UIC Energy Resources Center

What UIC Energy Resources Center does

UIC Energy Resources Center (ERC) is a non-profit, university-based research and technical assistance center established in 1973 and hosted at the University of Illinois Chicago. It operates as a multidisciplinary applied research organization with approximately 37 staff, combining engineering, building science, policy, GIS, and program management disciplines to deliver energy efficiency, decarbonization, sustainable transportation, pollution prevention, and workforce development services. The center maintains long-standing partnerships with Illinois state agencies (DCEO, CMS, EPA Region 5), major utilities (ComEd, Ameren, Nicor Gas), and federal partners including the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. EPA.

The center's core products and technical capabilities include no-cost and fee-based technical assistance and feasibility studies for utilities and state agencies, full program implementation (e.g., the ComEd Income Qualified Energy Kits program, which has distributed over 176,000 kits since 2016), training and certification programs (Building Operator Certification, STEM Scholars), and applied research publications. Proprietary tools include the iBEAM (Illinois Benchmarking and Energy Analysis Model) building energy modeling platform, GIS-based analytical systems, and a utility benchmarking database extending back to 1998. The center hosts the DOE Midwest Technical Assistance Partnership and, as of 2024, the expanded DOE Central Technical Assistance Partnership and DOE Central Onsite Energy TAP, plus a new EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) Program.

ERC's business model is non-profit and grant-funded, with revenue derived from federal research grants (DOE, EPA), state agency contracts, utility program implementation agreements, and foundation funding. Under Director Cliff Haefke, the center has secured more than $40 million in cumulative research funding. Many technical assistance services are offered at no cost to qualifying utilities, nonprofits, and government agencies, with the center recovering costs through grants and program contracts. Customer segments span utilities, industrial facilities, healthcare, higher education, and government clients across a multi-state Midwest and Central U.S. footprint.

Name

UIC Energy Resources Center

Legal name

Energy Resources Center, University of Illinois Chicago

Website

https://erc.uic.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UIC Energy Resources Center is a University of Illinois Chicago non-profit research center providing technical assistance, program implementation, and training on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and pollution prevention to utilities, government agencies, and industrial clients across multiple U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Research and Technical Assistance Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Electric Power Generation (22111), Utilities (22)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electric Services (4911), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Finance Strategy (CapEx planning, green finance, incentives & grants) (EUABAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Siting, Resource Assessment & Environmental Tech R&D (Remote Sensing, Wake Modeling, Wildlife Mitigation) (EUAMAOAJ), Renewable Energy Infrastructure (FSAAAKAG), Renewable Energy & Clean Tech Access (Off-grid, Energy Poverty Solutions) (BPAGALAE), Utilities & Energy Management (Meters, Boilers, Chillers) (EDALALAH)

Keywords

• Energy technical assistance
• Combined heat and power
• Industrial energy efficiency
• Bioenergy research
• Utility data analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government and DOE Grants: ERC receives federal funding through U.S. Department of Energy programs including the CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships (Midwest and Central TAP), Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), and EPA grants such as the TEACH AD program. Director Cliff Haefke has overseen the securement of over $40M in new energy and environmental related research funding.
2. Utility Program Implementation: ERC functions as implementer for CHP offerings within Energy Efficiency portfolios of regional utilities, managing a network of service providers for utility customers in Illinois.
3. Utility Data Analytics Services: ERC provides bill verification, management, and history services for de-regulated accounts to Illinois state agencies including CMS, working closely with the Illinois Central Management Services Agency.
4. Technical Assistance and Consulting: ERC provides technical assistance, education outreach, and program implementation to institutional, industrial, residential, and commercial sectors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The UIC Energy Resources Center is a university-based research and technical assistance center providing no-cost feasibility studies, technical assistance, consulting, and program implementation across combined heat and power, energy efficiency, bioenergy, clean transportation, sustainable landscapes, and utility data analytics. It serves as the home of the US DOE Midwest and Central Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnerships serving a 12-state region, delivering engineering, economic, and policy analysis to public agencies, utilities, industrial facilities, and institutional clients.

