IIASA/UW-Madison Energy & Climate Webinar: What Happened at COP26 and Why It Matters

At the the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), world leaders reached a new global agreement on climate action following two weeks of negotiations. Additionally, several countries, private funders, and NGOs made new pledges …

Edwards finds that repairs to natural gas distribution system don’t always work

For the network of pipelines that bring natural gas to homes throughout the U.S., leaks are an ongoing challenge. Repairing those leaks can lead to safety and climate benefits by reducing the amount of methane (a potent greenhouse gas) released into the atmosphere. But a new study led by La Follette School Assistant Professor Morgan Edwards found these repairs are not always successful, leaving some of the potential benefits of leak repair on the table.

Tapping innovative balance of power, microreactors could enhance energy resilience

“The main finding of our study is that if microreactor vendors can reach their goals for total costs, and if they rely on low-interest government financing rather than private financing, then microreactors could be economically competitive against natural gas and increase the energy resilience of certain government facilities,” says Paul Wilson, the Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering at UW-Madison who led the study.