Eastern’s Renewable Energy Center will be having its public grand opening on Friday.

The construction of the energy center began on Nov. 20, 2009, at a ground-breaking ceremony that would result in the ending of Eastern’s 82-year reliance on the old coal-fueled steam plant in 2010.

University Treasurer Paul McCann has been a firm supporter of the project, and said he was excited to see the end result.

People should come out and see what the future of energy is, McCann said.

Honeywell International, Inc. built the energy center for a total project cost of $78 million, and the initial estimated $56 million for construction was correct, McCann said.

McCann said Eastern funded the multi-million dollar project with 2009 bond sales, also known as certificates of participation, which would be repaid over 27 years.

Ryan Siegel, the campus energy and sustainability coordinator, said Eastern had planned to build a renewable energy center since the mid-90s after the weakening of the steam plant.

Instead of coal, the center’s fuel source will be the more expensive, but ultimately more eco-friendly, source of wood chips.

The wood chips will be provided by the Foster Brothers Wood Products at $42.08 per ton, on a contract until June 30, 2015 costing about $5 million, according to the Feb. 11 edition of the The Daily Eastern News.

The wood chips purchased are a waste product from the logging, lumber and furniture industries, but Eastern would like to decrease the carbon emissions produced, Siegel said.

The energy efficiency of boilers is what will save the university money, McCann said.

“This is definitely a leap forward for the university not only to do co-generation, but also to leave coal behind and move into a new era,” Siegel said.

Janice Hunt, an Eastern spokeswoman, said Eastern is glad to have something to show for its work and growing interest in utilizing environmentally responsible energy.

“For years Eastern has been forward thinking in environmental issues-this is just another way of taking that even further,” Hunt said.

The energy center is one of the largest biomasses of its kind at a university as well as the country, Hunt said.

Eastern is the first known university to have its renewable energy quantity at 100 percent, Siegel said.

Middlebury College in Vermont has one gasifier, which can only sustain a portion of its campus demands, Siegel said.

A gasifier is where fuel is burned in a low oxygen environment which results in the creation, then burning off the natural gas the gasifier creates.

“It’s really exciting for us to once again be an environmental leader,” she said.

The difference between the steam plant and energy center will not be visible, Siegel said.

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“Students will likely not see any difference because we will be continuing to provide the heating service the way we always have been-the improvement will be more for the environment,” Siegel said.

The only noticeable difference is the reduced noise, Siegel said.

According to Eastern’s Master Plan, the old steam plant will be repurposed for an undetermined date.

Eastern also has 22 other projects that it is working on like replacing the buildings lightbulbs to high efficiency lightbulbs.

Hunt said she is excited for the educational results the Eastern community will receive from the Center for Clean Energy Research and Education.

“Our students and our faculty are going to get this opportunity to study this technology hands on,” Hunt said. “That is going to be a great addition.”

Peter Ping Liu, a technology professor and Robert Chesnut, the director of research and sponsored programs, were the developers for the CCERE plan.

“CCERE is geared towards research, development and education with the university,” Siegel said.

Siegel said this type of energy is the next step and he is pleased that students will be able to possibly become passionate in the environment.

“The growing market is the sustainable energy and as companies become more and more aware as well as home-owners (then) they will move towards a more carbon-friendly atmosphere,” Siegel said.

The Renewable Energy Center’s grand opening will take place at 2 p.m. at 2110 18th Street on Friday.

“The opening of the Renewable Energy Center is just the beginning for Eastern’s move into the renewable energy field,” Siegel said.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-2812 or ovogunbodede@eiu.edu.