Northampton Community College received a $100,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to serve agricultural producers and rural small businesses throughout Pennsylvania by providing on-site renewable energy assessments through the Emerging Technology Applications Center at the college.

The ETAC team at NCC will travel across Pennsylvania aiming to provide at least 26 businesses with economic and technical assessments unique to their operations, facilities, and equipment.

The goal is to help businesses reduce their costs and carbon footprint. In some cases, especially with big farm landowners, there is an opportunity to generate so much 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. As an example, a biodigester works by taking natural material, such as manure, breaking that down to give off methane gas, which in turn, can be used to generate electric energy.

For more information on ETAC and our grant programs visit northampton.edu/etac.