Watt's Up, Wisconsin?

Every time we flip a switch, it's connected to an energy bill. But, the impact of that energy bill isn't the same for everyone. For many Americans, they experience unaffordable energy bills and undue energy burden–spending a greater portion of their income on energy bills than the average household. In this episode, we look at energy justice and ways we can make energy equitable for all. We spoke to Jaime Garibay-Rodriguez about his research into carbon lock-in and the barriers to adopting cleaner, and cheaper, energy technologies. Then, we turn to Slipstream, a Madison-based organization working to accelerate clean energy adoption with an equity lens.

Solar energy is made during the day, but energy demand is highest when the sun sets. In order for intermittent energy sources, like wind and solar, to help in these peak periods, we need a way to store energy. In this episode, we look at energy storage, understanding how we will store energy for a renewable energy future and what ducks have to do with it. We speak to battery researcher Eric Kazayk about how battery storage fits into this picture, from grid scale storage to electric vehicles.

We have talked about the basics of bioenergy and how we access energy from plants, but how does this fit into our lives? In the last episode of our series on bioenergy, we focus on how exactly biofuels fit into our lives, and ways they have already made an impact. We spoke to researcher Tyler Lark about the big picture of biofuels in the United States, from past and future policy to its effects on the ecosystem. 

So many parts of our daily lives could be made more sustainable with bioproducts and bioenergy. Fuels and products made from plants. How do we make these sustainable alternatives? With the help of some friendly microbes, like yeasts and bacteria. In part two of a three part series on bioenergy, we focus on how we extract energy from plants for bioproducts. In part one, we followed the energy from the sun to a plant. Now, we are accessing that energy in the conversion step. We spoke to bioenergy researcher Ben Hall on how yeasts and bacteria are used to eat up plants and produce fuel. In part two of a three part series on bioenergy, we focus on how we extract energy from plants for bioenergy. In part one, Bioenergy: Planting Photons, we followed the energy from the sun to a plant, the first step in the bioenergy-making process. Now, we'll take a deep dive into the conversion step, accessing that plant's stored energy. We spoke to bioenergy researcher Ben Hall on how yeasts and bacteria are used to eat up plants and produce fuels for our energy future.

Bioenergy utilizes energy from plants to create fuels. But, how exactly do plants get so much energy? In part one of a three part series, Bioenergy Basics, we focus on how plants store energy, what crops are best for bioenergy, and how researchers are working to make these plants better. Bioenergy researcher Cullen Vens takes us on a photon's journey, following the energy from the sun to a plant.

Buildings are unavoidable. We all use them. We turn on the lights, heat and cool our homes, run refrigerators, charge our devices. But buildings use a lot of energy. In this episode of Watt's Up, Wisconsin, we break down why buildings consume so much energy and ways we can make buildings more efficient. We speak to UW–Madison's Joy Altwies about what makes a building efficient and ways we can make buildings more sustainable, both for the environment and for the people that occupy it. Then, we talk to the founding director of UW–Madison's School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences (CDIS), Tom Erickson, about the new CDIS building on the university's campus, which is striving to be the most sustainable building on campus.

When extreme weather hits, energy grids can suffer, with power outages displacing communities from essential services. However, microgrids can be a solution. In this episode of Watt's Up, Wisconsin, we break down what exactly microgrids are, and how they create community resilience in the wake of extreme weather. We talk to Henry Hundt, UW–Madison graduate and sustainability lead at Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, about how microgrids play a role in our net-zero energy future. Then, we turn towards Bayfield County and talk to William (Bill) Bailey of Cheq Bay Renewables and Mark Abeles-Allison, Bayfield County Administrator, to see how a microgrid provided their community resilience.

Solar and agriculture have one thing in common: they both need sunlight. Oftentimes, this puts them on opposing sides, competing for land space. However, what if solar and agriculture could live together?  In this episode of Watt’s Up, Wisconsin?, we explore the field of agriculture and photovoltaics, known as agrivoltaics and the possibilities in WI. We speak to UW-Madison’s Henry Hundt and Josh Arnold about the future of agrivoltaic research in Wisconsin. Do you have a question about energy in Wisconsin? Ask the Wisconsin Energy Institute at communications@energy.wisc.edu or tweet us and tag #WattsUpWI. Guests:  Henry Hundt, University of Wisconsin-Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs and Energy, Analysis, and Policy Certificate Program graduate and Sustainability Lead at Hoffman Planning, Design & ConstructionJosh Arnold, UW-Madison’s Office of Sustainability Campus Energy Advisor This episode was produced by Britta Wellenstein and Michelle Chung. Theme music by Eden Comer.

The energy landscape is a web of interconnected systems, but that landscape is changing. New technologies are raising big questions on where we get and how we use energy. It can be difficult to understand what these technologies are, let alone how they impact you. This show tackles these big questions in energy in Wisconsin.