Product overview

The UIC Energy Resources Center is a university-based interdisciplinary research and technical assistance organization offering multiple programs and services focused on energy sustainability. The portfolio includes Bioenergy Research (using GREET and CCLUB models), Distributed Generation & Renewables (CHP, WHP, District Energy), Energy Efficiency Programs (K-12 Schools, Public Housing, Wastewater, IAC), Utility Data Analytics, Sustainable Landscapes (pollinator conservation), Clean Transportation (biofuels and EV research), STEM Scholars workforce development, Income Qualified Energy Kits community outreach, and TEACH AD technical assistance. These programs operate independently while sharing the ERC's engineering expertise and university research capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bioenergy Research Resource assessments for renewable energy and biofuels processes, combustion emissions modeling, and climate and wildlife habitat impact analyses using Argonne National Laboratory's GREET and CCLUB models. Targeted at federal agencies, sustainability certification bodies, and policy researchers.
• Distributed Generation and Renewables (CHP TAP) Technical assistance for combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat to power (WHP), and district energy technologies across the 12-state Midwest region. Serves industrial facilities, institutions, utilities, and state agencies.
• Energy Efficiency Programs Provides consultations, audits, and evaluations for public and private sector institutions, including K-12 schools, public housing, wastewater treatment, Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), and combined heat and power.
• Utility Data Analytics Bill verification, management, and history for de-regulated utility accounts. Includes a custom web application that pulls energy data from 10,000 accounts across 5,000 sites for the State of Illinois, applying pricing elements to simulate supplier bills and highlight discrepancies.
• Sustainable Landscapes Coordinates monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation efforts across the U.S. and Canada, including the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group and Illinois Monarch Project. Maintains a national geospatial database for pollinator habitat.
• Clean Transportation Focused on financial and life-cycle emissions analyses of next-generation fuels, including ethanol-blended gasoline, diesel substitution with biofuels, and vehicle-to-grid technologies. Serves federal agencies, ISCC, and policy researchers.
• Income Qualified Energy Kits (IE Kits) Distributes energy efficiency kits (LED bulbs, advanced power strips, showerheads, aerators, and educational materials) to income-eligible residents in the ComEd service area. Over 176,000 kits distributed since 2016.
• TEACH AD Program Technical Education and Analysis for Community Hauling and Anaerobic Digesters - helps communities divert food waste from landfills through anaerobic digestion and renewable biogas technologies, funded by US EPA grant.
• STEM Scholars Program After-school program and paid summer internship targeting Chicago's marginalized, underrepresented high school students for STEM education and energy efficiency training.
• CHP Services and Biogas/Biomass Grant Program Management Provides technical assistance for CHP systems including feasibility studies, education and outreach, and management of the State of Illinois' Biogas/Biomass to Energy grant program for DCEO.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participating industrial facilities reduced hazardous material use by 5,000 lb/year, air/water pollution by 2,000 lb/year, water consumption by 1,700,000 gallons/year, electricity by 2,800,000 kWh/year, natural gas by 200,000 therms/year, achieving $860,000 annual operating cost savings and 31,000 metric tons CO2e/year GHG reduction
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC serves as the Home of the US DOE Midwest and Central Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAP), providing market opportunity analysis, education, outreach, and technical assistance on CHP, Waste Heat-to-Power, and District Energy across the 12-state Midwest region and Central region. ERC also hosts the US DOE Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) for the Midwest region.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC partners with the EPA on the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program providing technical assistance to industrial facilities, and the TEACH AD program (Technical Education and Analysis for Community Hauling and Anaerobic Digesters) awarded through EPA grant funding.
• ComEd Energy Efficiency ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComEd sponsors ERC's Income-Qualified Energy Kits program, which distributes LED bulbs, advanced power strips, showerheads, aerators and educational materials to income-eligible residents. ERC has distributed over 176,000 kits since 2016.
• Nicor GascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNicor Gas partners with ERC on energy efficiency programs including combined heat and power feasibility studies for customers in their service territory.
• Midwest Cogeneration Association (MCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC Director Cliff Haefke serves as President of the MCA. ERC collaborates with MCA on advancing understanding of carbon-reducing potential of combined heat and power systems and hosts joint webinars with CHP TAP and IAC programs.
• Illinois Central Management Services Agency (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC works closely with Illinois CMS to lower state utility costs, providing extensive bill history data (some dating back to 1998) and utility data analytics to assist with rate management and energy usage trend tracking.
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC manages the State of Illinois' Biogas/Biomass to Energy grant program for DCEO, and provides technical assistance for Illinois CHP Pilot Program Development for Public Sector Facilities through Illinois Energy Now Program.
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC collaborates with MEEA on energy efficiency initiatives, conferences, and industry recognition programs across the Midwest region.
• AECOMsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAECOM partners with ERC on the geothermal pilot program in Illinois, working alongside the Geothermal Association of Illinois to promote ground source heat pump technology.
