Best The Mrea Podcasts (2024)

1
Is Your Home Electrification Ready? 30:21

11h ago30:21

30:21

In today's world, electrifying your home and becoming more energy efficient has never been easier. With various funding opportunities and programs available, the incentives to upgrade your energy systems are too big to be ignored. Join Kevin Kane in this week's episode of the Rise Up Podcast that focuses on energy efficiency successes and challenge…

1
West CAP - WAP in WI 45:21

8h ago45:21

45:21

Ensuring that every home is weatherized and equipped with energy-efficient systems should not only be a possibility, but a reality for all. Community Assistance Programs (CAPs), such as West CAP, play a vital role in enabling low-income communities to access these essential upgrades, fostering fair and equitable advancements in energy conservation …

1
Missouri - On-Bill Inclusive Financing (PAYS) 42:50

7d ago42:50

42:50

For many, conducting an energy audit and installing energy efficient systems can be a financial challenge. Inclusive financing, like the Pay As You Save (PAYS) program, hopes to ease that challenge by allowing homeowners and tenants to pay a monthly charge along with their utility bill, instead of footing the bill up front or taking out a loan. Lea…

1
Farm and Rural Business Energy Efficiency 47:49

23d ago47:49

47:49

Becoming more energy efficient not only cuts costs but also helps preserve our planet. Whether it's transitioning to electric, conducting energy audits, or enhancing energy systems, committing to energy efficiency today promises future savings and fosters a healthier environment for everyone. Discover ways to enhance energy efficiency, with a speci…

1
Rise Up - LIVE at The Energy Fair - June 23-25, 2023 51:18

10M ago51:18

51:18

Nick Hylla, MREA Executive Director & Rise Up Podcast host, led Rise Up Live Events and a live panel during The Energy Fair! Participants had the opportunity to hear from the guests of Season 4 throughout the weekend, followed by a Q&A session on Sunday. On Friday, June 23rd, in the Special Events Tent, attendees enjoyed insightful presentations: A…

1
Rise Up Season 4 LIVE at The Energy Fair - Trailer 4:40

10M ago4:40

4:40

Nick Hylla, MREA Executive Director & Rise Up Podcast host, led Rise Up Live Events and a live panel during The Energy Fair! Participants had the opportunity to hear from the guests of Season 4 throughout the weekend, followed by a Q&A session on Sunday. On Friday, June 23rd, in the Special Events Tent, attendees enjoyed insightful presentations: A…

1
Voice of the People 45:08

11M ago45:08

45:08

n a time when corporate spending is protected as free speech, each of us must wonder how our voices will be heard. Utility companies have deep pockets, and their lobbyists are a fixture at state capitol buildings. Big businesses have big energy budgets and their associations are adept at making their issues a priority. And both of these industry se…

1
Energy Justice in Minneapolis 47:56

11M ago47:56

47:56

The first and largest US financial maneuver in response to COVID-19 was an unprecedented bailout of Wall Street investors to head off an impending stock market crash. Building upon the “Modern Monetary Theory” implemented to bail out the banking sector after the mortgage default crisis in 2008, the Federal Reserve committed up to $10 trillion in su…

1
Workforce Readiness 52:52

12M ago52:52

52:52

The topic of workforce development is near and dear to our hearts at MREA. We started providing training in solar PV, solar thermal, small wind energy, and energy efficiency in 1990. We were one of the first accredited solar training programs in the country and still maintain accreditation with the Interstate Renewable Energy Council to this day. F…

1
Critical Mineral Mining 1:19:07

12M ago1:19:07

1:19:07

Since 2018, the United States has expanded its list of critical minerals from 35 to 50 as supply chains have become increasingly concentrated to fewer countries and the needs for minerals in industrial and consumer products have increased. Beginning in 2022, the Biden Administration began making serious federal policy moves to secure critical miner…

1
Pathways to 100% 53:45

1y ago53:45

53:45

Eleven US states plus the District of Columbia have passed laws committing to 100% carbon-free or 100% clean energy. The path to 100% is full of choices that influence the cost to electricity ratepayers, ownership of critical infrastructure, and access to the financial and social benefits of energy infrastructure investment. A few detailed national…

1
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors 1:20:06

1y ago1:20:06

1:20:06

Today, nuclear energy remains the largest low carbon source of electricity in the world. Yet looking closer at the trend reveals that it is a rapidly decreasing share of the global portfolio as plants are retired and wind and solar consistently lead new energy capacity additions. The US fleet is the largest of any nation, with 94 reactors in 28 sta…

