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Energy Switch

Energy and climate are intertwined, two of the most important topics in the world today. Yet viewers know very little about them. This show aims to change that. 'Energy Switch' brings together two renowned experts from government, NGOs, academia and industry, with differing perspectives on important energy and climate topics, such as: Could solar and wind power our future? Or could hydrogen be the dominant energy source? Should we have more or less nuclear power? How should we respond to climate change? What policies most effectively reduce emissions? How could we pay for them? These lively discussions and more are moderated by renowned energy scientist and communicator Dr. Scott Tinker. The show is produced, written and directed by Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Harry Lynch, creator of the celebrated PBS series 'Great Performances: Now Hear This' and 'Stories of the Mind.'

Energy Switch  
  • Nuclear Fusion
    Thursday, April 4
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Fission, the splitting of atoms, makes the heat that drives our nuclear reactors. Fusion, the fusing together of atoms, powers the stars, including our sun -- which means that fusion already powers Earth, just not in a way that we can control. If we could harness fusion, it would transform our world, producing limitless energy, safely and without emissions -- the holy grail of energy.
  • Nuclear Fusion
    Saturday, April 6
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Fission, the splitting of atoms, makes the heat that drives our nuclear reactors. Fusion, the fusing together of atoms, powers the stars, including our sun -- which means that fusion already powers Earth, just not in a way that we can control. If we could harness fusion, it would transform our world, producing limitless energy, safely and without emissions -- the holy grail of energy.
  • Food: Energy & Emissions
    Thursday, April 11
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Everything in our modern lives has energy inputs and emissions outputs -- and that's certainly the case for our food. It's not just all the energy that powers the equipment required to grow, transport and process our food. And the energy inputs for fertilizer required by global agriculture. But also the emissions from land, and livestock, and particularly from food loss and food waste.
  • Food: Energy & Emissions
    Saturday, April 13
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Everything in our modern lives has energy inputs and emissions outputs -- and that's certainly the case for our food. It's not just all the energy that powers the equipment required to grow, transport and process our food. And the energy inputs for fertilizer required by global agriculture. But also the emissions from land, and livestock, and particularly from food loss and food waste.
  • How to Decarbonize Industry, Part 1
    Thursday, April 18
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Cement and steel have created the modern world: they make our buildings, roads, machines and products. These two industries emit nearly as much CO2 as our entire electricity system -- but they're difficult to decarbonize. We'll talk about challenges and potential solutions to do so, including changing their production processes, replacing the coal they now require, and more efficient use.
  • How to Decarbonize Industry, Part 1
    Saturday, April 20
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Cement and steel have created the modern world: they make our buildings, roads, machines and products. These two industries emit nearly as much CO2 as our entire electricity system -- but they're difficult to decarbonize. We'll talk about challenges and potential solutions to do so, including changing their production processes, replacing the coal they now require, and more efficient use.
  • How to Decarbonize Industry, Part 2
    Thursday, April 25
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    In Part 1 of this discussion, we heard ideas to decarbonize cement and steel. We'll conclude with a look at fertilizer, which has made modern agriculture possible, and petrochemicals and plastic, which go into nearly every product. Solutions could include switching from oil and natural gas to hydrogen and bioproducts, but the technologies are still in development, and currently expensive.
  • How to Decarbonize Industry, Part 2
    Saturday, April 27
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    In Part 1 of this discussion, we heard ideas to decarbonize cement and steel. We'll conclude with a look at fertilizer, which has made modern agriculture possible, and petrochemicals and plastic, which go into nearly every product. Solutions could include switching from oil and natural gas to hydrogen and bioproducts, but the technologies are still in development, and currently expensive.
  • Energy and Climate Paradoxes
    Thursday, May 2
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    There are many paradoxes in climate and energy: people want energy for their homes and cars... but don't want new power lines or pipelines that could provide it. Nuclear is a zero-carbon energy source... yet many climate advocates oppose it. Some states impose EV mandates... but prohibit mining for battery metals. We'll look to resolve these with two experts in economics, energy and climate policy.
  • Energy and Climate Paradoxes
    Saturday, May 4
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    There are many paradoxes in climate and energy: people want energy for their homes and cars... but don't want new power lines or pipelines that could provide it. Nuclear is a zero-carbon energy source... yet many climate advocates oppose it. Some states impose EV mandates... but prohibit mining for battery metals. We'll look to resolve these with two experts in economics, energy and climate policy.
  • Energy for Africa
    Thursday, May 9
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Six hundred million people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have modern energy -- so African nations are working to develop their energy resources. For many, the energy they do have comes from hydro. But Africa also has huge volumes of natural gas. Some funders, concerned about emissions, don't want them to develop it. Others consider it essential to lift Africa's people out of poverty.
  • Energy for Africa
    Saturday, May 11
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Six hundred million people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have modern energy -- so African nations are working to develop their energy resources. For many, the energy they do have comes from hydro. But Africa also has huge volumes of natural gas. Some funders, concerned about emissions, don't want them to develop it. Others consider it essential to lift Africa's people out of poverty.
  • Sea Level Rise
    Thursday, May 16
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Sea level has been rising since the end of the last Ice Age, when continental ice sheets began to melt. In island nations and low-lying coastal areas sea level rise is contributing, among other things, to high tide flooding, and saltwater encroaching into farmland and freshwater aquifers. We'll talk about what the future could bring, and ideas of how communities could adapt to sea level rise.
  • Sea Level Rise
    Saturday, May 18
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Sea level has been rising since the end of the last Ice Age, when continental ice sheets began to melt. In island nations and low-lying coastal areas sea level rise is contributing, among other things, to high tide flooding, and saltwater encroaching into farmland and freshwater aquifers. We'll talk about what the future could bring, and ideas of how communities could adapt to sea level rise.
  • Critical Risks to Energy Systems
    Thursday, May 23
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    The US energy system, particularly our electric grids and pipelines, is constantly at risk -- from extreme events, like hurricanes, winter storms, heat waves and wildfires. And increasingly from cyber attacks, from hostile foreign powers and criminal elements. Enough that the energy industry and the US government are investing billions of dollars and working together to counter these threats.
  • Critical Risks to Energy Systems
    Saturday, May 25
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    The US energy system, particularly our electric grids and pipelines, is constantly at risk -- from extreme events, like hurricanes, winter storms, heat waves and wildfires. And increasingly from cyber attacks, from hostile foreign powers and criminal elements. Enough that the energy industry and the US government are investing billions of dollars and working together to counter these threats.
  • Electric Grid Reliability
    Thursday, May 30
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Everything in the modern world relies on the electric grid. To keep the grid reliable, system operators order electricity from dispatchable generation, like coal, gas, hydro and nuclear, to balance intermittent generation, like wind and solar. Together, these must meet our enormous electricity demand, which varies by the second. It's a hugely complicated task, and it's facing real challenges.
  • Electric Grid Reliability
    Saturday, June 1
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Everything in the modern world relies on the electric grid. To keep the grid reliable, system operators order electricity from dispatchable generation, like coal, gas, hydro and nuclear, to balance intermittent generation, like wind and solar. Together, these must meet our enormous electricity demand, which varies by the second. It's a hugely complicated task, and it's facing real challenges.
  • Students' Energy and Climate Opinions
    Thursday, June 6
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    For our ongoing 'youth voice' series, we created an energy and climate survey and asked two current and recently graduated university students to help administer it to hundreds of peers across the country, from diverse political backgrounds. The results provide a broad look at the energy and climate opinions, and knowledge, of young Americans -- and will test yours too.
  • Students' Energy and Climate Opinions
    Saturday, June 8
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    For our ongoing 'youth voice' series, we created an energy and climate survey and asked two current and recently graduated university students to help administer it to hundreds of peers across the country, from diverse political backgrounds. The results provide a broad look at the energy and climate opinions, and knowledge, of young Americans -- and will test yours too.
  • India's Energy and Climate Policies, Part 1
    Thursday, June 13
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    India is the third largest energy consumer and carbon emitter in the world, with the fastest growing energy demand. Today coal makes three-quarters of their electricity, with the other 25% solar and other non-carbon sources. If they follow China's path and develop further on coal, it may be impossible for the world to meet its climate targets -- making India's energy choices of vital importance.
  • India's Energy and Climate Policies, Part 1
    Saturday, June 15
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    India is the third largest energy consumer and carbon emitter in the world, with the fastest growing energy demand. Today coal makes three-quarters of their electricity, with the other 25% solar and other non-carbon sources. If they follow China's path and develop further on coal, it may be impossible for the world to meet its climate targets -- making India's energy choices of vital importance.
  • India's Energy and Climate Policies, Part 2
    Thursday, June 20
    8:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    In part 1, we focused on India's electricity, and the potential to expand it using coal and/or solar. We continue with the growth of 2- and 3-wheel electric vehicles in India, the potential to manufacture their batteries domestically, the growth of air conditioning to combat heat waves, decarbonization targets, green building and the importance of efficiency.
  • India's Energy and Climate Policies, Part 2
    Saturday, June 22
    1:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    In part 1, we focused on India's electricity, and the potential to expand it using coal and/or solar. We continue with the growth of 2- and 3-wheel electric vehicles in India, the potential to manufacture their batteries domestically, the growth of air conditioning to combat heat waves, decarbonization targets, green building and the importance of efficiency.

