"Watt's Up, Wisconsin?" Episode 9 - How Focus on Energy Began Transforming Wisconsin More Than 25 Years Ago

Focus on Energy has helped Wisconsin residents and businesses save energy and money for more than 25 years. But how did the program begin?

In this episode of "Watt’s Up Wisconsin?", host Ron Giordan sits down with energy policy expert Kathy Kuntz, who was involved in the early development of Focus on Energy before the program officially launched.

Kathy shares behind-the-scenes stories from the late 1990s when Wisconsin was building a statewide approach to energy efficiency. She talks about the early partnerships with utilities, the creative retail lighting promotions that helped move energy-efficient lighting into homes across the state, and the local businesses that helped protect the program during critical funding debates.

It’s a look at how collaboration, innovation, and persistence helped build one of the nation’s longest-running statewide energy efficiency programs.