Typically, engineers and scientists fail to engage in the policymaking process, the consequence of which is an incoherent mix of national energy policies that accidentally undermine each other, fail to achieve strategic aims, or are impossible from the outset. The Webber Group is seeking to rectify this problem by bridging the divide between policymakers and engineers & scientists for issues related to energy and the environment. For our research, we do not shy away from applying our technical skills to analyzing the societal context of our research problems. We bring the scientific method and technical expertise to bear on policy-oriented research questions as a way to inform decision-makers and help get the world onto a greener path.
Research projects currently underway include the following:
- The nexus of energy and water
- Energy in Texas
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration
- Electrified transportation
- Energy politics
- Energy use and opportunities in the wastewater treatment sector
- Geological limitations to the strategic petroleum reserve
- Livestock waste-to-energy
- Novel thermochemical pathways for biofuels conversion
- Principles of green design
- Quantifying the tradeoffs of energy
- The implications of China and Russia on the geopolitics of energy
- Solar Power in Texas