Energy & Manufacturing in Appalachia (EMA)
This initiative provides technical assistance and business support to small and medium manufacturers and enterprises seeking to expand business, production and jobs in the energy supply chains.
Get ConnectedEnergy DIY Tools
Self-Assessment
In 15 minutes, get a report on where you should focus your energy strategies.
Get StartedIncentive Finder
There are millions of dollars in available grants and tax incentives. Identify which ones are the best fit with the largest ROI.
Get StartedHelping Manufacturers Embrace Energy
Manufacturing companies also need to walk-the-talk on the net zero pathway as they expand manufacturing in these industries, and reinvest money from saved energy in business and workers. EMA helps with these initiatives through emissions reductions assessments and implementation strategies that increase efficiency and reduce production costs.
The Appalachian region of 156 counties of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia has been central in the coal energy sector which powered American manufacturing might, and to the natural gas industry which is now a cornerstone of America’s energy independence. EMA was established to help small and medium manufacturers be a part of this Energy Economy. This program is managed by Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) organizations from five Appalachian states. The activities and intended outcomes of EMA align with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) MEP and its mission to enhance the productivity and technological performance of U.S. manufacturing.
Get ConnectedThis clean economy vision builds on the competitive assets of the region and looks to create an Appalachian Decarbonization Hub with key elements that will include:
Power Generation & Management
- Electric Grids
- Geothermal
- Hydropower
- Hydrogen Production
- Natural Gas
- Nuclear
- Solar
- Wind
Product-Related
- Batteries
- Chemicals
- Circular Plastics
- Energy Efficiency
- Grid Components
- Low-Carbon Products
Connections
Manufacturers should connect with their local MEP Point of Contact to learn more about EMA opportunities:
- PENNSYLVANIA
Catalyst Connection (southwestern part of PA MEP)
Tom Reed
treed@catalystconnection.org
(412) 918-4269 - Johnstown Area Regional Industries (JARI)
Dave Grimaldi
dgrimaldi@jari.com
(814) 262-8366 - IMC (central part of PA MEP)
Dennis Gilbert
dennisg@imcpa.com
(570) 329-3200 - MANTEC (south central part of PA MEP)
Bruce Newell
bruce@mantec.org
(717) 833-6196 - MRC (central east part of PA MEP)
Shawn Furman
Shawn.Furman@mrcpa.org
(610) 737-2529 - NEPIRC (northeastern part of PA MEP)
Drew Mackie
drew@nepirc.com
(570) 704-0035 - NWIRC (northwestern part of PA MEP)
Robert Zaruta
rzaruta@nwirc.org
(814) 217-6061 - OHIO
MAGNET(part of Ohio MEP)
Janelle M. Lee
jlee@manufacturingsuccess.org
(513) 257-5338 - WEST VIRGINIA
WVU (and WV MEP)
David Carrick
david.carrick@mail.wvu.edu
(412) 327-9119 - MARYLAND
Maryland MEP
Michael Kelleher
mkelleher@mdmep.org
(443) 343-0085 - NEW YORK
AMT (part of New York MEP)
Carol Miller
cmiller@amt-mep.org
(607) 774-0022 x316
Funding for this initiative was provided through the following grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC):
- Manufacturing the New Energy Economy in Appalachia – ARISE Grant
- Tri-State Net Zero – POWER Grant
- ShalePOWER 2.0: Supporting Appalachian Businesses to Diversify into the Shale-Manufacturing Sectors
This initiative is targeted to the following 156 counties across five states in Appalachia:
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- Maryland – Allegheny, Garrett, and Washington
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- New York – Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins
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- Pennsylvania – Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming
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- Ohio – Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washingtons
- West Virginia
- – Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood, Wyoming
Resources
Assessments are available to allow manufacturers to identify the best strategies to achieve their unique goals. Start with this self-assessment to get an idea of the awareness and opportunities in energy. This can lead to a site assessment or other engagement tailored to company needs.
