Pennsylvania is the second-largest natural gas-producing state. Thousands of miles of new pipelines have been constructed in Pennsylvania to transport Marcellus Shale natural gas including the Sunbury Pipeline, a 35-mile pipeline to bring low-cost natural gas to the 1,000-megawatt natural gas-fueled power generation facility in Shamokin Dam in Snyder County, Pennsylvania and the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline, portions of which run through Central PA counties to expand the capacity of the Transco system.

Pennsylvania is the third-largest producer of electricity in the nation and sends the most electricity to other states. Electricity is primarily generated from natural gas, nuclear and coal. Pennsylvania was one of the first states to implement deregulation of energy sources to allow consumers the ability to choose energy generation provider to suit needs and budgets. Pennsylvania has below US average commercial and industrial energy prices.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration(EIA) collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

Renewable energy in Pennsylvania is currently generated primarily through wind, hydropower, and biomass. Wind is Pennsylvania's largest renewable resource for electricity generation.

Solar Projects in Central PA

• Northumberland Solar Project- 70MW
• Penn State Solar Energy- 70MW
• Montour Solar One- 100MW
• Limestone Solar- 80MW

Biomass Projects in Central PA

• Mifflinburg Schools Heat with Renewable, Low Cost Biomass
• Penn State Biomass Energy Center
• Penn State Extension
• Penn State to Develop Bioenergy and Bioproducts Opportunities

Hydrogen

Hydrogen can be produced from diverse domestic resources with potentially near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Once produced, hydrogen generates electrical power in a fuel cell, emitting only water vapor and warm air. It holds promise for growth in both the stationary and transportation energy sectors.

Team Pennsylvania Foundation, a non-partisan, dynamic, public-private partnership that initiates and supports innovative programs to improve Pennsylvania's competitiveness and economic prosperity is leading the way with the release of a new report, Successful Deployment of Carbon Management and Hydrogen Economies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaniaand facilitation collaboration to serve as the lead applicant on hydrogen hub concept paper submitted to US DOE and the Team Pennsylvania Foundation Decarbonization Network of Appalachia(DNA) received an encouraged notice for US DOE funding.

KeyState Natural Gas Synthesis, located in Clinton County in Central Pennsylvania is Appalachia's first commercial carbon capture and storage project and represents the transition to lower emissions transportation, chemicals and manufacturing and is projected to be operational in 2026.

Penn State University Hydrogen Energy Research- Hydrogen energy research is one of several important energy-related topics at Penn State University. Many faculty, staff, and students at Penn State are working with collaborators in industry and our National Laboratories on hydrogen storage, production, and utilization. They are inventing new hydrogen technologies and contributing to the growth of a hydrogen infrastructure in Pennsylvania, the United States, and at various locations around the world. Penn State Energy 2100initiative highlights PSUs work on energy and renewable technologies.

Recent articles on low carbon hydrogen in Pennsylvania:

1. Pennsylvania's Planned Blue Hydrogen Hub Driving Mid-Atlantic Energy Transition
2. Nikola developing low-carbon hydrogen production in Pennsylvania
3. Pennsylvania @2 Billion Tax Credit Bill Includes Hydrogen Production, Milk Processing and Biomedical research industries. Attract hydrogen hub, provide $50M a year in tax breaks to company that agrees to produce hydrogen for 20 years and increase an existing methane tax credit by $30M to $56.6M annually. Includes $15M over 8 years for a milk processing project, $10M annually over 5 years for biomedical research and $10M annually over 5 years for semiconductor production.

Central Pennsylvania offers semiconductor designers and manufacturers a smart, strategic location! Access to major northeast markets, infrastructure, energy, research and innovation resources, talent and sites and buildings ready for investment projects!

Central PA Semiconductor Investment WIN

EMD Electronics, located in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania to invest $300 millionto expand their semiconductor specialty gases manufacturing facility creating 200 jobs. This facility expansion will allow the company to double the production capacity of tungsten hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride, critical components in semiconductor manufacturing.

Penn State University

Penn State main campus in State College, Pennsylvania is an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem with over 75,000 students on campus. A leader in multiply areas of research expending over $1 billion allows access to interdisciplinary, cross-cutting research and innovation, interaction with other industrial companies, and access to top talent for semiconductor growth strategies.Penn State is home to the Materials Research Institute (MRI); Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE); Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS);Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) and much more.

Semiconductor Research highlights include 3DFeM Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics; 2DCC; Center for Nanoscale Science; Department of Defense (DOD) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) on programmable systems with Non-Hermitian Quantum Dynamics; DOD MURI on the effects of radiation damage on performance of wide-bandgap electronics; and more.

The Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC)'s Joint University Microelectronics Program 2.0 (JUMP 2.0), a consortium of industrial partners in cooperation with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has announced the creation of a $32.7 million, Penn State-led Center for Heterogeneous Integration of Micro Electronic Systems (CHIMES).

Pennsylvania College of Technology

Penn College, an affiliate of Penn State University, is uniquely suited to support semiconductor design and manufacturing talent needs. Penn College students are in nearly 100 programs includingelectronics,manufacturingengineering,automationengineering,industrial design,cybersecurityandnetworking.

A $4 million MIDAS+ grant award, funded through the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Building America initiative, will launch Penn College as one of the key providers of needed training programs, starting with a semiconductor technician apprenticeship with an anticipated start date of July 2025. Employers locally, across Pennsylvania and the U.S. can enroll apprentices in the Semiconductor Technician program, or any of the other seven registered Advanced Manufacturing apprenticeshipsoffered by the College.

MIDAS+ will also expand the College's registered pre-apprenticeship programs for high school students, WIOA youth, and re-entry populations. We'll grow existing and new programs, and partner with local organizations to remediate barriers preventing individuals from successfully entering a family-sustaining wage occupation.

Pennsylvania College of Technology also has a robust Workforce Development division that provides training to incumbent workers in a variety of sectors and disciplines. The College offers leading-edge apprenticeship programs - organizing, registering and executing them for companies of all sizes, while incorporating state-of-the-art related technical instruction. Of the registered apprenticeship programs in the College's repertoire,mechatronicstechnician,industrialmanufacturing technician,robotics &automation technician,andindustrial maintenance mechanic.

Penn College is the statewide administrator for WEDnetPA, the Commonwealth's $8-$10M annual investment that helps companies train incumbent workers.

Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH)

In the Mid-Atlantic region, Penn State has many neighboring universities that also hold a lot of semiconductor expertise. They complement each other and offer unique resources, skills, and strengths. Penn State has forged relationships with these universities over the years, and the CHIPS and Science Act offers a significant opportunity to build on these connections and take the lead in forming a Mid-Atlantic version of a regional semiconductor hub.

Penn State's role in leading the revitalization of this industry as it pertains to both innovation opportunities and challenges, industry partnerships, and establishment of the Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH), which intends to fill important gaps in the “lab to fab” ecosystem.

Sensor Valley: Central PA's Sensors & Materials Cluster

Central Pennsylvania is quietly becoming one of the most innovative tech hubs in the country, thanks to decades of investment in research, industry, and entrepreneurial talent. Known today as “Sensor Valley” or “Materials Valley,” the region is home to a dense cluster of companies working in sensor technology, materials science, chromatography, spectroscopy, ultrasound, and advanced measurement systems.

"Sensor Valley" is the central PA tech ecosystem trying to stand out from Philly and Pittsburgh — here's how

Technical.ly- A six-county coalition wants to prove it has the resources and expertise to attract outside investment and boost its businesses. Read more.

What It Is

Sensor Valley is the growing hub of companies in Central Pennsylvania building the sensors, advanced materials, and test/measurement systems that power healthcare, energy, manufacturing, and research worldwide. Decades of industrial know-how, university research, and entrepreneur-led spinouts have created a uniquely dense, collaborative cluster across our region.

Vision

To be the world's most dynamic cluster for sensor innovation, where breakthroughs in materials and measurement redefine what's possible in science, industry, and daily life.

Mission

Sensor Valley connects the companies, talent, research, and infrastructure that make Central Pennsylvania a global leader in sensor-enabled technologies. Through collaboration, workforce development, and shared infrastructure, we advance innovation, create high-quality jobs, and drive transformative outcomes in test and measurement.

Why here?

• Deep roots: From early metals and glass to today's precision engineering, Central PA has long paired making with problem-solving.
• Research engine: Penn State's world-class labs and talent (MRI, ARL, Materials, Acoustics, Engineering) connect directly with industry needs.
• Entrepreneurship: Legacy firms seeded dozens of spinouts; new startups continue to form around real market demand.

What Our Companies Do

Ultrasound and acoustics; chromatography and spectroscopy; nondestructive testing; metrology and controls; sensor-grade materials; and the data/analytics that make these tools smarter. Products made here show up in hospitals, factories, labs, and field operations across the globe.

Who's Involved

Focus Central PA works alongside the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC), Ben Franklin Technology Partners, SEDA-COG, Penn State partners, and K-12/CTC and community-college programs to align business growth, workforce pipelines, and shared infrastructure.

Opportunities for Businesses

• Hire & grow: Tap internship, co-op, and CTC pipelines; connect with training aligned to industry skills.
• Collaborate: Access specialized labs/equipment and faculty expertise for prototyping and testing.