• Geothermal Association of IllinoissecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ERC and AECOM to promote increased adoption of ground source heat pump systems in the commercial and industrial market sector in Illinois.
• Elevate EnergysecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerERC partners with Elevate Energy on the Income Eligible Multifamily Savings (IEMS) and Public Housing Energy Savings (PHES) programs, providing engineering assessments and energy efficiency products for low-income housing.
• Midwest CHP TAP PartnerssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPartnership network including DOE CHP, International Association of District Energy (IDEA), Heat is Power Association (HiP), Industrial Efficiency Alliance (IEA), and Midwest Cogeneration Association supporting CHP technology adoption.
• National Fish & Wildlife FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ERC on conservation and habitat programs, including pollinator habitat initiatives on energy and transportation lands.
• Illinois Monarch Project / Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC serves as state coordinator for the Illinois Monarch Project and facilitates the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group, engaging energy companies, transportation agencies, farmers, conservationists, and other stakeholders in monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation across the U.S. and Canada.
• NASAsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationNASA collaborates with ERC on remote sensing and land use change analysis for biofuels production assessment.
• Argonne National LaboratorycoreTechnology or IntegrationERC collaborates with Argonne National Laboratory on the GREET model (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation) and the CCLUB (Carbon Calculator for Land Use Change from Biofuels Production) model, as well as the Pollinator Habitat Aligned with Solar Energy (PHASE) project.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationERC collaborates with NREL on the Pollinator Habitat Aligned with Solar Energy (PHASE) project, researching impacts of co-locating pollinator vegetation at solar facilities.
• International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Steffen Mueller serves on the ISCC Board since 2013, contributing to sustainable energy supply chain certification standards globally.
• SEDAC (Smart Energy Efficiency Illinois)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ERC on energy efficiency initiatives within Illinois.
• Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner supporting conservation and sustainability initiatives related to ERC's landscape and pollinator programs.
• Illinois Department of Natural ResourcessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ERC on conservation and habitat programs including pollinator and monarch butterfly conservation efforts in Illinois.
• DOE Central Onsite Energy TAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC serves as Assistance Director of UIC's US DOE Central Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership, extending CHP and distributed energy technical assistance to facilities beyond the Midwest region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brookhaven National Laboratory: Hosts the US DOE Northeast CHP TAP, directly mirroring ERC's role as host of the Midwest and Central Onsite Energy TAPs. Both provide federally funded technical assistance on CHP, waste heat to power, and district energy across multi-state regions with similar staffing and program designs.
• CLEAResult: Large-scale for-profit implementer of utility energy efficiency and demand-side management programs. Differs in commercial structure but competes for the same utility program implementation work and serves overlapping utility and institutional clients as ERC.
• Energy Solutions: Non-profit energy efficiency program implementer delivering utility, state, and federal energy programs across multiple US regions. Comparable mission and program portfolio to ERC's utility-side energy efficiency and clean transportation work.
• NC State University (NC Clean Energy Technology Center): Hosts the US DOE Southeast CHP TAP and delivers renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation technical assistance across the Southeast. Mirrors ERC's combination of federally designated TAP work plus utility program implementation and policy research.
• Oregon State University Industrial Assessment Center: One of the DOE-sponsored Industrial Assessment Centers that, like UIC-ERC's IAC, provides no-cost energy and waste assessments to small and medium manufacturers. Operates with a similar university-based engineering staffing model and federal funding pipeline.
• University of Texas at Arlington: Hosts the US DOE South Central CHP TAP, providing CHP and distributed generation technical assistance across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico under the same DOE program structure that ERC operates in the Midwest.
• Washington State University Energy Program: Hosts the US DOE Northwest CHP TAP and conducts utility energy efficiency program implementation in the Pacific Northwest. Operates a comparable university-based technical assistance and program delivery model serving utilities, industrial facilities, and public sector clients.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): DOE national laboratory conducting applied energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation research with which ERC already partners on PHASE and bioenergy projects. Operates at materially larger scale and broader scope.
• MIT Energy Initiative: Large, well-resourced university energy research organization spanning technology, policy, and industrial decarbonization. Comparable to ERC's interdisciplinary research posture but with substantially larger funding base, faculty headcount, and international brand.
• University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems: University-based research center producing widely cited energy and environmental systems analysis, similar in academic standing to ERC but more research-and-publication oriented and without the direct utility program implementation footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/energyresourcescenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UIC Energy Resources Center