The Energy Research Centre (ERC) was established on March 2, 1999 thanks to the backing of the VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava and the subsidy of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic on the project “Energy Resource Utilization” within the programme “Strengthening HEI's Research Potential”. The new institution drew on long-term experience of the Department of Energy Engineering.

Since January 2002 the Energy Research Centre has become an independent HE institute in accordance with the Higher Education Act no. 111/1998 Coll. Since January 2021 ERC has become part of Energy and environmental technology centre.

The ERC activities are highly varied, covering a wide range of various fields. The most important ones include above all research and development and cooperation with industrial partners.