In the first minute of this video, T. Boone Pickens demonstrates all too well how the U.S. has become significantly more dependent of foreign sources for its energy needs.
Do you agree or disagree with the Pickens Plan? Also, if you were to develop your own energy plan, what would you recommend? Please leave a comment below with your ideas and opinions….
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These are very good ideas. Charles, your comment regarding a nationally integrated electricity grid is a particularly good one. There are estimates that about half of U.S. generation capacity is unused and power interuptions cost the digital economy about $13.5 billion, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. With that, you would think that investments in smart grids would make sense. Upgrading the grid would also seem necessary if wind is to be part of the solution.
I think the Pickens Plan has some merit, particularly in regard to getting at shale gas reserves. But, the solution will need to be “all of the above” — oil, natural gas, wind, solar, shale oil, ethanol, hydrogen, nuclear, etc ….
Some things can have an immediate impact, others will take time. But, there is no plan to do anything. As Mr. Pickens pointed out in a presentation made recently (December 2, 2008) in DC, every president in the last 40 years has promised to end our energy dependence, but we have yet to see a plan. Instead, things have gotten only worse.
Steve
The current economic downturn is an excellent time to re-industrialize the U. S. economy to quit burning fossil fuels and start relying upon renewable energy resources.
The vast quantity of geothermal sources of energy are totally untapped. Investments in the manufacturing of wind, solar and advanced storage devices are necessary to put people in this country back to work.
I totally endorse the goal of reducing foreign oil imports by at least 50 per cent within the next decade. Diverting natural gas from electricity production to the transportation sector makes a lot of sense from a national security perspective.
If I could, I would convert my 1955 Chevy with its stovebolt 6 cylinder engine to natural gas if I could afford it — just to prove that it could be done.
I think the Pickens Plan make alot of sense. It provides a clear plan of action. By reducing the amount we spend on foreign oil, we increase our national security, create jobs at home and create cleaner, renewable forms of energy.
It has taken someone with a business mind like Mr. Pickens to stir us into action. I have an energy company, and our purpose is to enhance the work that has been started with the Pickens Plan.
The problem is that too many people are injecting their own ideas on how we can achieve energy independence, and they range from the so-so to borderline ridiculous. People are always trying to move the message away from energy independence, but we need to listen to the real experts like Mr. Pickens.
Let me repeat what he has stated over and over: We have to start now, and not simply keep making excuses about how long it will take. The ONLY alternative fuel source we have available today is CNG. Battery is not fully developed, and only works with light-duty vehicles. Hydrogen is not developed fully, and in my opinion, hybrids are only making cars more fuel efficient. Personal vehicles with higher fuel efficiency won’t solve our problem. Big trucks used in transportation account for a huge portion of our oil use.
Let’s start now! No more excuses, no more studies, no more committees. We have the power and the ability to make a true difference.
Jim VanNatta
Executive Director
American Alternative Energy Group
Dr. Charles, your ideas are perfect, literally!! And thats the problem with them.
Here’s my energy plan… Have little bitty goals and actually do them right now, let them grow and expand, but do them right now. Right now, today, T. Boone has the money let’s get the School district right here in Hutchinson, KS on wind power.
“Retrofit every building in the US” that is a unrealistic goal that will absolutely never happen, ever. So.. let’s retrofit 10 buildings in each state this month that weren’t even being discussed as possible options and then try to do 15 next month.
Let’s take school districts and get them windfarms, one at a freaking time in each state.
I appreciate what you are saying Dr. Chuck and you obviously are way smarter than me, but our biggest problem right now is too much planning and not enough action. The only way to force this ball to roll is to start taking little bity steps and let it steam roll!!!!
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
George S. Patton
I am considering converting a vehicle to natural gas as an experiment. But it is a dicey deal:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2175756_convert-vehicle-natural-gas.html
I know your plan calls for fleet conversion to CNG, and to let the markets sort out the consumer side of that. How does the current and future economic instability effect the viability of your plan succeeding?
I am one of the 1.3 million strong Pickens Army and strongly agree with the Pickens Plan.
I had written a EdOp to The Toledo Blade during the primaries stating that if the next Administration did not embrace the Infrastructure as the base of our economy and recovery, then they were missing the greatest opportunity since the Space Program.
NOW is the time to invest, construct and increase our independence.
We do need to expand the use of wind, solar, and thermal energy in this country. Of course people have known this for several years now.
I feel too much attention is given to nuclear power. Right now there is a little know crisis in the disposal of spent materials, some of which are having to be stored at hospitals and universities because there is no place available to dispose of the waste.
Switching to natural gas powered cars still uses resources that are in a limited supply. There are plans to import it from overseas. This is at best a short term option and we need to focus on renewable power to avoid ending up where we are right now 10 years from now.
The Pickens Plan is good in that it is one of the most realistic alternative energy proposals that does not rely on large further R&D accomplishments.
It has added benefit that it is not single track. Half of what we’d need to do for the Pickens Plan is to upgrade the grid to transport electricity over longer distances, which would create opportunities for nuclear or other proven electricity generation options if wind power did not scale as well as is hoped.
I am an “all of the above guy”, with an eye on things that create the least pollution and permanent change in the landscape. So strip mining is an example of something that I think is not a good idea, and nuclear is a great idea (which is why the French have done so much of it).
But one thing I can’t understand is the push for wind turbines. I can’t imagine any more permanent, gaudy, and unnatural disruption to the landscape of our lives than the seven story high giant pinwheels that have no relationship to the landscape into which they are dropped.
And they are more permanent than even strip mining scars, which at least can be replanted.
And according to the Cornell Ornithology department, they are a danger to birds, proven to kill thousands of birds in each flock flying through (the birds use the same winds the turbines use).
Why are people who are so adamantly oppose to all other kinds of pollution, as I am, not seeing the price we will pay in the permanent visual pollution these giant white scars will create to once pristine natural landscapes?
Somebody help me with the hypocritical disconnect here. I just don’t get it.
We need a municipal infrastructure overhaul which allows us to move people, reduce highway fatalities, evacuate urban areas in advance of natural disasters, bring trauma centers directly to disaster scenes and run our country on renewable energy all while creating high-wage jobs with benefits.
The Interstate Traveler Hydrogen Superhighway can do all of that and more AND WITHOUT TAXPAYER EXPENSE!
Details at
Listen to my 3-part interview with the inventor of this amazing technology at
I fully support the Pickens Plan. I am hopeful that lower prices at the pump don’t cause people to have a false sense of security. We need to continue to aggressively push local, state, and federal officials to agree to do what they can to implement the plan. It is a bold and challenging task but it is well worth the effort to reduce long term dependence on Venezuela and the Middle East.
Pickens Plan NOW!
I agree with you Mr. Pickens in some ways, but in some I dont. I live in Eastern, KY in a county called Pike Co. It is named America’s Energy Capital. We have vast amounts of Natural Gas, Oil, and especially Coal. I do agree we need more natural gas, we are drilling as fast as we can here. We have a ethanol plant coming here to transform our waste into ethanol so we will be a 0 waste county. Well enough about that, I just want to ask you a question. What will this do to the coal industry? I know you are pushing good clean energy, but we have more coal than natural gas. Why cant we have a mass research in a way to burn coal cleanly. In a recent study, of the decades coal has been mined here, we have only extracted 13%, thats amazing. We have the energy right here and its easy to get, so we could really break dependance on alot of oil period if we just switched to more clean coal. You can make oil from coal also with CTL plants. That could power the diesel trucks along with your natural gas idea’s. We could combine wind and coal plants to meet the demand in the future without using nuclear, i’m affraid of nuclear. If we switch away from coal, then we are being idiots. We have vast amounts of it and it can be burned cleanly so why not use it??? Why not use it?
Require the nations homebuilders to integrate “upgrade options” into their selling model, to include Solar Panels, CNG filling stations for home use.
