Information for Communities

Many alternative energy development projects require community approval or engagement to be successful.

Penn State Extension community development specialists and educators work to help communities understand the potential impact of alternative energy projects on the economic, environmental and social well being of the community. These impacts can be both positive and negative and their may be conflicts between national, state and local policy priorities.

Extension can help communities resolve these conflicts and achieve solutions that best meet the needs of the community.

Alternative Energy Project Development Engagement

Helping communities and alternative energy project developers, understand the issues, both positive and negative, associated with potential alternative energy development is an essential part of the Penn State Extension mission.

• In conjunction with our existing Community Development Program, Extension educators work to assist communities and project developers to learn to engage each other effectively and to understand the potential impact of alternative energy projects.
  
• Increasingly, government incentives, such as state and federal subsidies, and credits such as Carbon Credits or Nutrient Credits can play a large role in project financing and development.
  
• Using effective community engagement strategies, it should be possible to develop alternative energy systems that provide benefits such as jobs and economic activity to our communities while producing clean and renewable energy and in some cases, addressing existing environmental issues.