1
Rural Renewable Energy and Transmission Projects - Powering the Midwest! 50:08

1y ago50:08

50:08

Get ready to harness the power of renewable energy as Season 4 Episode 5 of MREA's Rise Up podcast takes you on a journey through the world of large-scale wind, solar, and transmission projects in the Midwest. Join our host Nick Hylla, as he sits down with esteemed guest Peder Mewis, a driving force behind rural renewable energy development in the …

1
Electric Vehicles 42:49

1y ago42:49

42:49

Rev up your knowledge on electric vehicles with Clean Fuels Michigan's Jane McCurry, on MREA's Rise Up Podcast. As compelling as electric vehicles are, electrifying transportation presents significant policy and market development challenges. EVs represent just over 5% of passenger vehicles on US roads. This is an amazing accomplishment for the ind…

1
Building Energy Efficiency 37:58

1y ago37:58

37:58

75% of all electricity consumption occurs in buildings. With a goal to fully electrify our building energy use, more buildings will be moving their heating, cooking, and operations systems from natural gas, propane, diesel, and fuel oil to grid electricity. Pair this with home and business electric vehicle charging and the obvious result is that th…

1
Distributed Energy Resources 38:49

1y ago38:49

38:49

The plan is to electrify the economy. Reduce the combustion of fossil fuels for heating and transportation by replacing it with electricity from a grid powered by low-carbon sources like solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear. These are the basics of the energy transition but, there are two competing visions for how we accomplish it. The first vision is t…

1
Episode 1 - The Electric Utility Business Model 1:38:36

1y ago1:38:36

1:38:36

When it comes to transitioning the electricity system, we are constrained by public policy choices and investment decisions made over the last 100 years. The past decisions have given us the infrastructure, ownership structure, regulatory process, and debts that define how we produce and use electricity. Today, we are poised to further electrify ou…

1
Rise Up Podcast - Season 4 Trailer: The Energy Transition 13:21

1y ago13:21

13:21

Welcome to a new Rise Up Podcast season focused on the energy transition in Midwest states! In this podcast season, MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla talks to a range of professionals working to improve the energy system in Midwest states. The discussions focus on the decisions we'll need to make in regard to electric utility regulation, distribut…

1
2022 Energy Fair Workshops Preview 1:20:06

2y ago1:20:06

1:20:06

Rise Up’s season 3 finale is a special episode highlighting some of the great speakers and presenters that’ll be present at the 2022 Energy Fair. Guests join MREA Executive Director, Nick Hylla, to introduce themselves, preview their workshops at the Fair, as well as highlight some of their favorite Fair activities to get you in the spirit of the F…

1
Tribal Power Utilities 1:00:15

2y ago1:00:15

1:00:15

On this episode of the Rise Up podcast, we feature a double interview with 2022 Energy Fair keynote speakers, Bob Blake and John Farrell, hosted by MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla. Bob Blake is the founder and CEO of solar installer, Solar Bear, as well as the executive director of the non-profit, Native Sun Community Power Development. John Far…

1
Community Owned Solar 46:42

2y ago46:42

46:42

MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla hosts Shimekia Nichols, Executive Director of Soulardarity, an environmental non-profit based in Highland Park, Michigan. Soulardarity's mission is to build community power in Highland Park through community-owned solar streetlights. In their talk, Shimekia explains the origins of Soulardarity, how she came to be …

1
Group Buy Solar Programs 38:39

2y ago38:39

38:39

In today’s episode, MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla hosts Peter Murphy, the MREA’s Associate Director. Nick spoke with Peter about the development and growth of the Grow Solar Group Buy program, the strength of collective buying power in solar curious communities and methods to improve access to the benefits of solar. Peter details how group buy…

1
Kinship and Environmental Justice 1:07:31

2y ago1:07:31

1:07:31

MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla hosts Kyle Whyte, a 2022 MREA Energy Fair keynote speaker. Kyle is a Potawatomi climate/environmental justice scholar and organizer and professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. During this conversation, Kyle addresses the environmental justice issues we currently face an…

1
Indigenous Kitchen and Return of the Fair 1:07:14

2y ago1:07:14

1:07:14

MREA Executive Director Nick Hylla sits down with Sean Sherman, Sioux chef, cookbook author, and 2022 MREA Energy Fair keynote speaker, on what it means to decolonize foods. Sean talks about the work his restaurant, Owamni, and his non-profit, the North American Traditional Indigenous Food System, are doing to promote the use of native ingredients …

1
Pay As You Save 34:01

2+ y ago34:01

34:01

What role does inclusive financing play in ensuring the transition to clean energy is accessible to all? We sat down with Holmes Hummel and Anthony Kinslow II from Clean Energy Works to find out.

