Northampton Community College (NCC) will use a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help businesses reduce costs and their carbon footprint.
NCC said it will use the grant to serve agricultural producers and rural small businesses throughout Pennsylvania by providing on-site renewable energy assessments through its Emerging Technology Applications Center (ETAC).
The ETAC team at NCC will travel across Pennsylvania to provide at least 26 businesses with economic and technical assessments unique to their operations, facilities, and equipment, NCC said.
Dr. John Barkanic, ETAC consultant at NCC, said, “We can help businesses by offering expertise and knowledge on how they can implement an alternative energy source should they so choose,” noting that some businesses may simply want to make energy efficiency upgrades, which the grant funding may cover, such as HVAC, insulation, lighting, and replacing inefficient electrical equipment.
NCC said there is an opportunity, especially with big farm landowners, to generate enough energy they can sell it back to the power grid. Businesses will be provided with a report describing how renewable energy conversion can result in lower operating costs and improved sustainability.
Alternative energy sources can come from geothermal, solar photovoltaics, thermal solar, wind turbines, biodigesters and more, with solar being the most popular option.
Source: lvb.com
Photo Credit: Northampton Community College
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business