Energy Efficiency and Reliability Center
Faculty and students at the EERC conduct research for industry, businesses, communities, and individuals that optimizes energy sources and value.
Energy is the life blood of industrial and business processes as well as almost all of the activities we individually perform each day in one way or another. As the need for energy increases, we need to assure that the energy that we need for our daily lives will be available and of acceptable reliability and quality.
One of the best ways to do this is to increase the efficiency of energy use as well as developing new ways to produce and use energy. It is obvious that to meet future needs it is essential that energy be used in the most efficient and effective way especially given increased environmental concerns such as climate change. The Energy Efficiency and Reliability Center conducts research, developmental, and educational activities that increase the value, quality and reliability of both existing and new energy resources and processes.
The goals of the EERC include:
- Becoming a focal point for continued development of techniques, expertise, and products that optimize the value, quality, and reliability of energy and related processes for both existing and future uses
- Developing new energy options, including advanced Combined Heat and Power Systems, that have the potential to dramatically increase current conventional energy conversion efficiency and simultaneously leverage new energy options to support community development while improving the environment
- Advanced energy storage options either alone or integrated with renewable energy system technology
- Advanced energy control systems that increase reliability, quality, and efficiency while reducing power outages associated with generation sources, electric transmission, and distribution systems
- Biological energy production systems
- New approaches to use coal for industrial purposes that are clean and drastically reduce environmental impact
- Modern lighting system design optimization and testing of LED as well as other developing new technologies
- Development of analytic tools, devices, and process that increase energy value
- Provide education regarding improved energy sources, devices and utilization that leads to related career opportunities
- Provide a source of information about energy topics and issues that is unbiased and generally available
The EERC has received multiple patents for new energy discoveries and processes and provides new energy ideas for the community, industry, and businesses. The state-of-the-art EERC research laboratory, constructed with funding from a million dollar grant from the US Department of Energy, has a wide range of capabilities.
Energy science and engineering is a quickly expanding and exciting field that offers high salaries and job security in multiple career opportunities.