Land development incentives for developers that integrate covenants into masterplanned communities, utilizing a set % of homes built with CNG at home filling stations, much like the incentives ATT offers to developers utilizing fiber optics direct to home, a luxury we American taxpayers have subsidized over the past decade.
It’s time for Americans to question our politicians and demand an answer.
Blake Stevens
Houston, TX
The Pickens Plan is one of the most comprehensive energy plans ever offered. As we move into the 21st century, it is imperative that we also move toward a 21st century energy policy. We can no longer afford to be locked into 19th century energy technology. In 1960, John Kennedy asked us to put a man on the moom and bring him back in less than 10 years. We didn’t have the majority of the technology, and certainly no experience, but we did it! We can do the same for new energy technologies. All we need is the drive to do so! President-elect Obama needs to step up, and give us the same kind of challenge that President Kennedy gave us almost 50 years ago. And we need to co-opt the Obama campaign message..”Yes we can!”
Regards to my earlier comment, comment 13. I do oppose strip mining, but not high wall mining. A deep mine employ’s more people while keep environmental effects to a minimum. I’m more for an all of the above approach! I dont believe CO2 is the cause of global warming, but I dont believe in dumping toxic chemicals into the ocean, etc etc. Just wanted to clear that up 
I agree with Mr. Pickens plan because it is the right plan at the right time. The cost of doing nothing or doing the wrong thing is just too high.
I totally, 100% agree with the Pickens Plan!! I am a member of the Pickens Army.
What is terrifying is the Bush administration’s 11th hour actions of slipping through legislation that is going to destroy precious wilderness (for example Red Rock in Utah), and there will be nothing that can be done to UNdo it once it goes through. He has excluded oil and logging industries from being held responsible to keep environmental/global warming damage to the legal limits, and has put precious endangered wildlife such as polar bears at great risk of being decimated.
We MUST do something NOW to stop those horrors from taking place and to put at least some of the smaller, doable ideas from the Plan into place, such as small wind farms or conversion to solar energy for schools. We can’t keep sitting back and talking about it. We need action.
As the old saying goes, if you keep doing what you have always done, you’ll keep getting what you have always gotten. In this case, what we have gotten is more dependence on foreign oil, more global warming and more destruction.
Deep sea floating wind turbines represent another rich resource to be tapped, especially if turbines are developed that can also create hydro power from the currents that will most likely be located in.
This plan has made me an activist to put it simply. I have become an out spoken advocate of the Pickens Plan because T Boone Pickens is addressing a the elephant in the room. I strongly agree with his ideas, and I think it exactly what this country needs to get back on its feet and reclaim its leadership in this world.
The one thing I might do differently if I were to develop a plan is focus more heavily on production of algae biofuel. This can be a win - win solution to not only producing our own fuel but using CO2 as a resource instead of a waste product.
Matt Gilbert
Pickens Plan Supporter
This plan is the first time we have been close to having a plan at all. I like that Boone always says we should start with commercial trucking. I live right next to (with in 2 blocks) of I-10. The volume of trucks on this strech is huge. Fuel prices are not going to be low forever. We will make a giant dent in the problem if 90% to 100% of America’s commercial traffic used Nat. Gas. All of our consumer products would be much less expensive. Second, Wind and Solar Energy. I wish I had the money to build a huge solar farm. I live in an area that has miles upon miles of empty desert. Clean… We need these things to get America back to work. Our economy runs on energy and real estate. Both are in serious trouble. Lets fix it alreasy!!!!!
Where there is a will, there is a way. Before anything can be accomplished to become energy independent, we must strengthen the American will. The Pickens Plan was voted down in California. We have to get special interest groups on board, NRDC, Sierra Club, Heritage Society, Brookings Institute, etc.
Then, start with working models, and public demonstrations of how this plan will work. Use TV programs and movies to spread the word. The people always need heroic role models. Boone’s Army has to walk the walk to set a positive example. Pick the low hanging fruit first and work up to the top. It will get done if we take it one small step at a time. The first step is to create the will to do it.
I have been disappointed in our leadership on this subject for a long time until I realized that we need to stop asking our government to solve all of our problems, start the push for what we want ourselves as citizens, and follow it up by holding elected leaders accountable for implementing what we need.
I agree with Mr Pickens and it should get done.
In our current economic situation we could pay for wall streets mess in two years with 20% wind on the grid.
We could put alot of people to work as well.
And we could decrease our involvement in the mid east.
Personally with 5K (updated refrig, HD front loading washer, On demand instant hot water, 98% CFC’s, and using our programmable thermostat properly) of retro fits to my home we have reduced our energy consumption from 50KW avg per day to 18KW a day. Mainly through improved efficiency in appliances and lighting These were relatively minor improvements.
And I have not really touched the mechanical systems of the house yet, Insulation, windows, or HVAC systems.
last month just by sealing our return vent we reduced consumption 20% in one month, maybe two hours of work and about 30 bucks.
We can all do this.
Tom
Dr. Ebinger has great ideas. The Pickens plan has great ideas. What is needed is a comprehensive approach involving all of these ideas. We should include biodiesel from waste oil and non-food crops as well as part of the plan. The Federal Government should not only end oil subsidies, but should implement a “level” tax that keeps gasoline at 2.50 per gallon, so that while oil is cheap they can raise significant revenue to be used to implement these ideas. The money should be used to subsidize all electric vehicles - PHEV and EV.
CAFE standards need to include some mix of electric vehicles. We need a 50 year plan, not a 5 year plan.
Instead of bailing out the automakers.I would like to see them restructure current facilities and labor force to accommodate production and maintenance of alternative energy automobiles.
Bailouts could come in the form of Capital Investment in facility restructuring, effective measurable Research & Development, and tax breaks for buyers of new domestically produced energy efficient automobiles. Salaries for top executives should be base + incentive based on company performance!
For the U.S. to survive we must stand on our on and stop our dependcy
on other countries.
I totally agree with the Pickens Plan. I look forward to the day when Americans will use clean fuels and will no longer be dependant on foreign oil.
Do I agree or disagree? Well I don’t think it needs to be an either/or scenario quite frankly. I’ve seen many elements about your plan I like very much and other things I question. The same is true for other “plans” that are out there. My preference would be that we let the free markets work without Government interference and let the markets decide which methods work. I am concerned that with gas prices back down to 2003 levels, people will once again get complacent about coming up with alternative energy solutions and before you know it, we’ll all be right back in the same boat as before.
There is no question that the Pickens Plan has become a voice for everyone in the USA who wants more focus on energy efficiency and on investment in renewable energy to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources as well as a cleaner environment. With its huge technological lead over the rest of the world, the USA stands to make massive profits from selling any new technology and products that it develops in this area if it chooses to market these outside the country. This would also help in reducing the cost of renewable energy equipment because of expanded economies of scale.
Hopefully, this would go ahead full steam (to use a fossil-fuel term that does not, yet, have a green substitute) and energize the US and world economy. Thanks, Boone!
PickensPlan is an important part, one we can take action on now, and focused on American resources. This is of great strategic importance.
But it’s also only part of the overall energy solution. We should do the PickensPlan, NOW, and buy some time to develop fully sustainable American energy self-sufficiency.
Like T. Boone Pickens said, we need a leader with workable ideas. The Al Gore approach is much too extreme but similar in other respects. So Pickens is our leader, with a million followers. We should follow with a minimum of criticism and alternate ideas.
Likely the USA natural gas can be ramped up to supply more than 100 million vehicles, even if we don’t reduce the use of natural gas to make electricity. What I’m saying is we can do the CNG = compressed natural gas for vehicles even if we only double our present installed wind generator capacity.
The wind turbines are an even better idea. I’d like to say we can do this without our Federal Government, but the HVDC = high voltage direct current power lines need to cross several states, so we need eminent domain.
