23 February 1998

Bangladesh's Prime Minister proposes Asian Energy Grid

Dear GENI Friend,

Bangladesh's Prime Minister proposes Asian Energy Grid — a headline that signifies just how far The GENI Initiative has come. Via daily e-mail, we receive reports on energy related issues from around the world. I want to share with you some heartening results that are being realized in Southeast Asia — an area that needs energy infrastructure desperately.

From Reuters News Service (January 15, 1997): Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Wajed proposed setting up an Asian energy grid along the Asian highway and railway for the benefit of the region. The opportunities in the energy sector should be fully realized and an Asian energy grid could be of enormous benefit to all of our countries, she told the inaugural session of the one day first-ever business summit as the chairperson. (She received our 1997 newsletter just a few months ago.)

Such a grid could extend eventually all the way from Turkmenistan to Singapore. The Asian highway and railway will pass through our three countries linking us on the one side to Central Asia and Europe, and on the other side to China and the ASEAN countries... Let us be inspired by a vision of a South Asian community, a community where fear and suspicion is replaced by a sense of well-being, a community free of poverty where each of our citizens can lead a life of dignity, free from hunger and illiteracy. Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawz Sharif also addressed the summit participated by a large number of leading industrialists and businessmen.

We want to share with you our plans for 1998. You'll see several global conferences and exhibit opportunities, targeted communication groups, research activities and fund raising goals. We need sponsorship for all these projects — from $1,000 to one million.

Once again I thank you for your support. Where else can you leverage the impact of your contributions as described by this report? I have a request. Do you know someone personally who could be a major donor to this work? We want to take a big step forward this year— and it's going to take some extra money. Please give us a call with any possible referral.

In partnership for the planet,

Peter Meisen
President

P.S. I have just presented the enclosed paper at the 1998 IEEE Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting, which makes a strong argument for linking renewable energy resources around the world. It's written in technical journal format for publication in the near future. Pass it along!

Keywords : Bangladesh's Prime Minister proposes Asian Energy Grid, sustainable development, global energy network institute, international electricity transmission, grid, power, environmental educational programs, peace, zero population growth, stabilization.