At an 11 a.m. ceremony, company officials turned a switch activating the 1,092-panel canopy. In conjunction with a 182-panel system at Hershey's Technical Center, the canopy will generate nearly 320 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, Hershey said in a statement.

A portion of the canopy's capacity powers two electric vehicle charging stations for visitors' use — the first ones in Central Pennsylvania, Hershey said. Each can recharge two electric cars at a time.

Lebanon County's Energy Systems & Installation Inc. installed the arrays.

Chocolate World in Derry Township is Hershey's visitor center, with attractions and eateries that focus on Hershey's signature products.