Also, several federal agencies are presently holding the CNG conversion kits to excessive standards. We need to take a chance on less than perfect safety, otherwise the USA may be a third world country (or worse) in 2009. Likely the micro-managing is also discouraging new car manufacturers from making CNG vehicles that meet USA standards. 8 million almost as good CNG vehicles are in use world wide, with decades of experience. Foreigners have already paved the way for The USA in the construction and operation of big wind turbines. This is proven technology. The USA federal government needs to stand back and allow the construction of factories in the USA to make the wind Turbines and CNG vehicles. It is not so much what the USA Federal government needs to do, it is mostly they need to pull down the barriers.
So I did make two embellishments to Pickens Plan. HVDC instead of 3 phase 60 hertz ac. Wikipedia explains the advantages well. My other embellishment is that we don’t need to junk any natural gas turbine electric generators before they are beyond economical repair, but most of them will run fewer hours per day with 40,000 big wind turbines supplying more than 20% of our electricity. Neil
I support the Pickens Plan. Integration of Wind generated power into the grid is a large issue but if it cannot be accomplished to full effectiveness, still harness the Wind for the manufacture of say hydrogen or bio-fuels. We need a plan. We are out of oil in 50 years and in the meantime, we are lining the pockets of people who don’t like us.
While I agree that we need to sever our dependence on foreign oil (doesn’t mean we have to stop using it), we should be cautious about how we do that. Having returned to the US recently from Mexico & South Pacific on a SAILboat, I could see the influence on corn & soy prices the production of ethonol and bio-diesel were having on the price of corn and soy products in these areas.
As others have mentioned, there are a lot of ways to increase our energy efficency that would reduce our dependence on foreign suppliers. One area I have a question about is; All of our freight is moved by rail or truck, rail is fairly efficent, but I haven’t seen any real discussion about how to get all those trucks off the highway (make rail more efficent & wide spread) or to power them with alternative fuels.
Yes, I do support Mr.Pickens efforts! And, I am and shall continue to be involved in the pickensplan grassrots energy army! However, I do feel that Mr. Pickens should make a greater effort to both hear and back (show support for) some of the ideas coming from it, having formed in the discussion groups. Some names I could mention would be Mr.Gary Harrison, Dr.James Tracy, and myself as well. A R&D division of PickensPlan needs to be developed and instituted, as there are many fine ideas that need to be brought to reality! I do not feel we should burn every fuel source we have, as our kids and grandkids will need those resources someday! I have a friend (not in PP) that I helped to develope an electrochemical/hydraulic engine that uses no fuel whatsoever (it does use some 20 gal. of oil, but it doesn’t burn it or consume it)and has no emmissions at all, consumes no air either, and he cannot get a patent for it, as the patent office doesn’t permit patenting of “perpetual energy machinery”,this needs to be changed. We need to stop revering Einstien so much, he died a long time ago! I’ll do what I can to help Mr.P, but he meeds to do what he can to help us as well! Thank you for asking us to comment on this matter, and happy holidays, and God Bless this mighty U.S.A.!!!
T. Boone Pickens makes good business sense and I support the plan. Also while scanning the web looking at the cost of natural gas as compared to gasoline there is a vast difference in where you live. In some places it’s as cheap as .63 cents/gge. In other locations it’s $2.85/ gge. As with any new idea it takes time to iron our the wrinkles.
While the Pickens plan makes sense and I support it; it is not a total solution. However, it is a very good start and someone like T.Boone who is willing to put his money where his mouth is should be considered a national hero. Of course anyone could have put together this plan [even me] but then would I been listened to; probably not because it takes millions of dollars to get things done when talking about a plan of national scale. He has spent millions on clearly identifying a goal and developing an action plan to implement it. Not to shabby for a guy in his 80’s!
So let’s all conserve, use CFL’s, add more insulation to our buildings, upgrade our furnaces/heat pumps, dig more geothermal wells, put up more solar panels and get the natural gas conversion kits for our cars manufactured. Good heavens GM do you want a product to build that people want - build Natural Gas conversion kits for cars and trucks! Also how about converting one of your Hummer/SUV plants to building wind turbines on a massive scale. I could go on and on with ideas but we just need to get off our behinds and get on with it. We can create millions of jobs and transform our society with only a little bit of leadership.
Everyone should know that one of the side benefits of using natural gas is that it burns so clean you can easily go twice [2X] as long between oil changes. If your a trucker changing out 10-15 gallons of oil in a big rig that’s serious savings. If you only have to change the oil in your car every 15.000 miles that’s also not only cheaper but also allows you the time for another 9 holes of golf. So there are some financial and time rewards by implementing some of these items.
One of the items I don’t see a bunch of discussion about here are the financial aspects of going green. Here is the first thing I would do.
Raise the gas tax $1.00/gallon right now while fuel costs are low and freeze government spending to that increased revenue level for the following items. Oh boy that sure would be a popular idea wouldn’t it? But wait a minute; you haven’t heard the whole plan yet. It may not be popular but .50/gallon should be spent on alternative energy solutions and the other .50 spend on reducing our national debt. At the current price of fuel here in AZ the price would be about $2.73/gal [$1.73 is current price]. Now my degree isn’t in finance but .50/gallon for debt reduction would at least be a start. Sooner or later we are going to have to start paying for some of this stuff. Living beyond our means as individuals and as a country is just plain inappropriate.
tomgarven@hotmail.com
Im all for the Pickens Plan. My grandparents farm has been running alt fuels for 30 years. Im trying to convert an old volvo now on my own. It’s time for action & Pickens so far is the only guy who is putting a clear plan forward.
I support the Pickens Plan and any effort to reduce imports of foreign oil. I believe we can do this by using natural gas as a transportation fuel (CNG). This is a mature technology and is suited for internal combustion engines.
We can’t develop numerous new technologies all at once. We can R&D other options after we convert to CNG.
Upgrade the electric grid, maybe. Develop new battery technology, ok but why wait for this things to happen before we start using a domestic fuel that is cleaner?
The US auto industry is in the toilet now, but ask them to build these cars. They could use there existing plants and build their current models with only the slightest modifications. The fueling infrastructure could be public work projects. Put a station in every WalMart parking lot and we would cover the country efficiently and quickly.
I believe it is the first step in the right direction for a better future. I am an energy management major and by using CNG for transportation fuel we are ensuring thousands of jobs across the nation is NG production. I am all for it!
Preston Purviance
Mesa State College
Energy Management Program
I’m baffled about how long it’s taking our governement to do something….anything…about Americas failure to utilize renuable energy sources. Then again I don’t have lobbyist around me daily either.
As for T. Boone Pickens Plan, MAKE IT WORK!
Brandt Sparks
Angeleton, TX
It’s a no-brainer!
The plan that Pickens puts forth is sensible and needs to be supported and implemented ASAP!
And, the auto industry should get on board yester-year! Perhaps if they had been using natural gas, they would not be boo-hoo-ing right now.
I have been waiting for an affordable, American, and fuel-alternative efficient car from them for sometime!!
By the way, I’d suggest anyone to rent “Who killed the Electric Car?”
A VERY interesting documentary about an electric car that GM had developed decades ago - and did exactly that!!
Don’t tell me there is no common interest between Big Oil and Big Auto. They have been eating at the fat table way too long.
I am so impressed with the thoroughness of the Pickens plan AND the fact that a billionaire is putting his money where his mouth is! When the rubber truly meets the road, there is progress, and, OH, HOW WE NEED PROGRESS on our energy systems.
I am supporting this in every way that I can, and am asking my grown children to consider doing the same.
Mr. Pickens, if you need a full-time executive assistant that can work out of the Colorado Springs area, give me a call!
The plans are great now is the time for action. Here are six cheap and simple steps I will take.
1. I will educate myself on the basics of the plan.
2. I will tell friends, family and neighbors about the plan and how they can help.
3. I will help those that want to know more about the plan inform themselves.
4. I will send letters to my local newspaper in support of the plan.
5. I will contact civic leaders at the local, state and federal level and voice my support for the plan.
6. I will encourage others to do the same.
I strongly agree with Mr. Pickens. I believe foreign oil is a serious threat to our national economy and security whether gas prices are $1.50 or $4.50. Our national leaders must come to this same realization and support America’s energy independence over their own pork-barrel agendas.
