‹ Back

What's New in Renewables?

At the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, the Department of Energy takes on large-scale, high-tech, ambitious and expensive research and development of renewable energy sources. Chuck Kutscher is an engineer at NREL. On this episode, he's back on NRG with MG to discuss what's new in renewables with KDNK's Marilyn Gleason. His specialty, concentrating solar, is a centralized method of generating solar power, which is usually conceived as home-based, distributed power.

Randy Udall on the Smart Grid

The "Smart Grid" was all the buzz a few years back, and in 2007 Xcel Energy planned to launch the world's biggest project. Boulder was chosen as Xcel's SmartGridCity launching pad. After partners fled, costs ballooned and expectations shrunk, Xcel says it's learned valuable lessons. But critics call SmartGridCity poorly planned, poorly managed and a failed experiment. The Denver Post reported this fall on cost overruns totaling tens of millions of dollars, which will likely be paid by customers. Xcel supplies energy for most of Garfield County and about half of Carbondale.
Energy expert Randy Udall is back on NRG with MG this week to answer Marilyn Gleason's question, What is the Smart Grid?

Cutting-Edge Solar in Aspen

Amatis Controls is an Aspen based company boosting the efficiency and functionality of heating home hot water with the sun. Americans spend more than $30 billion annually heating water, but only install 1 percent of the new solar hot water systems globally. Piper Foster tells KDNK's Marilyn Gleason how affordable monitoring can help fix system breakdowns,  improve efficiency and engage energy consumers.

Adding Up Waste Energy with a Stirling Engine

This week on NRG with MG, we visit with Sam Weaver, CEO of Cool Energy in Boulder. The company is reviving a 19th-century technology to increase efficiency and generate electricity using waste heat, as KDNK's Marilyn Gleason found out.

Concentrating Solar at the National Renewable Energy Lab

This week on NRG with MG, we visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, where top scientists brainstorm new energy paradigms with Department of Energy dollars. Germany is a leader in rooftop solar electricity, but Spain has the best examples of concentrating solar, a centralized utility-level technology. Chuck Kutscher is an engineer with 34 years at the Lab whose focus is developing and lowering the cost of concentrating solar, as he told KDNK's Marilyn Gleason.

Aspen SkiCo Coal Mine Methane Project Very Exciting, Says Randy Udall

On this episode of NRG with MG, local energy expert Randy Udall tells how an unlikely marriage of utilites, coal miners and the Aspen Skiing Company began turning bad climate pollution to good use in Paonia last month. And, the International Energy Agency in its recent annual report caused lots of buzz by predicting the US could become the world's largest oil producer in the foreseeable future. But as Udall tells KDNK's Marilyn Gleason, he's skeptical about the prediction, even though under President Obama, US oil production has increased substantially.

Energy Volatility with Author Chris Nelder

On this episode of NRG with MG, author Chris Nelder tells KDNK's Marilyn Gleason how gas producers flip property to make a profit. Nelder has written books on profitably investing in renewable and conventional energy. He begins with how, before fracking became common, gas prices were soaring, which spurred new technology and a price crash.

State Geologist on Energy Volatility

Prices for energy and other commodities have been plagued by volatility in recent years and many of these resources are mined and produced in Colorado. The state Geological Survey tracks the prices of these minerals as they bounce around and on this episode of NRG with MG, State Geologist Vince Matthews tells KDNK's Marilyn Gleason how the the recession has forced conservation and helped stabilize some prices.

Climate Change and the Presidential Election

Conspicuously absent from recent presidential debates was the climate question. Economic worries tend to cancel out climate concerns, and this year the economy trumped other issues. On this Election Day edition of NRG with MG, local expert Randy Udall is back to offer insights on energy issues, beginning with the two candidates' willingness to talk about alternative energy, but without mention of climate change.

County commissioner candidate Sonja Linman on energy diversity in Colorado

Two Republican members of the Garfield County Commission are facing Democratic challengers in the November election. This week on NRG with MG, we continue a series of interviews with the incumbents and the challengers focusing on energy issues. Last week we heard from commissioner John Martin, running for a fifth term. He is running against today's guest, Sonja Linman, a 23-year resident of Garfield County with a background in education. KDNK's Marilyn Gleason started by asking Linman to speak broadly about energy here is Garfield County.

‹ Back More ›