Vermont Hard Cider Company now will get 10 to 15 percent of its energy needs from solar.

The company, best known for its Woodchuck Hard Cider brand, has been progressively making energy conservation improvements and buying power from renewable sources.

The Company buys 25 percent of its electricity through Vermont’s Cow Power program, which converts manure into electricity. Combining that and the new solar array, the hard cider manufacturer will get about 45 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. The company’s recent solar acquisition includes 26 pole-mounted dual axis AllSun Trackers.

AllSun is the primary product from AllEarth Renewables, a Vermont company that has been rapidly expanding outside of the state and which has recently announced several commercial projects like this one at Vermont Hard Cider.

The company also announced this week that its solar trackers has enabled Berkshire East in Massachusetts to become the first ski resort in the world to get all of its power from onsite renewables. “We’re excited to be working with Vermont Hard Cider Company on this project,” said David Blittersdorf, CEO of AllEarth Renewables.

He said the company is clearly committed to making financially and environmentally sound decisions.

Vermont Hard Cider’s new solar orchard will generate about 210,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, according to a release from AllEarth.

The hard cider manufacturer said that while conservation is important, supporting local businesses like AllEarth in the process is equally essential to real sustainability.

“Sustainability efforts like this are at the core of our mission,” said Bret Williams, CEO of Vermont Hard Cider. “To be able to tap into local renewable energy is good for our business, the local economy and the planet.”