Further, I strongly believe natural gas (NG) can be (as Mr. Pickens says) a transportation energy bridge to other future forms of transportation fuels! But to make NG available and affordable for our current vehicles, Congress must support and pass legislation that promotes NG. Two principle ways to accomplish this are:
1) Incentives for CNG vehicle purchases, CNG conversions kits, & CNG refueling stations.
and,
2) Changes to the EPA’s current excessive and restrictive regulations on CNG conversion kit certification!
The consumption of petroleum of the USA increased annually up to 1973, when the seizure of Arab OPEC reduced the annual increases during two years. The increases were renewed, lifting the consumption to 18.8 million daily barrels in 1978, before prices in increase led the demand at a lower level post - of 15.2 million daily barrels in 1983. The consumption began to recover and it was increased with the low prices of the raw one in 1986. Before the 2000 it had arrived to 19.4 million daily barrels. Of each 10 barrels of petroleum consumed in the United States, more than 4 barrels they were consumed in form of motor gasoline. The sector of transport only gives bill of the two thirds of the whole consumption of petroleum that in the United States.
The objective of the long term strategic plan of the OPEC is to elevate the price of the petroleum on the US $100/barril. That means that in that price we can be paying for gallon of gasoline it should be near the US $4/galón in the United States. The OPEC like other private societies will require thousands of millions of dollars to invest in the exploration and the production to satisfy the demand of increase of the energy and the necessities economic interns of their countries, let us remember they are national companies of whose revenues these economies depend.
To limit to the escalade of price of the long term petroleum, by means of the development of alternative energy and of the substitution of raw for other fuels as natural gas.
The imports of petroleum of the Gulf Peach in America were increased in more than 40 percent of the 2003 at 2030 (according to the Outlook of the Energy Department). At the same time, more than 40 percent of the total imports in 2030 of America are considered they come from producers and Latin American refineries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
The Prices of the raw one in 1970, the nominal price of the raw era of $1.35/barril, the world was consuming 46 million barrels approximately (bpd). Before 1979, the world consumption had grown to more than 65 million bpd.
Nowadays the consumption is close that 90 million bpd and the price reached over the $100/barril. The will of the OPEC is of taking the price of the raw one on the $100/barril before the world makes any important effort in the protection of the environment and generate the alternative energy.
In the 1970s, the crisis of raw was mainly political. This time the matter is a roof in the supply - a more difficult problem to solve caused by some such factors as; the increase in population and the energy demand, the quick industrialization of countries like China and India; the Long term strategic Plan of the OPEC; and the cuttings in the supply for government of unstable democracies and crude producers such as Iran and Venezuela.
The New Crisis of the petroleum in economic terms, the supply crisis of raw seems much smaller that that at the beginning of the oil crisis of 1973. The imports of crude of the United States are in the historical higher level and it continued rising and depending on the supply of other countries producing exporters.
How so high the prices of the petroleum will be? That depends of how quickly it is added around the world new production capacity and of how they are resolved the international political conflicts. There are countries like Venezuela that use the crude as weapon politics and of intervention more than of integration.
The economy of United States this on the edge of the biggest crisis in their history. When the economies of quick growth of China in India impel the world demand of raw beyond the production capacity, and the Strategic Plan of the OPEC to maintain the high prices, the Americans could experience a worse deficit of permanent energy that that of the 1970s.
The State Company’s crude exporters are in only one position today. They own the world crude and wants to increase prices of Energy. They are a diverse group - Saudi Aramco, Petroleum of Venezuela, PEMEX in Mexico, the company of petroleum of Kuwait, Pertamina, and Statoil in Norway, to name some. They control the supply of raw by means of the restriction of the refinement capacity. The economy of America should develop other cheaper sources of alternative energy that the raw one and not to pay remiss attention to the energy crisis that you this bringing near. The effort of developing alternative sources had weakened or it doesn’t have a lot of importance, the fundamental doubt also remains still: what would it happen if another military conflict begin in fact? The power of the control of the production and commercialization of raw or has energy, or the minimum access to the big sources of raw constituted a strategic prize historically. It allows that the nations accumulate wealth, feed their economies, take place and they blindfold goods and services, build, buy, to acquire, and to manufacture weapons, to win the wars.
The petroleum has helped make the domain possible envelope the physical world. It has given us our daily life and literally, for chemical of agriculture and transport, our daily bread. It has also fed the global fights for the political and economic primacy. A lot of blood has been spilled on its name.
Any internal problem of the OPEC, a general meeting of minds will exist between Riyadh and Washington related to the future of the prices of the petroleum, undoubtedly. I want to put an end to some words of Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State of President Ford, expressed in 1975; “The only opportunity to make fall the prices of the petroleum immediately would be the political war against countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran to make them take a stability risk on its internal policy”, this also applies to unstable democracies as Venezuela.
PEDRO MANTELLINI
ENERGY ECONOMIC ADVISOR
I’m in support of the plan based on the information that I have. THeway Mr. Pickens presents this information is easy for the lay person to understand and grasp. It seems reasonable and very logical. I would like to see more iniatives to help the common citizen become less dependant, like providing funding for energy efficient retrofits to homes, subsidizing the cost of a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle where we pay the same as a standard vehicle. Tax breaks to businesses should be dependant on there actions taken to lessen their carbon foot print, and further reduce our oil dependancy. Requirements for electric companies to buy back energy from consumers if the consumer has the ability to produce such as solar or wind mills. Use of gov’t land to set up wind, solar and hydroelectric plants. Natural gas is fine, but a federal requirement for NG companies to be good neighbors. I live in the Fort Worth area and these gas companies aren’t good neighbors around here. Regulations to prevent current wind mill farms from just being abandoned like many of the west Texas oil rigs.
I love the Pickens plan. I truly believe it will work.
I have a minor sugestion to add to it though.
Why not use it to bail out the auto industry? If the big three got together and decided to get serious about CNG vehicles, they would make enough money to pay the taxpayers back very quickly.
The big three have not made a real run at alternatives to gasoline. I think the reason is that there has been no concensus that the people will buy it, or it will be a fad. If the taxpayers of America are going to help them out (government loans to retool plants), they should help us out as well. CNG vehicles are only a small part of the Pickens plan, but they would be a great way to solve one problem looking at us right now today.
Geothermal heating and cooling units should receive tax incentives to encourage individuals and business to move away from dependence on oil. Oklahoma State University has been leading this field for many years. The amount of electricity required to operate a closed loop system utilizing the earth’s natural heat sink is minimal.
In this scary economic environment we have now, the best way to inspire a grass root support for the PickensPlan is through their pocketbooks. We need to convince the new administration to create programs that encourage and fund start-up companies for alternative energy development and commercialization much like the aerospace program supported a whole support industry for NASA’s programs. The government can get behind the PickensPlan by providing tax incentives, providing loan guarantees for start-ups and mandate the adaptation of natural gas fuel for all government vehicles. The federal government can also give grants to local state and city government to participate in building the national power grid. This money would stimulate the economy very quickly in conjunction with the current bail-out effort.
Our need for replacing gasoline with natural gas might become urgent (again) if a major conflict should happen in the former Soviet Bloc countries and in the Middle East. We should urgently utilize all our available resources of this country to rebuild our internal energy supply because it is a vital strategic resource without which our country would be in great risk of total economic collapse and our military will be paralyzed. At the same time. when we spend money on developing new sources of energy, building infrastructure, creating new jobs and mobilizing our work force, we are creating wealth. The creating of wealth will bring our country out of the current recession and maintain our national security. We defeated communism by bankrupting the Soviet Union. They can turn the table this time and bankrupt us by disrupting peace in the Middle East and former Soviet Bloc countries. The scenario is scary, indeed.
I agree with the Pickens’ Plan but it does not go far enough.
We need to start taxing finite, non-manmade natural resources and stop taxing income on capital and wages.
