When Peter Meisen, Revelle ’75, was in high school, his father suggested that he attend a lecture by inventor, scientist and mathematician R. Buckminster Fuller. Fuller advocated that a worldwide electricity grid is essential to an efficient and sustainable world. Years later, Meisen created an institute to help make that idea a reality. Meisen founded the Global Energy Network Institute (GENI) in 1986 as a non-profit focused to provide research and education on linking electrical power grids worldwide, and so far over half the world has been connected, although he says there is a long way to go.

Meisen’s ideas have been endorsed by countless world leaders, including former secretary general of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali and former Vice President Al Gore. Noel Brown, a special adviser to the Group of 77 Developing Nations, says, “I have followed closely the work of GENI for some time, and find the project to be one of the most important opportunities to further the cause of environmental protection and sustainable development. ”

Meisen’s side projects include a partnership with KLD Research & Analytics, Inc. to create the Global Climate 100 Index, which promotes investment in public companies whose activities best mitigate the causes of climate change.
The Index has already produced a 15 percent rate of return.

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