Comments on: T. Boone Pickens: A man with an energy plan

Wind power can supply 20 percent of the U.S.' electricity in 10 years, freeing up natural gas to fuel cars and reduce dependence on oil, says billionaire oilman Pickens.

[fokkwp]

This is the scale of operation that is required to make a serious dent in global warming and the other problems associated with energy. We need a similar program for sunlight-fed algae, and another, say, 200-500B to distribute among universities and promising startups for R&D. Too costly? what do you think the cost will be when most agriculture in the S. Hemisphere, and most ocean fishing, is wiped out? what will we pay into the defense budget alone?

[Seaspray0]

Before people like RetroBurn1970 open their mouths and spout "Bird Deaths", they should check out the facts first. There is no significant increase in bird deaths associated with windmills, period! Wind power is also the most economical of the alternative energies and is capable of competing with coal and natural gas at todays prices.

[SeniorD]

Electricity is something this country cannot do without. Oil, on the other hand, is something we can do without, except for transportation of goods (that's trucking to y'all).

Boone Picken's Plan sounds good, but why do I suspect there's a pony somewhere in there? If the country derives 20% of electricity from wind power, the price of oil will go up not down since other countries won't go the green route anytime in my grandchildren's lives. My plan is simple:

1. Build nuclear power plants and re-cycle power rods
2. Move automobiles to hydrogen power and get the necessary infrastructure in place to provide the new fuel
3. Convert existing refineries to produce no sulfur diesel for the turcking industry
4. Tell Al Gore and his elite followers in D.C., Hollywood and elswhere to start walking

[as2319]

Energy via Burning is Archaic. 1969, the Moon. 2008, ? - That's 40 years. The Solar Energy that hit the Earth yesterday was enough to power Human Kind for the next...mm.. 10,000 Years or something. (Google it)

I founded kineticPotentia, and am working on a patent for a new h...... ............ unit. I invite innovative thinkers and capital groups to contact me.

Pay for Oil, and Choke (left hand) OR Harness Free Energy, and Breathe (right hand)

Nathaniel Adam Briggs - kineticPotentia & syntheticMagic a.b.s.

[tahoercflyer]

Mr. Pickens may know everything in the world about oil, but he needs some basics in the fundamentals of electricity. Or maybe he has a magic wand to eliminate transmission line losses. In either case, the problem is the same; long distance transmission of electrical power is lossy. It really only makes sense when the source of electricy is very cheap. Wind power is not cheap, its second only to solar for its high cost. If he has a way around this problem, more power to him. Maybe we should put our coal fired generating plants in Wyoming, that way we could eliminate all the trains and expense of carrying coal to the current set of generating plants.

[holyhope]

on current power transmission lines the losses are significant. We here in Washington ship massive quantities to California, so it is economical even with 50's technology. If you look at the new chinese dam in Khartoum, you will see powerlines with 500kv lines, and these have greatly reduced transmission losses.

[joccol]

Hydrogen I think is our best bet to get off of oil. We now have a Hydrogen Station in Orlando. If we could make it mandatory that the that the oil companies, using some of their big profits, install one Hydrogen pump at each company owned station, it would not cost them much because
it would be tax deductible to them and they would make money selling Hydrogen and could power their own stations with it. The Hydrogen could be made from water, at each station, using
solar and wind power, no transportation costs. Hydrogen made this way would be the cleanest fuel that we can use. If we did this, the car companies would have cars on the road in a year. They cannot build or sell Hydrogen cars until the fuel is available. This could be done even quicker, if we spent $200 billion for this, instead of spending it on Bushes War to kill people!!!!!

[tomklein]

Pickens has two components two his energy plan. One, substitution of natural gas for gasoline or diesel for surface transportation fuel is an eminently feasible and economical proposal. We should start on it right away. The wind proposal is a lot more problematic. While wind is an economical source of energy, its unpredictibility is a major problem, if it supplies the grid directly. As it currently stands, it needs to be backed up by comparably sized conventional generating stations to secure uninterrupted supplies. Since conventional storage facilities are expensive for the scale Pickens envisions, a chemical storage concept need to be looked at. The unused and excess electricity generated by wind farms should be used to generate Hydrogen by electrolysis. The Hydrogen should be used to generate liquid or gaseous fuel by chemical processing.

[tomklein]

Pickens has two components two his energy plan. One, substitution of natural gas for gasoline or diesel for surface transportation fuel is an eminently feasible and economical proposal. We should start on it right away. The wind proposal is a lot more problematic. While wind is an economical source of energy, its unpredictibility is a major problem, if it supplies the grid directly. As it currently stands, it needs to be backed up by comparably sized conventional generating stations to secure uninterrupted supplies. Since conventional storage facilities are expensive for the scale Pickens envisions, a chemical storage concept need to be looked at. The unused and excess electricity generated by wind farms should be used to generate Hydrogen by electrolysis. The Hydrogen should be used to generate liquid or gaseous fuel by chemical processing.

[md_scotty]

There is a public Forum for discussions about Pickens plan :
www.pickensenergyplan.com
Cheers.

[md_scotty]

There is a public Forum for discussions about Pickens plan :
www.pickensenergyplan.com
Cheers.

