Bioenergy Basics: the Conversion Conundrum

Shining a Light on Energy Justice

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.

Battery Storage: Combatting the Duck

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.

Bioenergy Basics: The Big Picture

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.

Bioenergy Basics: the Conversion Conundrum

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 Basics: Planting Photons

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.