For example, tax, heavily, the use of land to drill natural gas, as well as the raw natural gas itself, and any pollution caused by it, but allow companies to make whatever profit they can from the production and sale of it. This would encourage them to reduce pollution, and get the most mileage out of a given portion of gas. At the same time, companies would have a strong incentive to develop products since they could keep 100$ of their profits. We ALL own the NG in the ground; after all, it was created from leftover dinosaurs, not by anything the companies did, so the tax should return to all of us from this limited natural resource. On the other hand, it is fair and just to reward companies and workers for their labor in getting the gas out of the ground; in fact, we want to encourage that activity, so we should not discourage it by taxing it.
If we apply the “single tax” to wind or solar, you’ll see immediately the cost structure begins to favor these alternatives much more, since they use fewer resources - just some land, usually in remote, less desirable and therefore less-taxed ares - and some steel etc. which should be taxed at the source level too, from the companies that mine it, or smelt it and pollute the air.
This idea is not new - it dates back to economist Henry George in the 19th century and everywhere it has been tried, the result has been a burst of economic activity and a reduction in poverty and “land” speculation like the kind that has given us our latest economic meltdown.
I’m A 1/2 Pickens plan supporter…Big turbines+big wing= bang/buck….leave the NG in the electrical power pie and promote electric vehicles for grid ballast.
excess capacity should be seen as an opportunity to phase out old,non-combined cycle,coal plants
I’m a 1/2 Pickens plan supporter…Big turbines+big wind = bang/buck. leave the NG in the electrical power pie and promote people powered people transport and community NEV cargo fleets for grid blasting..use excess capacity as an opportunity to phase out old,non-combined cycle, coal plants. wile phasing in ETT maglev to replace continental flights and interstate traffic.
I support the Pickens Plan because time is running out for us. The idea Mr. Pickens emphasizes that we are sending all our money overseas, and that it’s the biggest transfer of wealth in history, should open anyone’s eyes. We must act now. We can all do something today such as:
1. join the new energy army of the Pickens Plan and work to save our future; 2. be conservative at home by turning off the lights and don’t make that extra trip to town, in other words conserve everywhere you can. We CAN change our world for the better if everyone will contribute everyday. Go here to join the Pickens Plan: http://push.pickensplan.com/main/authorization/signUp?target=http%3A%2F%2Fpush.pickensplan.com%2F
I do agree with the Pickens plan however I do not agree that it will take the federal government to get it done. The fed is to powerful as it stands. I believe that if some one were to buy Chrysler or a car company and change the fuel to a ratio of 50% natural gas, 25 percent alternatives ie( hybrids, electric, ect), and 25% gas/desiel powered vehicles over the next ten years. What you would see is an increase in Chrysler’s net profitability and natural gas net profitability of which is all American. Then you use those profits to expand alternatives such as the wind farms, and electric/hybrids. Second one other thing needs to be added and that is precisely what Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill are doing. They design buildings that use biocemetry, wind power, and solar power to power the skyscrapers they design. You add these too things you would see Americas wealth go back up and to be honest I think if we did the Chrysler thing it would pull America out of a recession of which would prove my theory that government can not pull us out of a recession or depression but the people of the United States can. Also if you did these things you would see a decreased carbon emissions through out the United States.
I agree with T. Boone Pickens.
The most sensible place to get alternative energy is to Natural Gas because we already have vehicles (No reinventing the wheel) and we have Vast amounts of it under North America.
Many people have never looked at the fact that Natural Gas production uses very little water. Wind uses none. One of the next shortages that the world will be facing is water - And hello - we can Not live without it.
I say, utilize the interstate highway system to install wind mills for the national integrated electricity grid that Charles Ebinger suggests. This land is already clear, as we drive down it we will be reminded of our great nation and it’s accomplishment.
Many other measures will be needed to get us off of foreign oil, but we can do it! Mr. Pickens has a plan and he is the only one with a plan and the money to back it up, so I will follow him. I hope you will too!
I’m afraid I didn’t have the time to read many of the posted comments here, but since I took the time to visit, posting seems appropriate anyway.
I joined the PickensPlan because it was the only national organization that spoke to me as an American. It telegraphed the message that as an organized group we can accomplish the goal of a sane and necessary energy policy, and that we can’t count on the politicians to do it for us.
However, I see the PickensPlan as merely an awakening. An opportunity to rethink energy and our collective paradigm toward it. While conservation is certainly a wise element to the circumstances we face today. I’m an advocate that energy should be so cheap that for all rights and purposes we wouldn’t have think about using it. That should be our goal, and it can only be accomplished if we all decide that’s what we want and devise a method to getting there from here.
I didn’t want to go into a long diatribe as I’m sure other’s will cover that ground.
Regards to all,
Wayne
Obama, I’ve read, has suspended from his campaign language a tax increase on the richest 5 percent. This pattern suggest he could also back down from the ultra rich oil exporters and be just like the other administrations. I, of course, hope he doesn’t.
America has the opportunity right now to make one of the most important choices in human history: to choose sources of power that sustain a healthy planet and free us from dependence on nations that don’t like us. If we make the wrong choices now, we will go down in history as the foolish people who frittered away our freedom and our planet.
The PickensPlan is a great start. It would increase our national security, create jobs here in the US, allow us to develop new national smart electric grid system. I’m all for it.
America should develop all of the available energy resources. Coal, nuclear, hydro, solar and geothermal. Mr. Pickens has proposed a plan that can be implemented immediately. We should move on it ASAP.
I agree one (Hundred … editors note) percent with T. Boone. It is our responsibility to get out of this mess. T. Boone is the answer to our problems. We need to find a solution in OUR OWN COUNTRY, NOT SOMEONE ELSES COUNTRY! T.Boone has the best fix for our economy. I believe we need to support him.
Type your comment here.Any public money used for mass transit have a requirement that vehicles be hybrid or CNG powered.
Tax credits for individual vehicles powered by CNG or hybrid
All homegrown renewable resources be subidized during transition period.
Require major auto manf. and public utilities to offer alternative fueling stations-[check out how Utah has set up CNG refueling].
well I can see we have a long way to go when folks are considering Nuclear energy as a clean source, whoa! I’m a member of pickens army and there are some great ideas out there,but i still think Mr Pickens has the right idea to start out with getting off oil !! At the same time give a realistic,cost effective alternitives step back and give this another look before you condemm Pickens plan and if not come up with a new complete plan that adresses all the issue instead of bits and pieces of negitivity on how this won’t work!! I’m no chemist but I do know that CNG is burnt in our households everyday and there seems to be little to no effects on us,can coal, nuclear,oil, say the same thing??
In the 1940’s we used our industry production surplus to build planes, ammunition and other appliances to support our troops at war. The US economy and our noble cause depended on using our assets to defeat the enemy.
Not much is different today. If we simply see our “war” as the need to innovate and provide worldwide leadership, we would force ourselves to retool the behemoth auto manufacturing sites into productive & sustainable solutions for transportation. When we design a “chair”, we end up with a device with four legs, a seat and a back - little innovation beyond form. When we design a “seating device” instead of just a chair, our solution set is suddenly wide open for creative views of what is possible. We have the equipment, people and the intelligence to redefine our energy needs to suit our sustainable independence. Windmills instead of automobiles? The multi-ton presses don’t care what the make and the tooling is just tooling. Make lemonade!
I think our energy plan should integrate with our clean air plans.
And, our plans should address efficiency as well as generation.
Thus, we should have both near term goals and longer term goals - and the Pickens plan addresses the near term generation goals pretty well.
He suggests wind pretty exclusively for electrical generation, but we should still invest in research on newer forms of electrical energy generation such as concentrated solar energy and those could reduce the need for wind turbines, which at best would only meet 10-20% of our growing demand.
We can gain much more quickly by focusing on efficiency. For example, we should only allow newer forms of lightbulbs to be produced and sold in the U.S. If LED lighting actually becomes more cost effective, it should be promoted to replace all lighting needs. We can reduce another million barrels a day by asking our police to slow everyone down to the speed limits - we could do this in ONE DAY. It would take a month or two to get all the motorists to conform, but once done, there would be fewer highway fatalities as well as less oil demand.
