An expert in the field of renewable energy, Peter Meisen was born and raised in Oceanside. He attended South Oceanside Elementary and Lincoln Junior High before moving on to OHS. Elected class president his junior year, Peter was honored as the Class of ‘71 Salutatorian. Following two years at MiraCosta College, where he again earned Salutatorian honors, Peter transferred to UC San Diego, completing his B.S. in Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences in 1975.

As a social engineer, he helped establish SHARE (Self Help and Resource Exchange), which grew to become one of North America’s largest private food distribution programs. Five years later, drawing inspiration from renowned inventor and futurist Buckminster Fuller, he founded the Global Energy Network Institute (GENI), a non-profit research and educational institute designed to explore global solutions for peace and sustainable development. GENI’s goal is to establish an interconnected electric grid that links the regional power systems to renewable energy resources on every continent. Former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite called the idea “the most thoughtful strategy for peace and sustainable development” that he had ever seen. The GENI Initiative has earned the endorsement of seven Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, with Peter presenting his plan at seven World Energy Conferences. To spur investment into green energy development, Peter helped launch the Global Climate 100 Index, designed for investors seeking climate change solutions. Index companies provide leadership in the areas of renewable energies, future fuels and clean/efficient technology. In 2011, Peter expanded his work by launching the World Resources Simulation Center (WRSC) to visualize sustainable solutions to global and local problems so that society can make more informed choices quickly.

Some of his professional memberships include: UCSD Alumni Association, MIT Enterprise Forum, the IEEE Power Engineering Society, World Affairs Council of San Diego, Union of Concerned Scientists and the American Council on Renewable Energy. He and his wife Ashley, who serves as the Director of the Women’s Museum of California, reside in San Diego.

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