Current and Past Projects
The Nelson Institute’s Energy Analysis and Policy (EAP) program uniquely brings together personnel from multiple departments and colleges on campus. EAP cultivates a wide-range of engagements with businesses and NGOs. Contact Dr. Paul Meier at pmeier@wisc.edu to discuss how EAP faculty, staff, and students can be engaged to address strategic questions at your organization.
Client Services
Client services projects connect students and faculty with public- and private-sector partners to collaboratively address real-world energy problems. These service agreements are performed at market-competitive rates, generating needed revenue for faculty research, EAP program activities, the Nelson Institute, and the educational mission of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Examples include:
The American Cancer Society is working with EAP (Project Lead Tracey Holloway) to apply satellite data to U.S. air quality and health assessment.
The American Lung Association is working with EAP (Project Lead Tracey Holloway) to apply satellite data to U.S. air quality and health assessment.
Great Plains Institute is working with EAP (Project Lead Paul Meier) to evaluate the emissions and air quality impact of transportation fuel policy change in Minnesota and Illinois.
Boundless Impact Research & Analytics is working with EAP (Project Lead Paul Meier) to develop and support best practices for environmental impact analysis.
Earth Justice is working with EAP (Project Lead Tracey Holloway) to examine multi-pollutant strategies to improve both air quality and climate change.
The Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) worked with EAP (Project Lead Morgan Edwards) to assist in preparing a research proposal for the U.S. Department of Energy.
The EAP program (Project Lead Paul Meier) assisted the City of Milwaukee with its low and zero-emission vehicle purchase requirements by evaluating the life-cycle costs of vehicle ownership across several vehicle types spanning gasoline, CNG, hybrid, and electric alternatives.
The National Wildlife Federation partnered with EAP (Project Lead Tyler Lark) to map bioenergy and wood pellet manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and explore their relationships with environmental justice communities
Sponsored Research Partners
EAP faculty conduct traditional grant-sponsored research with a wide range of businesses, government agencies, and NGOs. If you already have identified the EAP faculty or staff person you are interested in working with, you may reach out to them directly to begin a dialog. We can also help you arrange initial calls with prospective EAP researchers. To make connections beyond the EAP program, please consider contacting the Office of Business Engagement to navigate the path for conducting sponsored research.
Cycling and walking can improve human health while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions from other forms of transportation. Trek supported EAP Professor Jonathan Patz to research these health and environmental benefits using the Health Oriented Transportation (HOT) model. Read the report here.
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) announced a goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and worked with EAP (Project Lead Tracey Holloway) to determine if their plan was in line with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius or less. Follow up work examined the local air quality benefits of low-carbon initiatives. Read the news article here and scientific paper here.
Student Capstone Partners
EAP Capstone projects apply students’ interdisciplinary learning to an issue of real-world significance. Each spring, students work in small teams on issues supplied by real-world clients. EAP Capstone clients have included Fortune 500 companies, state government agencies, municipal governments, research laboratories, think tanks, non-profit organizations, and campus facilities.
