What will the future of energy look like?

Video

Rhode Island's Energy Alternative: Powering The Future

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Expert Panel:
DAVE LAYMAN - moderator
TIM HORAN - president, Rhode Island National Grid
JEFF GRYBOWSKI - senior vice president Deepwater Wind
DR. EDWARD MAZZE - distinguished professor, URI
DR. ABIGAIL ANTHONY - director, Environment Northeast
DR. MARION GOLD - co-director, URI Energy Center
ROSEMARIE IVES - Block Island resident

8 Comments Posted August 14, 2012

The New Economy: Green Power at the Green Energy Summit

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Milwaukee Public Television has created a unique companion program to Beyond The Light Switch, producing a one-hour debate panel on-site at the Green Energy Summit as part of their ongoing local series 4th Street Forum. With host DENISE CALLAWAY, in collaboration with Business and Community Partnerships Coordinator, Milwaukee Public Schools and with guests, in order of appearance: BILL McKIBBEN, Environmentalist, Green Journalist, author of twenty books, including The End of Nature and Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future; NAOMI ORESKES, PhD, Professor of History and Science Studies, University of California San Diego, Co-author of Merchants of Doubt; GEORGE STONE, PhD, Co-chair, Annual Green Energy Summit, Lecturer in Earth Sciences, Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). To check out more episodes of 4th Street Forum, visit MPTV's YouTube channel here.

29 Comments Posted April 24, 2012

New York's Innovation Conversation: Beyond the Light Switch

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Upstate New York is one of many areas of the country where energy security is closely linked to economic development, politics and quality of life. Rochester, New York's PBS station (WXXI) has created a companion show to Beyond the Light Switch, produced in conjunction with their Local Journalism Center (LJC), Innovation Trail. Innovation Trail is a collaborative effort between 5 of New York's PBS stations, reporting on how innovation and technology are reshaping upstate New York's economy. Energy is a major topical focus, reporting extensively on hydrofracking, hydroelectricity, and wind energy.

12 Comments Posted April 12, 2012

Ohio's Alternative Energy Townhall from WGTE

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The Northwest Ohio region has a multitude of alternative energy stories to tell, including cutting-edge biomass fuel research being developed and tested at the University of Toledo's College of Engineering, and the activities of the many solar energy firms headquartered in the Toledo area (a legacy of Toledo's history as the nation's major glass manufacturer). In addition, Lake Erie is being considered as the site of a future wind farm to capture prevailing winds across the lower Great Lakes region. Using their BTLS grant to produce a a special episode of ther series, "WGTE Town Hall", the station has produced a uniquely interactive 60 minute Town Hall program that brings attention and open discussion to the issues of energy generation, conservation and distribution.  During the program, WGTE took live phone calls, text messages and emails from viewers. The local program was also streamed live on the web where comments were posted by online viewers, and then answered on the air....

3 Comments Posted April 12, 2012

'ENERGY Learn. Act. Save.' A WNIN Special Presentation PART 1

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Here's another expert follow up discussion to BTLS—this video comes to us from PBS affiliate and BTLS Outreach Grant partner, WNIN. Based in Evansville, Illinois, WNIN covers a tri-state area that also serves parts of Kentucky and Indiana. WNIN put together their locally-focused panel to examine the issues related to the economics and environmental impacts of our energy use.

11 Comments Posted July 08, 2011

'ENERGY Learn. Act. Save.' A WNIN Special Presentation PART 2

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Here's PART 2 of 'ENERGY Learn. Act. Save.'  Host Mizell Stewart is joined by the these experts:

Dr. Zane Mitchell, US Green Building Council
Dick Kuhn, Efficient Energy Technologies, LLC
Dan Sander, Energy Systems Group
Deron Hawkins, Energy Systems Group
Ron Steinhart, Hafer Associates
Robbie Sears, Director of Conservation for VECTREN

Watch the video here and then be sure to check out the special's Facebook page to let them know what you think. Click here to visit WNIN's website and to find more information on re-broadcasts of ENERGY: Learn. Act. Save.