We should also make it possible for Toyota and others to bring their existing plug-in hybreds into this country. Maybe they would need more door panel metal, but we must start creating the experience base that is needed to get Americans to convert to new technologies. It takes seven years to convert social systems. The sooner we start, the better, even with less than perfect vehicles.
For the long term, we will need some kind of “burnable” energy source for heavy vehicles and long trips - hydrogen probably is the best. So, we need to have a source of electrical energy that is cheap enough to seperate hydrogen out from water so we can burn it and produce water in our vehicles. Zero pollution, but powerful enough energy to move anything.
Gary Hartzler
Citizen
I am fully in favour of the Pickens Plan and am working towards implementing it at a local level while supporting a more widespread adoption of it.
This is something that has been talked about for thirty years but our country has not had a real energy independence plan until now.
At least it is a coherent, comprehensive plan. Focus, focus, focus. We need goals to shoot for, and this plan offers them. I believe they are attainable.
As long as multinational corporations (MNCs) are controlling our destiny, the jingoistic “reduce foreign oil” economic siren warbles a bit hollow. How quaint to continue to impart economic potency to national boundaries. In this age of “open trade” and world economic inter dependencies, it is naive to assume an “us versus them” plan really changes anything. Same is true for energy. The MNC goal is to keep consumers consuming and dependent upon them for most everything (including energy). Don’t you think that the MNCs won’t subvert any “plan” and (for example) setup low-cost production wind turbine manufacturing in Malaysia, or microwave- beam electrical energy from Iceland- and “rent” out energy to us? The MNCs always win. History is replete with corporate interests dominating and subverting world events to their advantage to sell service and product.
We should instead invest in better cooperation with the other regions of this planet so that there is friendly mutually-beneficial commerce, rather than approaching situations as adversaries (the MNC mentality). It’s called international diplomacy- not “us versus them”. Reversing worldwide population growth is the single most “green” project available- costs nothing. Major CONSERVATION is the answer, not increasing our consumption dependency on MNC product- whatever its form.
Boone, You are to be congratulated with creating a movement to solve our country’s energy problem. It’s time to take back our independence and finally eliminate our reliance on foreign oil. We have plenty of energy here in America just waiting to be harnessed. Your movement will not only begin to help us, but will be valuable and important for generation’s to come. You, in fact, may be saving this planet from extinction! It’s time we “rediscover” America, our great country, and make our future safer, cleaner and healthier!
I totally agree with the Pickens Plan. Even an average working guy like me can see we must break from OPEC, or risk economic slavery to those that truly hate us and everything we stand for.
I have nothing but PRAISE for T. Boone Pickens. He may have begun as an oilman, but at least he has single handedly inspired over a million Americans to finally DO SOMETHING to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We need to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil completely! Even President Elect Barack Obama understands this and has stated a commitment to reduce our dependence entirely within 10 years. If we can significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we will be creating millions of JOBS and keeping BILLIONS of dollars over here in OUR economy for OUR society’s benefit.
Com’on fellow Americans, please unite with us for this very worthy cause! It’s as easy as going to http://www.pickensplan.com, pledging your support, encourage your loved ones to support this cause, then doing YOUR part to reduce energy consumption to get us through this (temporary but resolvable) crisis. There are many citizens and many companies working diligently to create new jobs in sustainable renewable energy markets - thousands of jobs have already been created, though the media hasn’t been reporting these new jobs.
At this point, if we can get everyone’s support, we can succeed within the next 10 years. Join us, please, for the future of our society!
Jeri Zerr
Pickens Plan Missouri 02 District Leader (Non-paid Grassroots Volunteer)
PS when you join PickensPlan, join our online discussions, too. We have many discussions ongoing about developments in wind, solar, geothermal (there’s some GREAT news here!!), biodiesel from algae farms, etc. Supporters have provided links to many resources for further information on any and all topics relating to sustainable energy.
I think what T. Boone Pickens is doing is great. We need someone else besides government dictating what we should and should not be using. What happen to the government being for the people instead of government being for government. I feel we need to use more of the resourse that we have here right in the United States.
Type your comment here.
Absolutely astonishing direction.Perfectly clear, powerful and coming from just the right industry.
Type your comment here. We use one barrel of oil to recover 10. All alternate energy systems provide an energy return on energy invested of less than 5:1. This means that when we run out of fossil fuels we will have to learn to use energy much more efficiently. Developing alternate energy supplies so that we can waste them the way we do now is more expensive than adjusting to use energy more efficiently. It will require a redesign of our communities and effective conservation.
I was the last crude oil regulator for allocation and price, Economic Regulatory Administration, DOE, in the Carter Administration. We had an energy independence plan then which was not followed by later administrations; my boss had helped write an energy independence plan in the Ford Administration, and it was not followed either. However, we were regulating both price and emergency allocation at a time when less than 30% of our crude oil came from foreign sources. Now only 30% comes from domestic sources, and the current economy is playing havoc with the independent refiners and petroleum operators within the U.S. Crude oil selling outside a range of $45.00/bbl to $75.00/bbl is going to throw our economy out of whack even in a normal economy, and we are far from that.
It is my belief that we should tripple our efforts toward energy independence and shorten the timeframe goal by half, from ten years to five years. I agree with the Pickens Plan, but would like to see the timeframe adjusted to five years and see the federal government put the funds in the next economic stimulus to begin construction of the windfarms and transmission lines in the five best wind States immediately, (ND, TX, KS, SD, & MT). IF WE CAN CREATE A JOB IN THIS ECONOMY AND THAT JOB CAN MOVE US CLOSER TO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE WITHIN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, THEN WE GOT DOUBLE DUTY OUT OF EACH DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER MONEY INVESTED. This in my opinion, should be our highest national priority in the interest of energy security and economic security.
I believe that failure to get back to 1970 levels of 24% dependence within five to six years will cause another financial crisis about 2015 that throwing a couple trillion dollars at like we did the banks this time, will not cure. Let’s spend the money now and build all of my Pickens’ proposed wind farms in all States within the next 5-6 years, and make a commitment to get the first five best wind States of the top 20 Wind States in the first two years–(56% of the wind potential of the top 20 wind States).
I have made this clear to my Senators and Congressmen and to the Obama Transition Team and the WV Division of Energy, who has briefed Governor Manchin. I have also sent briefings to the Ohio Governor, Senator Sherod Brown, (D), Ohio, and Congressman Charlie Wilson, (D), Ohio, thru their Marietta, Ohio, district offices.
I think most of the wind in the US is concentrated in Washington, DC.
Clean Energy Should Be Our Cause!
America needs a cause, an uplifting and nonpartisan mission, which harnesses our courage, patriotism, innovation and willingness to sacrifice to build a better future for our kids.
A Blueprint for American Energy Renewal: http://www.thestreet.com/tsc/common/images/pdf/renewamerica_bonds2.pdf
We are tired of rote partisanship and long for a defining cause greater than consumerism. We are in awe of and inspired by the World War II generation and the Civil Rights crusaders that came together, sacrificed and defeated common enemies and left a legacy of pride and prosperity for their children and grandchildren.
We need to declare our independence from oil, rebuild our industrial economy and reestablish our national prestige. We can do this with our own savings, and profit handsomely from the economic transformation.
The idea that I’m advocating, conceived together with my friend, H.B. Mertz, a small business owner from McMurray, Pennsylvania, is a special government bond like the war bonds issued during World War II. This time, the cause supported by the bonds would be Clean Energy http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/main.html.
The Renew America Bonds http://www.nreca.org/Documents/PublicPolicy/CleanRenewableEnergyBonds.pdf we propose are, in essence, 30-year, zero-coupon U.S. government bonds, with principal redeemable at maturity or convertible to a payout based on the long-term performance of America’s clean energy economy. The Renew America bonds would be marketed like War bonds were in World War II, from the President, through Wall Street, down to the classrooms across America.
