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STITTVILLE, N.Y. -- A small business in Oneida County expects to be able to take on big time competition, thanks to the county's Microenterprise Grant Program.

CNY Pipeworx has been awarded a $15,000 grant through the program. Owners say they'll now be able to expand their traditional heating, cooling and plumbing business to include installing geothermal systems to homes.

The systems can reduce household energy costs by 50 percent or more, something customers have been demanding as fuel costs rise, but would not have been possible without the grant.

"We're an HVAC contracting company, and previously didn't offer this type of technology because of the cost of training and software and equipment that it would take to get into that kind of product offering," said David Dousharm, owner of CNY Pipeworx.

CNY Pipeworx was also able to hire a new employee to install the systems.

The grants are aimed at businesses outside of Utica and Rome that have five employees or less.