 

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  • Eu Energy and Climate Policy, Part 2
    Wednesday, February 28
    11:30 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Europe's energy crisis has fostered cooperation between member states and the EU governing body and strengthened the push for more wind and solar though some call for technologically neutral decarbonization.Dr. Carlos Batlle, Visiting Scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative, and Jonathan Elkind, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, conclude.
  • Eu Energy and Climate Policy, Part 1
    Wednesday, February 21
    11:30 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Europe is in an energy crisis, which has encouraged a 'war mentality' about energy and climate, and fast-tracked new energy projects. What will this mean for the continent and its international allies? Jonathan Elkind, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, and Dr. Carlos Batlle, Visiting Scientist at MIT Energy Initiative, discuss this complex topic.
  • Critical Minerals for Energy
    Wednesday, February 14
    11:30 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Critical minerals and rare earth elements, essential for new energy technologies, are largely controlled by China. Global supply and demand and potential new mines in the US are pressing issues. Dr. Nedal Nassar, Chief of the Materials Intelligence Research at the US Geological Survey, and Dr. Adam Simon, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, discuss.
  • Solar Panel Recycling
    Wednesday, February 7
    11:30 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Millions of solar panels are nearing end of life. Today they're going to landfills or interim storage because recycling is expensive and immature. We need to build a recycling system. Dr. Serasu Duran, Assistant Professor, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, and Dr. Garvin Heath, Distinguished Member of the Research Staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, discuss.