GIDIFA is one of the UN Specialized Agencies with a focus on Infrastructure and Development in addition to matters of economic concern.

    No matter what the benefits may be, there are still enough detriments to bring the ability of solar and wind generated power to replace fossil fuels (or even abiotic fuels as some believe oil to be abiotic in nature) remains in doubt at present. Research and Development is ongoing in both of these fields though, and it is hoped that one day these will offer just some of many alternative energy solutions for the world. In the meantime, there are a great many other alternative methods also in consideration and under research, some in development and others that are ready to be tested in “real world environments”. One of the biggest challenges facing alternative advocates seems to be the ability to tie everything in to “The Power Grid”. Given the limitations and vulnerabilities of the existing power grid it begs the question as to whether or not the existing or current power grid should be utilized at all. If there is to be a central, controlling facility to distribute power, how should it be delivered? If individual homes are capable of producing their own energy, should they be allowed to do so independent of centralized control and authority? Is there a way to restructure the electrical power infrastructure in such a way so as not to interrupt the current grid system? What does the future of electrical power generation hold?

    Despite the “Scientific Consensus” being “settled” (Is science ever really settled or only the politically motivated sciences?) there is still a great deal of debate about whether or not fuel oil and the crude oil we are pulling out of the earth are biotic or abiotic in nature. Unfortunately, why these points are being pondered in between each side seeing who can attack the other in a more immature fashion, other important questions are being ignored altogether. Should we rely on crude oil at all? What is its function inside of the earth? What is the short term and the long term impact from removing such large quantities from the earth? Among the most important questions of all that should be researched and developed are whether or not there are better alternatives. Governments are quick to point out the flaws in such alternative energy resources but seem to be painfully slow with explanations as to why and also pretty quick about buying up patents and burying such technologies (See the papers of Tesla if you can as they are still considered top-secret more than the fifty year period normally allowed for such “secrecy” to be perpetuated by the governments) There are indeed a great many alternatives and the Global Infrastructure, Development and International Finance Agency is working together with a number of groups to research, develop and implement these technologies.

    There are already a great many alternative resources that have not or even cannot be blocked and hidden away. One of the most common answers is Nuclear Power and while it does have its merits, as has been seen in Fukushima and in Chernobyl and even to a lesser degree in Three Mile Island, there are some well-founded concerns with this approach. It would probably be fair to say that the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) defense alone would make this approach to alternative power difficult at best. GIDIFA is also working with groups to allow for the reduction of radioactivity in radioactive waste and while there is measurable and tangible success, nuclear power is probably not going to be one of the programs implemented by GIDIFA any time soon. So what other alternatives are available?

    Some of the current efforts of the Global Infrastructure, Development and International Finance Agency revolve around Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Natural Gas trapped from the current, natural decay of organic materials produced by humans and animals, not through fracking or other artificial means that may or may not be detrimental to the environment. Other projects revolve around Solar and Wind power and increasing efficiency and affordability and at the same time reducing the detrimental environmental aspects in large-scale power generation utilizing these techniques. One of the many projects also includes the storage of excess electrical power that has been generated and this is done with the use of wholly organic, large-scale batteries that can provide a steady, consistent supply of power to homes once it has been charged up and if and when it dies, it can literally be dumped right back into the surrounding earth with absolutely no negative impact on the local ecosystem or environment. Other promising fields of study and technologies include electro-magnetics and power-amplification. A good deal of this information is proprietary in nature at this time but as technologies evolve, it is hoped that more and more will be released out to the general public in addition to being made freely available to the scientists, researchers and developers in GIDIFA Integrated Community Developments around the globe.

    This leads to the questioned as mentioned above, how does all of this get tied into the electrical grid? Is the current power grid actually worth saving though? It is well known that the current power grid is extremely vulnerable to both physical and cyber attacks and as such, needs to be updated regardless of what the new power sources are. Is it possible that this revision can be completed in such a manner so as to reduce the vulnerabilities to the grid, reduce the level of dependence on the grid (and on more traditional fuel sources such as coal and oil) and at the same time retain the same levels of efficiency that is currently enjoyed in the more industrialized cities and nations? The answer is a very emphatic yes. In fact, as more and more isolated and rural locations receive power, some for the very first time, it will be clearly demonstrated how electrical current can, in many cases, be generated right on site and/or at the local level with no need for the power grid as we currently understand it. 

GIDIFA is a United Nations Specialized Agency focusing on Infrastructure, Development and Finance