The rebuilding of Iraq has
begun, although there are disagreements over the speed and governing authority.
In the aftermath of war, the challenge of repairing the electric networks,
communication systems, water supply and sewer lines must be enormous.
Buried in our newspaper earlier
this month was a headline that seemed impossible until now: "Iraq
Proposes to Buy Electricity from Iran and Syria". You will recall
that Iran and Iraq were at war a decade ago, and these nations have been
under economic embargo for many years. In nations with sporadic electricity
supply, interconnections offer the potential of export/import of power,
while adding reliability to the entire network. This multinational cooperation
would be a breakthrough in the Middle East.
In addition, the deserts of the Middle East are bathed in solar radiation
daily — enough to power all their domestic needs. Years ago,
GENI participated in a Japanese workshop on Very Large Solar Photovoltaic
Arrays deployed in the world's deserts, using high-voltage DC transmission
to deliver this electricity to cities around the world. (A recent book
has just become available on this: "Energy from the Desert",
by Professor Kosuke Kurokawa.) As you can see, this same concept is getting
strong advocacy by Buckyball founder, Richard Smalley. These global thinkers
agree that our
energy sources must change if we hope to meet societal needs sustainably,
offering a compelling solution very much in line with the GENI Initiative.
We are encouraged by these developments. They illustrate positive commitments
and hopeful strategies for a better world. But as Buckminster Fuller stated,
it is "touch and go," with no guarantee that we'll solve our
grand problems before they overtake our response. Your commitment matters,
and I thank you for supporting our work. You help us in making this solution
available to all.
Please vote
with your dollars by investing in the sustainability of our planet.