Self-Assessment – Energy Manufacturing Economy
Assess one of manufacturing’s largest expenses – electricity. Enter the electric bill information and receive information about ways to lower costs and apply for funding for efficiency projects. Click this link to open the Bill Analyzer tools.
There are several assessments and tools available to help a company obtain information and analysis about their current energy usage. Here are some programs to look at:
Energy Supply Chain Products and Markets offers numerous resources to help companies learn about the energy industry and identify strategies and opportunities to work in the supply chain. Engagement professionals are available to share information about the regional players in energy segments. They can also offer a one-on-one look at how a company might be most successfully involved in the energy supply chain, including recommendations for next steps on that journey.
Energy Consumption Strategies help manufacturing companies to proceed with efficient energy practices and practical cost reduction strategies. The first step is to identify the team of employees to support cost-reduction strategies. Second, establish a baseline understanding of current energy usage. Third is to identify opportunities to make changes. Fourth is to look at the driving forces for making a change – such as 1) save money with energy efficiency, 2) satisfy requirements by current or potential customers, 3) comply with regulatory standards, 4) be a good community partner. This will lead to establishing goals and actions for improvement and a way to measure progress. The EMA program developed the Energy Consumption Toolkit eBook to walk companies through this process. Download it to start your journey or to enhance your current strategies.
Download The Greener Factory Toolkit
In addition to the Energy Consumption Toolkit, these resources can provide insight and resources for manufacturing companies:
The EMA program has contracted with Subcity to offer the Incentive Finder service at no cost (a $1,000 value). Eligible manufacturing companies will receive a personalized report from Subcity that identifies the grants and tax incentives that have the biggest ROI and greatest likelihood of success. Subcity can also assist the company to apply for the incentives for an additional fee.
EMA offers mini-grants of up to $10,000 to support manufacturers who engage in a technical assistance project that will assist them to: 1) engage with the energy supply chain and/or 2) implement energy cost-reduction strategies. These are reimbursement grants awarded after the project is completed to help offset some of the investment cost by the company.
Energy Manufacturing Mini-grant Guidelines
There are additional grant and tax incentive opportunities that a company may qualify depending on various factors (location, industry, business size, ownership type, etc.) Here are some programs to look at:
Events
Webinar: Sustainability Simplified - Two Part Series
March 6, 2025 | Virtual
This two-part series the experts at Engage Energy & Industrial Consulting will teach the basics about how to navigate the world of sustainability.
Part 1 – March 6: What Sustainability Means in 2025. This session will focus on clear and simple definitions of key sustainability terms and discuss the social and market forces driving sustainability & ESG.
Part 2 – March 20: Market Drives & Economics. This session will dive deeper into topics such as:
- How does the changing regulatory landscape impact your business.
- ESG reporting and disclosure frameworks.
- Telling your unique story – articulating your contributions.
These sessions will be led by Don Racey, CEO of Engage Energy & Industrial Consulting. Don leads his team in improving financial and operational performance through innovative Business Transformation, Asset Lifecycle Management, and ESG strategies and programs. Participants will walk away not only with a better understanding of sustainability, but some action steps how to incorporate it into their business operations.
Energy Grant Workshop
March 7, 2025 | First Federal Community Bank Financial Education & Operations Center, 141 W Ohio Ave, Dover, OH 44622
Manufacturers in the Appalachian Counties are invited to join us for the FREE Energy Grant Workshop, where we’ll provide the tools, insights, and connections to help you navigate the path to securing funding for your next innovative project. RSVP by March 2, 2025
Videos: Unlocking Sustainable Solutions
Explore the transformative landscape of Clean Energy Manufacturing through our on-demand video series, delving into expert insights and practical knowledge to empower sustainable practices in your operations.
Get Connected
Connecting with Energy & Manufacturing
The Energy & Manufacturing in Appalachia initiative supports small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) in eligible counties to expand business, production, and jobs in energy supply chains and reduce costs through factory efficiencies.