WNIN aired the one hour special call-in program on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 7pm CDT.

58 Comments Posted July 08, 2011

Seattle's 'KCTS 9 Connects' Presents: Transition of Power

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Here's another regionally focused follow-up discussion to the Beyond the Light Switch documentary—this one coming to us from Seattle's PBS station, KCTS 9. For their BTLS Grant panel discussion, an episode of weekly news and information show KCTS 9 Connects was devoted to the topic of energy use. KCTS 9 Connects is hosted by Enrique Cerna, an award-winning producer/reporter and Executive Director of Production for KCTS.

The video explores an important energy issue for the Pacific Northwest and for the nation as a whole—raising the question "what does it really take to move away from coal-fired power plants?" The discussion was sparked because an agreement has finally been reached to move Washington state off of coal-fired power generation...

1 Comments Posted June 27, 2011

A Florida Matters Special: Beyond the Light Switch

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Check out the second of our Beyond the Light Switch expert panel follow-up discussions to the documentary. Featured here is the Florida Matters special edition of BTLS. Many thanks to our grant partners at WUSF TV, the PBS affiliate serving Southern Florida.

In the video, Florida energy experts discuss the future of energy from a Floridian's perspective, answering questions like: What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy, coal, natural gas or solar power? And what happens if we simply do nothing to plan for our energy future?

2 Comments Posted May 19, 2011

BTLS Expert Panel Debate - Detroit (1/5)

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Check out the first round of Beyond the Light Switch's expert panelist follow-up series: This discussion, moderated by host David Biello, is the first in a series of round-tables currently being produced by specially-selected PBS stations throughout the U.S. These debates will bring together regional energy experts and key industry players in order to examine the pressing issues currently surrounding our energy economy. The purpose of each panel is to further explore the themes introduced in Beyond the Light Switch—the way we generate and use electricity—from a state-specific perspective.
 

 

26 Comments Posted April 07, 2011

BTLS Expert Panel Debate - Detroit (2/5)

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Part 2: Director of Michigan's Sierra Club, Anne Woiwode, answers David's nuclear question by stressing the importance of aggressively building up renewable energy in the state. Dr. Dennis Assanis also outlines the energy policy recommendations he made while serving on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. To see the Council's recommendations and to download the full report, click here.

2 Comments Posted April 07, 2011

BTLS Expert Panel Debate - Detroit (3/5)

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Part 3: David Biello brings up the feasibility of 'clean coal'; the panel debates the meaning of the term and turns their attention to Anthony Earley, Jr. of DTE Energy, Michigan's largest utility, who describes his experiences with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. Cost, policy structure, and Renewable Portfolio Standards are also discussed.

1 Comments Posted April 07, 2011

BTLS Expert Panel Debate - Detroit (4/5)

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Part 4: The panel debates the environmental impacts of natural gas—including concerns about the regulation of wildcat drillers and fracking for gas in Michigan. Dr. Soji Adelaja emphasizes the importance of public awareness and education when it comes to evolving our current policy structure. The global impact of our energy policy is also put into perspective by Dr. Assanis, and David asks each panelist to share their ideal energy mix.

Michigan-based Expert Panel:
Anthony Earley, Jr. Executive Director, DTE Energy Foundation
Anne Woiwode, Director, Sierra Club - Michigan Chapter

2 Comments Posted April 07, 2011

BTLS Expert Panel Debate - Detroit (5/5)

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Part 5: As a Board Member at Ford Motor Company, Anthony Earley, Jr. feels compelled to bring a discussion of Electric Vehicles into the mix (given this particular panel's locale). The need for better battery technology is also discussed, as well as the potential impact of plug-in hybrids on the existing electrical grid.  

Michigan-based Expert Panel:
Anthony Earley, Jr. Executive Director, DTE Energy Foundation
Anne Woiwode, Director, Sierra Club - Michigan Chapter
Dr. Dennis Assanis, Director, Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute - University of Michigan

0 Comments Posted April 07, 2011

This content is produced by WTVS Detroit Public Television for public television stations nationwide.