Vaclav Smil is a distinguished professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada, known for his extensive work in energy, environmental and population change, food production and nutrition, technical innovation, risk assessment, and public policy. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, is an avid reader of Smil’s work, stating that he waits for new books from Smil the way some people wait for the next ‘Star Wars’ movie.
Smil’s work is characterised by its interdisciplinary approach and its focus on broad, complex systems. He believes that the world’s problems cannot be solved with a single, simple solution. Instead, he advocates for a more nuanced, multifaceted approach. For example, he argues that while renewable energy is important, it is not a panacea for the world’s energy problems.
Smil is sceptical of many popular ideas in technology and energy, such as the notion that the world can quickly transition to renewable energy or that electric cars will soon dominate the roads. He argues that these transitions will take time and that we need to be realistic about the challenges involved. Despite his scepticism, Smil is not a pessimist. He believes that humanity has the capacity to solve its problems, but that it will require hard work, patience, and a realistic understanding of the complexities involved.
Go to source article: http://www.wired.com/2013/11/vaclav-smil-wired/