OwnEnergy

We thought it would be fun to get off the beaten path for a second and cover a tech company doing stuff outside the consumer web. This morning Brooklyn's OwnEnergy announced it will develop a large wind farm to power more than 9,000 homes across Pennsylvania.

Like so many interesting tech projects in New York these days, OwnEnergy is the brainchild of a former Wall Street worker. Jacob Susman worked with Goldman Sachs for several years, helping to guide the companies investment in wind energy. 

In early 2007 (nice timing) he left with the goal of creating community based wind energy, investing his family's personal savings in the project.

OwnEnergy worked with local farmers in Pennsylvania, "“We’re the Sixth generation of Yahners to farm and live in the Patton community,” said Marty Yahner.  "When I learned that a wind farm would be developed here, I was excited by the prospect, but wanted to make sure it would work for me and my neighbors.  By taking this Community Wind development approach, OwnEnergy enabled us to get comfortable with the many aspects of the project, while getting involved in a more meaningful way and sharing in the profits.”

Ok, that's been your slice of industry diversity for the day. Wonder what Groupon has been up to lately.