“Engagingly written and meticulously researched, Thirst for Power makes a convincing argument for the interconnectedness of water and energy throughout human civilization. Webber makes the reader realize that today, more than ever, understanding this linkage and building relevant solutions is critical to the sustained wellbeing of humankind.”—Austin Troy, author of The Very Hungry City
“With clear and compelling writing, Webber takes the reader on an exploration of critically important systems—those for energy and water—that few people understand. Even fewer realize that these systems are thoroughly intertwined. And while Webber provides concise explanations of many of the technical solutions needed to move the world toward sustainable water and energy, he makes it clear that the most important solutions are non-technical: we need a revolution in how we think about these systems so we can manage them in an integrated and holistic way.”—Jeff Opperman, Director and Lead Scientist of The Nature Conservancy’s Great Rivers Program
“Thirst for Power is a masterful work. Webber expertly navigates the confluence of critical water and energy issues, providing valuable insights into the deep nexus between the two.”—Robert Wilkinson, University of California Santa Barbara
“Michael Webber describes in clear prose the complex and often-surprising relationship between humanity's most important scarce resources—water and power. An important book for both citizens and specialists.”—Bill White, former mayor of Houston and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy
“Few, if any, issues are more important to humanity’s well-being over the next half century than the transition to cleaner energy and access to abundant, safe, and clean water. Michael Webber’s well-researched and detailed, yet highly readable, new book takes the reader on a journey of the water-energy nexus and lays out concrete and actionable technical and policy solutions. This book provides a valuable road map for how to protect our most critical resources for future generations.”—Jason Bordoff, Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy
“Webber makes a compelling case for pursuing both technological and nontechnical solutions for managing the water-energy nexus. He observes that ‘in the end, the most important innovation we need is a new way of thinking about energy and water so that we make better decisions about these precious resources’ and lays out the case for why and how to do that. This is an important and deeply readable book.”—Susan Tierney, Analysis Group
“A highly accessible and engaging overview of one of humanity’s most pressing problems and opportunities. How we manage energy and water will shape the twenty-first century, and with guides like Dr. Webber we can use policy, technology, and economics to craft cleaner, more efficient solutions.”—Philip Mezey, President and CEO, Itron, Inc.
“For those concerned about water and energy—which should be everybody—Michael Webber has produced a jewel of a book.”—Martin J. Pasqualetti, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University
“The premise is compelling and timely. The strength of the book is its clear explanation of ways in which water is used in the production of energy and how the existing system is likely to come under considerable strain in the future.”—David Sedlak, author of Water 4.0
2016-02-09
An exploration of the link between impending global water and power shortages. As Webber (Mechanical Engineering/Univ. of Texas; Changing the Way America Thinks About Energy: A Compendium of Commentary, 2009 etc.), deputy director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas, notes, "1.1 billion people [lack] access to clean water sources for drinking, cooking, and washing." Meeting their needs is a pressing public health problem, he writes, but delivering that access "will require a lot of energy for treatment and transport to where it is needed." In the author's view, "the grand challenge" of this century is providing "clean water, indoor lighting, [and a] comfortable way of life to every global citizen." However, accomplishing this without irreversibly affecting the environment will be extremely difficult. With the use of satellite imagery in the past 15 years, it has become possible to estimate changes in the amount of groundwater globally. Unfortunately, writes Webber, "the amount of water in our bank account" is decreasing at an alarming rate. Satellite tracking reveals serious depletion of aquifers in India. Large dams such as the Three Gorges Dam in China are beneficial for controlling floods, providing irrigation for crops, and providing sources of hydroelectric power, but they also damage the local ecology, flood fertile land, and displace human and fish populations. Alternative and nuclear energies are attractive options to replace petroleum, but their use of water must also be considered. Throughout the book, Webber provides examples of the complexity of the issues at hand—e.g. growing corn, which needs irrigation, as a biofuel. The author proposes more sophisticated methods for recycling water, with different standards for purity depending on end use—e.g., separating the delivery for drinking water and sanitation and for industrial processes and irrigation. A wide-ranging, nuanced view of difficult but important issues that require serious consideration at every level, from policymakers, opinion shapers, and educators down to everyday citizens.
"A wide-ranging, nuanced view of difficult but important issues that require serious consideration at every level, from policymakers, opinion shapers, and educators down to everyday citizens."—Kirkus Reviews
"Concise, relevant, and engaging."—E. Gomezdelcampo, Choice
"For those concerned about water and energy—which should be everybody—Michael Webber has produced a jewel of a book."—Martin J. Pasqualetti, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University
"A highly accessible and engaging overview of one of humanity’s most pressing problems and opportunities. How we manage energy and water will shape the twenty-first century, and with guides like Dr. Webber we can use policy, technology, and economics to craft cleaner, more efficient solutions."—Philip Mezey, President and CEO, Itron, Inc.
"Webber makes a compelling case for pursuing both technological and nontechnical solutions for managing the water-energy nexus. He observes that ‘in the end, the most important innovation we need is a new way of thinking about energy and water so that we make better decisions about these precious resources’ and lays out the case for why and how to do that. This is an important and deeply readable book."—Susan Tierney, Analysis Group
"Few, if any, issues are more important to humanity’s well-being over the next half century than the transition to cleaner energy and access to abundant, safe, and clean water. Michael Webber’s well-researched and detailed, yet highly readable, new book takes the reader on a journey of the water-energy nexus and lays out concrete and actionable technical and policy solutions. This book provides a valuable road map for how to protect our most critical resources for future generations."—Jason Bordoff, Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy
"The premise is compelling and timely. The strength of the book is its clear explanation of ways in which water is used in the production of energy and how the existing system is likely to come under considerable strain in the future."—David Sedlak, author of Water 4.0
