"A global energy network makes enormous sense if we are to meet global energy needs with a minimal impact on the world's environment." -- Al Gore

GENI was founded by Peter Meisen in 1986 to implement R. Buckminster Fuller's vision of interconnecting regional power systems into a single continuous global electrical energy grid linking renewable resources.

Most communities experience electrical needs gearing up around 7 am and dwindling by 11 pm, so there is excess generating capacity during the night. Fortunately, the entire United States and Canada are already tied into a comprehensive interconnected grid, with Western Europe linked on a separate grid. Thus electric utilities in these areas can sell power to one another as the peak demand moves across the continent during the course of the day. However, because there are no connections across the oceans, sharing throughout the night is not possible.

There are many environmentally-sound sources of electrical power which are not being tapped, because there is insufficient local market for the electricity. For example, there is a hydro-electric site on the Zaire River in Africa that could generate 40 giga-watts (40 million megawatts). Total exploitable hydro-electric potential in Northern Africa is estimated at 1,000 tera-watt-hours per year. This capacity offers the potential not only to meet all the needs of Africa but to export to Europe as well, thereby gaining much needed income for Africa. Australia has a tidal energy site that could generate 8 times the amount needed for the entire country. Similarly, there are wind energy sites around the world that could generate vast quantities of electricity, if there were a grid for them to plug into. Presently, over two billion people on the planet, more than a third of humanity, live without access to electricity.

GENI advocates the construction of an interconnected global grid over the next several decades, with priority for areas where no electrical infra-structure currently exists. Energy losses from transmission over such a grid would be minimal (only 0.5% per hundred miles) while it would yield immense advantages. Human health impacts are considered minimal at reasonable distances from transmission lines, much less than the use of an electric blanket or a hair dryer. In any event, no new transmission lines would need to be constructed in the U.S. This system would not replace remote villages' use of their independent solar and wind power, but it would make more renewable energy available to the existing grids. Benefits of such single grid include:

* Utilizing cheap renewable energy sources, thereby displacing use of polluting fossil fuels and reducing global warming.

* Relying only on the most efficient and least polluting generating plants.

* Making electricity an income-producing export for developing countries, replacing the need to cut and sell trees, thereby reducing the loss of rainforests and topsoil and slowing the spread of deserts.

* Balancing electrical needs over the course of the day (linking East and West) and seasons of the year (linking North and South).

* Enhancing trade and reducing tensions between nations as they share a common power supply.

* Providing abundant, inexpensive electricity to all countries, increasing standards of living and reducing poverty and misery. For example, with irrigation pumps, Africa could become self-sufficient in food.

* Increasing literacy and communication throughout the world.

* Providing electricity for pumps to supply clean water, as well as refrigeration for essential childhood vaccines, thereby reducing infant mortality and reducing the incentives for "insurance babies."

* Reducing world population growth (research shows correlations between increasing electricity per capita and reducing the rate of population growth).

* Increasing international cooperation and peace.

GENI has been endorsed by many leaders and organizations, including Al Gore in his book Earth in the Balance; Yevgeny Velikhov, Vice President, Russian Academy of Sciences; Walter Hickel, ex-Governor of Alaska and current Secretary General of the Northern Forum; Maher Abaza, Egypt's Energy Minister; Robert Mueller, former United Nations Under Secretary General; entertainer John Denver; Hisham Khatib, Vice President, World Energy Council; Dr. Noel Brown, former North American Director of the U.N. Environment Programme; and others.

GENI is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation committed to improving the quality of life for everyone without damage to the planet. Anyone can support GENI through:

* Calling or writing to the address below to get on the Newsletter mailing list ($15 donation per year)

* Ordering videos, brochures, computer disks and information to share with friends.

* Hosting a "Contribution Evening" to inform your friends and support GENI.

* Arranging for presentations and/or providing an information booth with literature and contribution forms at conferences and events.

* Contacting local media regarding a feature story on GENI.

* Volunteering to help by writing articles for magazines and journals.

* Writing letters of support to political leaders and other decision makers.

* Securing the endorsements of businesses, politicians and celebrities.

* Making tax-deductible contributions (many individuals are regular monthly or quarterly donors).

"We must understand and explain to everyone on our planet that the interconnection between power systems of different countries is one of the important tasks for all humanity." -- Victor Yershevich, Director of Science, Energoset Project

GENI, P.O. Box 81565, San Diego, CA 92138 (619) 595-0139 Fax: (619) 595-0403
E-mail: geni@cerf.net