From $100 Oil to Extreme Heat: Can Technology Reduce Energy Vulnerability?

Record-breaking heat across Europe is placing growing pressure on critical infrastructure. At the same time, oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel earlier this year as geopolitical tensions once again exposed vulnerabilities in global energy markets. These are not isolated crises, but different sides of the same coin. And prompts the question, how can we build energy systems that remain reliable in an increasingly volatile world? A new generation of technologies is beginning to change that equation. This session explores how new technologies like direct lithium extraction and everything-to-grid energy are changing how energy is produced, managed and consumed. This is the full audio from a studio discussion recorded on 9 July, 2026. Speakers:  Volker Sick, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan Anna Tunkel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Impact LLC Akshay Joshi, Head of the Centre for Cybersecurity, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552