Texas Oilman wants to supplant oil with Wind

[JohnWxy]

Source: USA Today

"Neither presidential candidate is talking about solving the oil problem. So we're going to make 'em talk about it," Pickens says.
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Finding solutions to other major issues, including health care, are important, he concedes. But "If you don't solve the energy problem, it's going to break us before we even get to solving health care and some of these other important issues." And it has to be done with the same sense of urgency that President Eisenhower had when he pushed the rapid development of the interstate highway system during the Cold War.

Of course, Pickens also has a particular solution in mind.

Wind. And natural gas.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-07-08-t-boone-pickens-plan-wind-energy_N.htm

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Installed wind power capacity surged 45% in 2007. If this rate of growth were maintained for 8 years wind would be producing 20% of the U.S. electrical power. But this would require aggressive support from the Government - underwriting loans for wind turbine manufacturers to expand their capacity and clearing up various regulations (varying by state) governing the transmission of power over high tension lines and how wind farms can hook up to the power grid.



But continued expansion of wind power is in jeopardy. The renewable energy bill has been indefinitely tabled in the Senate. The Repubs won't go along with revenue neutral provisions of the bill which close loop-hole in the tax code for the very wealthy and corporations. The bill includes provision for continuing the Production Tax Credit for wind farms which stimulates wind farm investment. If this provision dies so does continued expansion of wind farms until it is reinstated (which it will be eventually).

If you think it is insane to let Wind Power expansion not be fully supported Go to www.congress.org where they make it easy to email (or send a hard copy letter) your Senators and Representatives. All you do is enter your zip and they provide you with a input box to enter your email and then they takae it from there and send email or letter to your reps for you. IT's easy!

[boomerbust]

1. Obama/Pickens 08

IF Obama was smart he would get the jump on McCain and form some kind of alliance with T Boone, here is a man with a plan that I think most American people will get behind, and he is willing to put his billions where his mouth is.

[kirby]

2. Pickens is dishonorable...

This is the same guy who offered $1 million dollars for information disproving the swiftboat campaign against John Kerry. After Kerry wrote to Pickens taking him up on his offer, Pickens reneged on his public challenge.

Pickens sure knows how to blow wind...Hopefully he can harness it, but I wouldnt hold my breath.

[ingac70]

3. Pickens is an vile man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Boone_Pickens,_Jr.#Swift_Boat_challenge

[RazBerryBeret]

20. Except for the fact that

he was the POS that bankrolled the Swift Boat veterans....I hold him partially responsible for the mess we're in today

[saigon68]

26. Old T- Boone Is Owned By Cheney and the Neocons

Rove is his personal leash master.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. You can bet...

Pickens has a big position in NG, too.

It would be nice to see some new companies spring up around Wind Power. Companies not run by corrupt oilmen.

[Norrin Radd]

5. Oil companies do not need to control our future, alternative energy.

Let them wither.

[ohio2007]

7. ...Its blowing in the wind.....

somebody with deep pockets needs to invest in wind technology.

private sector takes the initiave, govt should get involved...and I don't mean TAXES on Texas startups.

[MrBlueSky]

6. I trust Pickens about as far as I can throw him... still...

Even devils can be redeemed, it seems.

I recommend a "wait and see" attitude... the man is a life long Repuke.

You know when the Repukes are starting to talk altnerative energy, the country is truly running out of oil!

[PatGund]

8. Because if anyone...

Becuase nobody knows hot air and natural gas better then T Boone "I welsh on bets" Pickens.

Wouldn't trust that asshole as far as I could throw him

[LostInAnomie]

9. Fuck that scum-bag piece of shit.

I don't care what that bastard is offering. He is not to be trusted.

[Island Blue]

10. T. Boone Pickens can kiss my

rosy red Southern ass. He is a vile and disgusting excuse for a man, and I guaran-damn-tee you that whatever he's proposing, he's only doing so to benefit himself and his fellow bushies. He's a snake in the grass.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. "he's only doing so to benefit himself "

Yep, has probably invested in some turbine companies. These guys keep their bases covered.

[Indenturedebtor]

13. True but is that such a bad thing?

I don't really care who makes the transition to renewables at this point. The important thing is that the transition is made.

If I ever need a kidney transplant I won't care if the kidney came from a willing mass murderer.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. I would expect

that in the near future, people like him will start buying turbine manufacturers outright. Once they do that, they will just tranfer their near monopoly from oil to wind, and price turbines out of reach.

on edit: he is a proven liar, and welches on his bets. With this known, you can bet there is some ulterior motive.

[Indenturedebtor]

15. Yes it could happen :( But where do we get the money to move forward

Short of taking theirs where is it going to come from? I'd rather see something like that happen. Make them pay reparations for the damage they've done our planet... but I'm not even sure that you can call that a remote possibility.

[Ilsa]

24. You bet. He is interested in what this can do for TBP.

Everyone else can suck air as far as he's concerned. He's scum.

My hubby was telling me that wind is only a regional resource, but I don't know enough about it. Regional sounds good to me.

[DesertRat]

12. He only donates to Republicans

http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/T_Boone_Pickens.php

[Delphinus]

16. I'm pretty sure that our

natural gas levels are pretty low in this country. I think he needs another way.

[rayofreason]

17. My electric company...

...offers a special rate, and the income is used to buy more wind farms.

Bring it on.

[Paladin]

18. Pickens Is Every Bit As Trustworthy As Dick Cheney

I've been in the energy business for over three decades, and I can assure you that, in an industry that's full of lying right-wing shitheels, Boone Pickens has earned himself a rotten reputation....

[marshall]

19. But would he accept those big windmills in his neighborhood?

Even Ted Kennedy didn't want those ugly things in his backyard.

[progressoid]

21. Ugly? WTF?

I'd take these:



over these any day:

[girl gone mad]

23. He's putting thousands of them out in West Texas.

A lot of the residents actually like the way they look. Of course many landowners are becoming quite wealthy leasing to wind power companies. Others are more reluctant, but the NIMBY attitude displayed by Senator Kennedy doesn't really exist out there. It's kind of ironic that West Texans are proving to be more progressive on alternative energy. I'm betting wind energy will be a boon to this state and east coast elitists will regret losing ground in order to preserve pristine views that only a few very wealthy individuals get to enjoy.

[progressoid]

22. Just what we need: More oilmen fucking it up for us.

[DesertRat]

25. That says it all. n/t