The proceeds of these bonds would be invested in the equity of companies that develop and commercialize new energy technology, through intermediaries like venture capital firms and new clean energy banks. The intermediaries would need to match the public investment, thus leveraging its impact.
Bondholders would have a direct economic stake (through the conversion feature) in the outcome of America’s energy and industrial renewal which would be catalyzed by the bonds. Purchasing the bonds would be both an act of patriotism and of economic rationality. Productive investment of the bond proceeds would help fulfill our generational duty to leave this country, and the world, better than we found it.
Click here to see our detailed plan for the Renew America Bond Program http://www.thestreet.com/tsc/common/images/pdf/renewamerica_bonds2.pdf.
Live from Owens Corning headquarters: Boone announces the Pickens Plan’s first corporate partner, Owens Corning. At the Toledo town hall with CEO Mike Thaman, hundreds of employees join Mike in signing the Pickens Plan pledge.
John Floegel
7 Madison Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901
(908) 358-4016
j-floegel@comcast.net
H.B. Mertz
3311 Washington Road
McMurray, PA 15317
(412) 628-1689
hbmertz@verizon.net
Wind energy has proven to be an expensive proposition in England and not producing the results desired. What about geo-thermal and tidal energy, Boone?
The Pickens Plan is the most logical map to where our country needs to go economically, industrially and for security. Of course there are other forms of energy in development and they should be developed. But the state of Oklahoma has winds blowing on average 13mph EVERY DAY. That can generate A LOT of electricity…and that is just one state. CNG is ready to use and is plentiful for our heavy duty vehicles. Electric is great for cars…use CNG for government and commercial fleets…those semis have to run on something other than gasoline. I REALLY want the Obama administration to beef up the tax credits and adjust EPA regs to allow for easier and less costly conversion of vehicles to CNG as well. Once it is reasonably cost effective for me, I’d convert my Ford F-150 to CNG in a heartbeat and hook up a “Fuel Maker Phill” in my garage.
I agree with your Plan. I believe that T. Boone Pickens Team is well educated on the issue! [New Economy- Energy Plan for American people in 21st Century]. American’s need a new Economic Revolution as well as a
reconstruction period for a new energy Plan, Such as Jobs in America. I also hope that the new President-elect Barrack Obama and his Energy Team will work with congress on these issues.
Louielamson2000 December 25, 2008
One of the greatest incentives for doing something like getting the US energy independent is money. We have to figure out a way to relay to the average person how this will put money in their pockets. Im preaching to the choir here, I am here to save the planet as well as save our Country (I think most of the people here are) but the average person is not “into it” as much as we are. How do we create the excitement that is crucial to getting this thing off the ground. How do we save the average guy money, and “prove” it.Im not saying the average guy is not as smart as we are, Im saying the average person has has as much on his plate that he/she has to prioritize. we have to make sure this cause is high on that list.
We have to make sure the president knows that The Pickens Plan is a recourse that can help in making decisions in making this country energy independent.
I too agree with most of the Pickens Plan. I do beleive that wem are missing an opportunity with small nuclear generators. I beleive that a company called Hyperion is offering units that would meet a great deal of the immediate need.When the first nuclear plants were built Admiral Rickover suggested this xact approach. There are several reasons why small would be better than what we did. The idea of converting the truck fleet to CPG would also lower our use a great deal. We need a committed government. Perhaps the Obamma team will agree.
Go Boone go!!
150 MPG Vehicles are here today:
http://www.afstrinity.com/press-images.htm
I think “The Pickens Plan” is a win-win situation. If we keep our energy promblem the way it is now we’re surely asking for trouble in the furture.
We have always been a strong nation and have resources here in the United States that will increase our self independance of energy.
Now is the time to use our own resources and become less independent on others for our mandated energy needs.
Only by taking action now can we stand as a stronger independant nation.
i think it is an excellent plan, as it addresses not only the environment and global warming, but also national security and even job creation, all things that are desperately needed in order for this country to become what it once was again.
‘My New Year’s Resolution!’
January 1, 2009 is a great time to try something new, to turn over a new leaf. Forty-four percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, and certainly I always do. Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Blog post added by James Everitt: http://push.pickensplan.com/profile/JamesEveritt
From the desk of T. Boone Pickens Hey Army, You all set to take on Washington? So am I. We’ve got less than three weeks until a new …
Blog post link:My New Year’s Resolution:http://push.pickensplan.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2187034%3ABlogPost%3A1696014&xgs=1
Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year: http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x7vaf2
‘My New Year’s Resolution!’
January 1, 2009 is a great time to try something new, to turn over a new leaf. Forty-four percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, and certainly I always do. Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Blog post added by James Everitt: http://push.pickensplan.com/profile/JamesEveritt
From the desk of T. Boone Pickens Hey Army, You all set to take on Washington? So am I. We’ve got less than three weeks until a new …
Blog post link:My New Year’s Resolution: http://push.pickensplan.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2187034%3ABlogPost%3A1696014&xgs=1
Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year: http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x7vaf2
I absolutely support Pickens Plan. We need to start thinking of the future, and it keeps getting put on the back burner. In addition to alternate energy sources, we need to focus on rebuilding power grids, and creating a National grid so that the places with the best capability to harvest natural energy can share it across the country. With our current grids, this is nowhere near a viable option, no matter hw much energy can be collected…
The Pickens plan is a good one, but will take 5 to 10 years at best to make a significant impact & require substantial cash from a poor economy.
However, there is something we can all do today, which will make America far less dependent on foreign oil, and also put thousands of cash dollars in our pockets.
The product is MPG50 with an affiliate plan, which can make Pickens Plan Energy Army workers wealthy while achieving our goals of American energy independence.
For more details see http://mpg50.com or email info@mpg50.com for an email auto-response.
I totally agree with Picken’s Plan. We need to stop depending on oil and we need to do whatever it takes to use more wind and solar energy.
For years our electric company kept urging us to conserve and then turned around and raised the price anyways. I am sure increase had more to do with the huge raise the CEO made rather than with the cost of the commodity. Oil is just the same, if we conserve they raise the price anyways or hold back on the amount they produce to increase the cost to the consumer.
Yes, yes, yes, all of the above. Mr. Pickens has a clear and simple plan that will work in the short term and that everyone can get behind.
People like to criticize wind and solar because they’re not steady; but the 22% that Pickens talks about is reasonable and would make a real difference!
Plus, they can be implemented as micro-power solutions on every house or building. What good is that? As the storage solutions improve, it means that the new electricity grid would not have to be sized for the theoretical peak demand. The ‘peak’ would be smoothed out by the availability of locally stored energy.
Other options such as nuclear and geothermal must also be pursued.
Yes, we’ll eventually get off of fossil fuels, but we should still work on clean coal, drilling offshore, going after shale, etc. Wouldn’t it be great to be an exporter of energy to China and India?
It works, the math is sound. My knowledge of wind is small. I do understand the Gas component and I have talents in this area. Has anyone besides myself seen the wind corridor and the Super Highway Project?
I am not technology-minded, but I agree with the plan because we should not be dependent on ANY other country for anything. The wind is a wonderful idea, because the coal and oil we have traditionally used are too dirty. I have seen these turbines in the California desert.
There are many scientists and engineers who believe world oil production has peaked, meaning future shortages that could decimate the US. I am one of them.
So I believe it is absolutely critical that the US push as hard as possible to reach Energy Indpendence. To my mind, this is the number one priority in my book, above the economy, and health care.
Without Energy Independence, we will not have a future economy, nor be able to afford health care.
We should divert laid off workers to the energy sector. With the current downturn, this is a double whammy: make progress on energy independence, as well as having a positive effect on the economy. In fact, in this way, the recession is a “good” thing. Otherwise, there’d be a shortage of labor in building the road to our secure future.
