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New solar panels at Knouse Foods Peach Glen facility

More than 19,000 solar panels have been installed to generate solar power for the Knouse Foods manufacturing facility in Peach Glen, Pennsylvania.  The grower-owned cooperative makes Musselman’s Apple Sauce and Lucky Leaf Pie Filling, using fruit harvested from more than 3.3 million trees.  Now, its harvesting its own clean solar energy with the panels that are owned and operated by the company, as well.

Knouse Foods’ solar panels will save significant amounts of CO2 from its operations.  More than 4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) will be produced by the renewable energy resource, which is enough to power about 400 homes each year.  And its not the first sustainability step the company has made.  In fact, for more than 60 years, the cooperative has been focused on maintaining a healthy environment.  Its not only good for its bottom line, but also helps the growers produce high quality fruit for Knouse Foods’ products.

In addition to solar power, the company has made a change to use lighter weight packaging to reduce fuel costs for transport, and also employs recycled materials in its packaging.  Knouse Foods also works to improve water quality and has adopted conservation measures to save 60,000 gallons per day in its operations.

Another important piece of the sustainability program is the reduction in trash by 80-90% each year.  This includes making sure that its fruit doesn’t end up in landfills where it would decompose and release methane into the air.  Instead, apple pieces are sent to cider mills for juice pressing, or are passed along to farms for cattle feed.

Knouse Foods has been presented with a number of awards for its responsible and sustainable business practices, including a Pennsylvania DEP Commercial Recycling Award, PA Governor’s Waste Minimization Award, WV DEP Environmental Stewardship Award, PA House of Representatives Citation, an Adams County (PA) Environmental Stewardship Award, and a PA Fish Commission Award.