April 29, 2002

Good News Below the Radar

Dear GENI Friend,

Unless you really read the fine print in the papers or receive a special news service, you might be missing some very significant developments in our world. The focus of the media is always on the hot topics: the war on terrorism, Middle East conflict or the latest Hollywood scandal. At GENI, we pay particular attention to the progress of renewable energy development and power grid interconnections.

While presenting the GENI Initiative at a recent Rotary club, one member thanked me afterwards for giving her some hope for the world. She knew nothing about this strategy — and we talked about how the good news is often under the radar of the mainstream reporting.

So, here's some good news! The United States has three interconnected grid networks: the western, eastern and Texas systems. President Bush stated in his energy plan the goal of linking these grids together much like the coast-to-coast intercontinental highway. This is happening. A new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link is being built between the eastern and western grid networks by engineering giant ABB. This technology is being used around the world to link asynchronous systems and cross underwater channels.

And there's more. The European nations are making strong commitments to renewable energy development — proposing to double the installed capacity by 2010. Windmills are sprouting all around Europe and solar thermal installations (for heating water) are accelerating with tax breaks for homeowners and businesses.

We are encouraged by these reports. They validate our work of 15 years. We are seeing governmental policy turn into financial incentives and on-the-ground installations. Lest we become complacent, this is still a David (renewables) vs. Goliath (fossil/nuclear) battle — and the outcome is still unsure. GENI is focusing on how we can accelerate this change so that it becomes the headlines that all can celebrate. With your assistance, we are working to turn these news items into a global trend.

In partnership for the planet

Peter Meisen
President

Keywords: Good News Below the Radar ,accelerate change,headlines,celebrate.sustainable development, global energy network institute, international electricity transmission, hvdc, hvac