What's New?
Recently added: "CERC hosts third Carbon Management and Energy Innovation Technical Symposium"
What Is CERC?
The California Energy Research Center (CERC) facilitates the engagement of CSU Bakersfield faculty and students in collaborative research efforts with our local energy-related industry and agencies for the benefit of the local community, the region, and the state of California. It was created in May 2014 to bring Kern County energy experts together to study the needs and opportunities of the oil, wind, solar and biofuel industries.
Our Mission
The California Energy Research Center shall have as its purpose to expand the capabilities of CSUB faculty, research scientists, post-doctoral researchers, and students to conduct research in the area of sustainable and affordable energy production and generation.
CERC achieves its mission through three primary objectives:
- Supporting and increasing energy-related student and faculty research
- Creating meaningful partnerships between CSUB, other area institutions of higher education, the energy industry and associated agencies
- Serving as a resource on energy issues for the CSUB community and for area schools, policy makers and the public.
Our work is possible thanks to partnerships like those with Chevron, California Bioenergy, and Edison International.
Energy Innovation Center
Governor Newsom's approved 2022-2023 budget includes $83 million for CSUB's Energy Innovation Center, a hub of energy research and development. The keystone of the center is the three-level Energy Innovation Building on campus that will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, teaching spaces, faculty offices and an auditorium, along with the Fab Lab, the Division of Extended Education and Global Outreach and CERC laboratories and offices.
For more on the Energy Innovation Center, see our page.
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A Message from the Interim Director
As the Interim Director of the California Energy Research Center (CERC), I am honored to be part of the impactful research and educational work that CERC has facilitated over the years. Through grants and the generous support of community partners, CERC has helped organize researchers, students, community organizations, and industry partners to form research teams that focus on water- and energy-related issues that are important to the Central Valley and beyond.
The future looks bright for CERC and its goals of expanding energy and water research capabilities of CSUB researchers, and bolstering educational and research opportunities for students. At CSU Bakersfield we have a diverse wealth of faculty expertise in water and energy-related fields, and in the future we hope to increase this pool of faculty and students conducting research on water and energy.
The new Energy Innovation Building planned for campus will house CERC offices and versatile laboratories for CERC research. These state-of-the-art facilities will broaden capabilities and boost opportunities for collaborative research and experiential learning, providing resources that will attract CSUB faculty and researchers from other academic institutions. We intend for this facility to be the center for energy education and research in the region.
I sincerely appreciate the hard work and persistence of CERC staff, researchers and students as we navigate the unchartered waters of this pandemic. Despite the unprecedented obstacles and challenges, we have continued to make progress and I invite you all to join me at the Carbon Sequestration Symposium and the next CERC Research Symposium to learn about the exciting research CERC teams of faculty, students and industry partners have been working on.
Take care and stay safe.
Tony Rathburn