1
Michigan Saves 32:16

2+ y ago32:16

32:16

How can innovative financing incentivize private investment and accelerate the transition to clean energy? We sat down with Mary Templeton, President and CEO of Michigan Saves, to find out.

1
Climate and Equitable Jobs Act 47:43

2+ y ago47:43

47:43

What happens when a strong coalition engages energy stakeholders and works tirelessly to chart an equitable renewable energy future in Illinois? We spoke with John Delurey, Senior Regional Director for Vote Solar, to find out.

1
Energy Democracy 43:54

3y ago43:54

43:54

What does decentralized ownership of renewable energy really look like and why does it matter? We sat down with John Farrell to find out.

1
Get People Moving 28:35

3y ago28:35

28:35

What can American's energy future look like with the country's 573 Tribal Nations taking a leadership role in renewable energy? We sat down with Robert Blake - a tribal citizen of the Red Lake Nation, owner of the Solar Bear solar installation company, executive director of the nonprofit Native Sun Community Power Development, and board member of t…

1
Back in the Game 24:52

3y ago24:52

24:52

What happens when a state task force spends the better part of a year developing policy recommendations focused on mitigating and adapting to climate change? We sat down with Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change, to find out.

1
Think Like a Planet 36:16

3y ago36:16

36:16

What can a deeper appreciation of the earth’s physical structure and natural processes lend to our understanding of the problems we face currently? We asked Marcia Bjornerud, a professor of Geosciences at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and author of Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World.…

1
Energy Equity 1:00:31

3+ y ago1:00:31

1:00:31

Summary: How do we achieve a more equitable energy economy? If you ask Denise Abdul-Rahman with the NAACP, she’ll kindly tell you that we need a system that increases employment opportunities and decreases pollution externalities. We need a system that creates investment opportunities for those in need instead of long-term dependencies. We need a s…

1
Beyond Coal 38:47

3+ y ago38:47

38:47

Did you know that uneconomical coal plants in the Midwest are costing you, the ratepayer, millions of dollars? In recent years, utilities across the region have been clinging to uneconomical coal assets while slow-walking investments in clean energy. Yet, the age of coal is coming to an end and plants in communities across the Midwest are on the ch…

1
Local Energy Influence 57:41

3+ y ago57:41

57:41

How can your community gain influence over how your energy dollars are spent? It’s not easy. In this episode, we discuss how jurisdictions are harnessing their economic and political power to get more local, clean energy. We speak to Mathew Roberts from the Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) about how the regional council of governments i…

1
Credit Where Credit is Due 40:12

4y ago40:12

40:12

If you have been following energy policy developments in the Midwest over the last 5 years, you’ve probably noticed that electric utilities recently switched from fighting against solar energy development to developing solar projects at a record pace. Have energy companies seen the light? Should we shelve our concerns about wealthy, monopoly for-pr…

1
Get Up and Try 41:56

4y ago41:56

41:56

How does a small kid from a small town make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of many people? If you ask Tia Nelson, she’ll tell you that it is by using our power to get up every day and try. In this episode, we interview Tia Nelson about her decades of work in service of her father’s vision of improvingthe world’s most polluted environmen…

1
TurmOIL 43:44

4y ago43:44

43:44

We are living in a time of uncertainty. The turmoil in global oil markets offers us a glimpse into a complex industry unraveling amid uncertainty and the federal response to save it at all cost. What if we invested in the long term stability of clean energy markets instead? To help us better understand our current situation, we interviewed American…

1
Physical Distancing, Social Uprising 28:59

4y ago28:59

28:59

In this episode we’ll introduce ourselves, preview coming episodes, and interview the MREA’s Executive Director, Nick Hylla. In response to wide ranging questions from the MREA staff and Board of Directors, he’ll address the current economic crisis, the...

Podcasts Worth a Listen

The Mrea Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide