President Bill Perry has sent out an invitation to the community to discuss the upcoming Center for Clean Energy Research and Education, or CENCERE.

There will be two different meetings, one on Wednesday, June 6 and another on Wednesday, June 13, at 6 p.m. in Rotary Room A of the Charleston Public Library.

Ryan Siegel, campus energy and sustainability coordinator, said that CENCERE will be the academic arm of the Renewable Energy Center and is estimated to cost $1 million.

“That was something we identified early on, is that we’re going to be kind of a first-in-the-nation type of center with the Renewable Energy Center,” he said.

Siegel said there is potential for research into growth, development, use and marketing of fuels.

“While every material may, in theory, gasify, there could be potential downsides, and that is what they will be researching,” Siegel said.

He said gasification is a two step process. In the first step, material is burned in an oxygen-depleted environment to separate the material into gases of mainly hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In the second step, the gas is burned.

“Rather than trying to burn it, you are trying to accelerate natural decomposition,” he said.

Siegel said that after making the decision to replace the old coal-fired steam plant with a bio-mass plant, it was quickly realized that bio-mass has not yet been well developed and there is a great opportunity for research.

President Bill Perry said CENCERE is a group of faculty with a dedication to alternative clean energies.

“This is an area that is not only connected to science, it’s connected to public policy; it’s connected to sociology; it’s connected to education,” he said. “So, you can see how individuals from around the campus can contribute to our understanding of all the issues around it.”

Perry said the idea for CENCERE has been building over time with getting legislation passed to fund the Renewable Energy Center and having faculty and staff that are in tune with recycling and conserving.

“I think it was just the human will and spirit of the people at Eastern was the major factor,” Perry said.

Perry said in the past he paid close attention to the rain because it is importance for corn and soybeans, but now his concern with rain is tied with crops planted at the Renewable Energy Center.

“We planted the sticks and there was a lot of moisture in the ground and then they started sprouting up and growing pretty quickly,” he said. “Then I started thinking it has been a long time since it rained.”

Marcus Smith can be reached at 581-2812 or masmith6@eiu.edu.