[washparkguy]

Retroburn

While the subsidy for wind is temporary the subsidy that the US pays for oil is much higher.
1. We maintain at least a carrier battle group near the gulf and several destroyers year round to escort oil tankers out.
2. The reason for the dollar going down in value is due to a large part by the large trade deficit that is caused by purchasing oil from foreign sources.
3. The wind on the great plains is pretty consistent and after a wind turbine is put up the cost is almost zero, only maintenance costs.
4. Production, installation, and maintenance of wind turbines will provice us jobs.
5. Please do your research first before making a fool of yourself.

I think they look kinda neat too.

Major areas of wind potential Northern Calif to Oregon coastline, Northeast coast line, and great plains with South and North Dakota having the biggest potential these states could send this power to the midwest - Minneapolis, Chicago, and Michigan.

[Steve_1492]

All this talk of solar and wind is just an investment nightmare for today and an expensive patch for tomorrow. What we MUST do is bring back nuclear technology and update our power distrubition infrastructure so that we will have real energy independence in the future.
It is our ONLY REAL option and it is green!

[bigduke223]

AT LAST, Someone with a plan that makes sense and that can be implemented in a reasonable time frame. This is a win, win, win, win plan. 1. Reduce our need for foreign oil. 2. Create new long term jobs to boost our economy. 3. Replace gasoline with a cleaner burning fuel (natural gas). 4. Buy us time to further develop solar and other types of energy technology. As Pickens said, the key is to pull together and let our elected officials know that this policy is something that must be pursued ASAP. Time is money that we don't have. Bigduke223

[Aeothur]

When is the leadership in this country going to wake up? If we keep using foreign oil at the rate we're using it now not only is our economy going to collapse, the world economy is going to collapse. And with a shortage of oil worldwide, people are going to start fighting over the oil. It wouldn't surprise me that World War III will soon follow. If you think Global Warming is going to cause an ecological disaster, then I wonder what you think that another World War would do to the ecology. We must stop importing oil now! We must use all of our resources and to get off foreign oil and then, get off of fossil fuel. Mr. Pickens' idea of using wind power is a good start, but we need more drastic actions and we need REAL leadership. Democrat or Republican doesn't make a difference; they?re not doing anything but blowing hot air. If congress won't lead, we must lead them. Wind energy is a good idea, but we need more good ideas.

[team222]

Of course there is short term solution and America has done it before!!!!!!

America needs an immediate Energy War Plan implemented with the same or greater magnitude and dedication as our WWll domestic war manufacturing and support effort.

Dedication.... like this: Before the WWll the United States produced 17 military planes a day, three years later we were producing 235 planes per day or 10 planes every hour!!!! We can do the same to win this Energy War.

By 2011.......... 500 gas plants on line using tall grass and other non edible renewable sources, 100,000 windmills, 10,000 tidal electric generators, 10 nuclear reactors, 50 clean coal generators and twenty percent of the arid areas of AZ and NM be under solar and mirror reflector installs....what ever it takes for a short/medium range successes and energy independence, so we can buy time to develop long term even cleaner and better solutions that will help people worldwide and also play a significant role in the battle against global warming.

This American Energy War Plan would involve us all. A massive 24/7 effort that would create millions of new jobs, factories converted to three shift production of solar, nuclear, wind, wave, tidal and other finished components to meet the 2011install deadlines. Thousands of ongoing jobs for Americans repairing, maintaining and managing our new energy installs for decades into the future.
.
We also need all new industrial alliances that would benefit America and Americans. For example, American automotive, trucking and RV manufacturers with companies that can convert tall grass/other renewable resources to diesel and gasoline at regional manufacturing plants on our interstates. The same would work for the airlines by having such facilities near major airports.

Courage, leadership, programs and action like FDR did during the depression. We can do this if everyone makes their intentions clear now to the candidates.....the one that pledges to a program like this would most likely get our votes!!!!

Once this is in place we set up long term leases of our energy solutions for other countries........and let this pave the way for their oil independence and in the process re-establish an America economy in a world leadership position again and finally gain control of our own destiny.

[RichardCreek1]

Mr. Pickens I would love to join your organization as a volunteer in getting out your word and ideas on Wind and Solar power. Please let me know how and what I can do to help. I am 60 years old with Grandchildren and I want the best for their future. Thank you Richard Creek

[daBear47]

Actually, it shouldn't take too much trouble to design the new windmills with screens to prevent bird deaths (and damage to the blades of the windmill).

[jamchi]

every thing has a time and a place oil had it's time but it is time to move on. it is past time to get away from oil and seek better sources.

[giantsg7]

The plan is a scam. He admits on his site that he owns companies that build wind turbines. Consider he wants the United States to spend $1.2 Trillion (with a T) on HIS wind turbines to produce 20% of our electricity, when we could get the same about of electricity for less than $100 Billion (B not T) in nuclear plants. Why force America to spend 12x more then we have to for energy? Answer: because hes betting that Americans are desparate and gullible enough to make him the worlds first trillionaire.

[dnscompanies]

I can't wait to install a 17 foot sail on my SUV! Sweet!
But first we need a $115 trillion dollar hiway imporvement plan to raise all of our overpasses to 50 feet... you know... semi trucks will have HUGE sails on their rigs!
JUST DRILL FOR OIL ALREADY! We do have like 300 million cars that use it... HELLO!