In addition to powering Pedigree Ovens’ entire operations, the solar power generated will annually offset 1,456 tons of greenhouse gases.
“Since 1996, Pedigree Ovens, The Pound Bakery and Petdine have been producing top-of-the-line private label pet treats. We have a long history of contributing to the Harvard community; investing in clean energy is yet another way we demonstrate our commitment,” said Kurt Stricker, owner of Pedigree Ovens, The Pound Bakery and Petdine.
The array, originally planned for the facility’s roof, had to be re-visioned and moved to the ground to provide for Pedigree Oven’s future expansion plans. In addition, careful placement of the modules was crucial in order to maintain the dog bone and paw imagery. Indiana-based OMCO Solar created and manufactured the mounting and racking for the installation, making sure the blue, silver and black-on-black modules were aligned to ensure visual consistency. The solar system was engineered and procured by Simpleray, a solar energy company with offices in Iowa and Illinois. Althoff Industries, an Illinois-based HVAC and electrical firm, directed the construction and module placement. SMA-America contributed the inverter and HT-SAAE created the customized modules for the dog bone and paw print.
“This array is an excellent example of partnerships at work, as all of our vendor partners contributed to the successful installation of this creative and unique array. In addition to the visual aesthetics, the investment in solar saves money on energy costs and reduces the company’s carbon footprint,” said Eric Goodwin, director of business development for OMCO Solar.
“One of the most rewarding elements of working in renewables is the myriad advantages that clean energy brings. Moving to solar power benefits the employees, the business and the community at large, and ensures a resilient, sustainable, clean energy future for decades to come,” he added.
News item from OMCO Solar
One might be able to put up a few 4.8MW GE wind turbines at a hub height of 100 meters, get that solid solar PV in the summer time and help run the plant in the winter time with more solid wind generation resources. Allowing for hub height which would allow for larger prop swept areas, one might be able to put in the larger 13MW GE wind turbines.