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Detroit Public TV Documentary Weighs In On Energy Debate

A new documentary from Detroit Public Television, "Beyond The Light Switch," aims to provide a balanced perspective to a national energy debate that will eventually become more contentious than anything since health care.

By 2050 America must completely transform its entire electrical infrastructure, a challenge equal to the mobilization efforts for World War II.

To do this, we must rebuild most of our existing electric power plant infrastructure, cut carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent, and completely update our power grid -- while simultaneously accommodating an expected 30 percent increase in demand. Our modern lives depend upon electricity. But what is the answer? Renewables? Coal? Natural gas? Nuclear? A super grid? It's a complicated and confusing issue for almost everyone.

Hosted by Scientific American Magazine's David Biello, and guided by an independent advisory panel, Beyond the Light Switch lays out the energy facts and conundrums facing all of us.

Shot on location throughout the United States, and featuring interviews with government leaders, industry experts, researchers, innovators, environmentalists, utilities, journalists and authors, Beyond The Light Switch explores the trade-offs of carbon capture and storage, hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, a nuclear renaissance, the costs of solar power, the sprawl of wind power and the feasibility of a super grid.

Beyond The Liht Switch is a production of Detroit Public Television. Ed Moore is producer, director and writer, Jordan Wingrove is editor, Bill Kubota is co-producer and director of photography, and Genevieve Savage is co-producer. The executive producer is Jeff Forster.

Funding was provided by Edison Electric Institute, Nuclear Energy Institute, American Electric Power, DTE Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy Corporation, Exelon, NextEra Energy Inc, Southern Company, Wisconsin Energy Foundation, Xcel Energy, and NECA-IBEW.

More at www.dptv.org.

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