Author and award-winning professor Dr. Michael Webber, gives an entertaining and fast-paced lecture on the nexus of energy and water, sharing fun facts, historical snippets, and anecdotes from his new book, “Thirst for Power: Energy, Water and Human Survival” ( www.thirstforpower.com ). He helps answer the question “How can we change the way we think about water and energy to secure the long-term sustainability of both precious resources?” Although it is widely understood that energy and water are the world’s two most critical resources, their vital interconnections and vulnerabilities are less often recognized. This farsighted book offers a new, holistic way of thinking about energy and water—a big picture approach that reveals the interdependence of the two resources, identifies the seriousness of the challenges, and lays out an optimistic approach with an array of solutions to ensure the continuing sustainability of both.
Webber is Deputy Director of the Energy Institute, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator & Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he trains the next generation of energy leaders. He was selected as a Fellow of ASME, has authored more than 300 publications, holds 4 patents, and serves on the advisory board for Scientific American. Webber earned a B.S. & B.A. from UT Austin, and an M.S. & Ph.D. from Stanford.
Michael Webber: “Thirst For Power: Energy, Water And Human Survival”
Thirst For Power: Energy, Water And Human Survival by Michael Webber
Thirst For Power – Description
How changing the way we think about water and energy can secure the long-term sustainability of both precious resources
Although it is widely understood that energy and water are the world’s two most critical resources, their vital interconnections and vulnerabilities are less often recognized. This farsighted book offers a new, holistic way of thinking about energy and water—a big picture approach that reveals the interdependence of the two resources, identifies the seriousness of the challenges, and lays out an optimistic approach with an array of solutions to ensure the continuing sustainability of both.
Michael Webber, a leader and teacher in the field of energy technology and policy, explains how energy and water supplies are linked and how problems in either can be crippling for the other. He shows that current population growth, economic growth, climate change, and short-sighted policies are likely to make things worse. Yet, Webber asserts, more integrated planning with long-term sustainability in mind can avert such a daunting future. Combining anecdotes and personal stories with insights into the latest science of energy and water, he identifies a hopeful path toward wise long-range water-energy decisions and a more reliable and abundant future for humanity.