Americans needs to find independence for the sake of our future and if possible help other countries that would like to find ways to become independent as well for their own future of peace and prosperity. This becomes our ultimate challenge which is to set aside our differences to come to peaceful resolutions. Old ancient teachings with new technological advancements merged together can help us bring forth simplistic ways of an everyday lifestyle and create plenty for all.
I pray that the American public galvanizes into a a unified, common-purpose entity, devoted to keeping our hard-earned dollars in the U.S.
$700 billion a year !! Going to foreign governments who, in large part, are our enemies !
The Pickens’ ‘bridge to our future’ is the most coherent & concise plan I have seen since the time when Houston, Texas was Rome…(referring to the capital of world energy design, back in the late ’70’s and early ’80’s.
Then it was common knowledge among energy professionals that our dependence on foreign oil had to be stopped. Unfortunately, our government at that time did not think it politically expedient enough to go against the grain of foreign oil suppliers.
We need a simple email to follow to our friends and family stating the urgent necessity to make cars and trucks in Michigan to run on natural gas. tell about the service centers in Utah and california ewuipped with natural gas and the number of stations and cars currently running on natural gas in this country. The number of cars already running in Europe on natural gas. Price comparison between nat gas and gasolina. Tell about the conversion kite availabe to convert cureent cars to nat, gas also the kits available to fill up in your own garage it you home is heated by natural gas. We must get this done before Michigan waste billions in electric vehicles. In a major was the U S could only support the war effort with fuel that we can currently produce which would basically shut down the entire country to support the war effort. We need an email covering all these points that is very easy to forward and you would see your army grow exponently.
Warmest regards
Ernest Arrington
Beech Island, S C
I have been supporting the Pickens Plan since I first saw this video months and months ago. I think this Plan is a vialbe option and should be seriously looked into. This is where Green Jobs can com from. Help the ecomony, global warming and our dependence on oil- esp oil for over seas.
I agree with the plan. It’s got a lot of steam. We need to rally behind something and this seems to be the banner.
Let’s just make sure these are American mom and pop shops setting up these wind farms and let’s keep the foreign investors out of this.
Right from the start.
Piece Shove and Joey Ramone!
I attended Mr. Boones Info-meeting he had in our fair city along with many others interested in learning about his alternative energy plan , (the Picken Plan),to phase us out of the foreign oil need we have from our enemies, @ the rate of 70% .
I have wondered for many years why we haven’t utilized our own resources, and the cleaner energy sources.
Yes I am in full support of the Picken Plan that he wishes to present to our new President, and Congress on Jan. 20, 2009 for them to enact a plan to get us off of foreign oil in 10 years.
I am one of thr Picken Army.
Thank you T. Boone Picken for stepping up and taking the bull by the horns!!!
Bruce
While I agree with the stated goals, i.e to stop sending massive amounts of money to the oil producing countries and make the United States energy independant, I am not 100% convinced that wind power will do the job to fill the gap while we develop Natural Gas and Domestic sources of Petroleum.
I would like to see some hard data that shows the maximum electricity vs availability of wind to provide the power on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
My fear is that as there may be enough energy available from the wind it may not be available when we need it.
For example, late afternoon in July or August would have a high demand because of Air Conditioners running in the humid East Coast and South. Is there enough wind in those months at that time to provide the power?
Or did I miss something. Are we going to produce electricity when we can and store it, e.g. by pumping water into a reservoir to be released later to drive
turbines, for when we need it?
What do we do if there is a long period with light winds?
This may be stretching things but, if you take energy out of the wind are there any consequences for the people downwind? After all, TANSTAFL - There Aint No Such Thing As a Free Lunch!
We should start the switch to LNG ASAP. As we seem to be in the mood to hand out money, how about a Government grant or tax credit for those of us willing to convert our vehicles to Natural Gas, Start with the fleet users,i.e. delivery trucks,cabs, transit buses, school buses etc… and work our way down to private vehicles.
Grants or credits for Solar Water Heaters and home power solutions, i.e wind or solar, would get people interested and reduce the need to rebuild the electrical grid.
I absolutely agree with the Pickens Plan. It’s the only comprehensive plan I’ve seen that addresses short term and long term solutions. No more foreign oil!
I agree with the PickensPlan. It is about time that something was done to get us off dependence on foreign oil and his plan is a great start. It is also ONLY a START - not the ultimate solution. Too often we want a one-step fix to a problem and that will not work here, as he said.
Neither has you agreed with T Boone Pickens Plan or not. But I am believed.
It’s never too late to learn, or to fix a problem of [Energy Plan for American people in 21st Century]
It’s only too late when you do nothing, or ignore the problem.
Louielamson2000. Jan 13, 2009
Will American people continue dependence on foreign oil? If so, I believe American Energy Downturn will be not fixing. Without Energy Independence, Americans will not have future economy goals. Neither for short term or long term… Will Americans people, Congress, and new President-Elect work with T Boone Pickens Plan to fix this problem?
“It’s never too late to learn, or to fix a problem. It’s only too late when you do nothing, or ignore the problem.
Jan 15, 2009 Louielamson2000
Congratulated with T. Boone Pickens Plan. Absolutely America needs Pickens Plan.
Without Energy Independence, Americans will not have future economy goals. Neither for short term or long term… Will Americans people, Congress, and new President-Elect Barack Obama work with T Boone Pickens Plan, to fix this problem. Good Luck
Louielamson2000
Dalat Vietnam Jan 16, 2009
http://push.pickensplan.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2187034%3ABlogPost%3A1480344
How well a new President Elect and his Administration will work with T. Boone Pickens Plan to make progress, and to change for America?
Election in America is over. Now is time for Americans people to look on an ahead, and see what happens next? How well a new President Elect and his Administration will work with T. Boone Pickens Plan to make progress, and change for America? American people, News, Medias, and USWebTalkRadio need keep eyes on watch.
Best wishes,
Louielamson2000
Dalat Vietnam Jan 19, 2009
I basically agree with the PickensPlan, keeping in mind that it is, by T. Boone’s own description, a STARTING POINT. There are many misconceptions floating around that this is a total solution, which it never was intended to be. Two points need to be emphasized here (in addition to the above) and those are that it is Doable in relatively short time, and that SOMEONE has finally stepped up and DONE something. It is to our discredit that one man had to put his own personal fortune on the line to get something started, but this is America and this sort of thing has been done before. Shame on our Government which has had over 30 YEARS to do something about our energy situation and couldn’t seem to do anything beter than go on vacation when times were critical and ideas were pending (because they were not THEIR ideas?).
My personal recommendation(s) start with reconfiguring the power grid, and the distribution “thinking” from central generation points and distributed power service to distributed generation and central “collection” of surplus power. Innovations in wind and solar generating equipment, processing and storage systems and controls have made it feasible for urban and residential areas to be generators, supplying their own needs first and then shipping surplus power to the other users via the grid. This would allow implementation in small units so individuals and small companies could afford to install them, and at the same time free the country at large from single-point failure driven catastrophic blackouts - or attacks.
Think about it - then visit PickensPlan.org and look around. There is more than just wind there.
trying to get a derick on my land I believe to have an abundant amount of gas & oil on the property from the area that I see has pumps working year round. Are there gov’t regulations keeping that from happening with reserves in need?
AMERICAN NEED BREAK FROM OPEC.!!!. AMERICAN MUST CREATING “ AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE” TO SOLVE AMERICAN ENERGY CRISIS!!!
AMERICAN NEED TO INVENTION FOR LIGHT SOURCES, USE CLEAN ENERGY OF WINDS, SOLARS, NATURE GAS AND SEA WAVES.
Make natural gas available and affordable for our current vehicles as Boone says.
GM-FORD-CHRYLER need make more Electric Cars [MADE IN AMERICA] Congress must support and pass legislation!!!???
AFTER ALL AMERICA IS GREAT COUNTRY. YES! I AGREE WITH : Julia Stewart WROTE:
“America has the opportunity right now to make one of the most important choices in human history: to choose sources of power that sustain a healthy planet and free us from dependence on nations that don’t like us. If we make the wrong choices now, we will go down in history as the foolish people who frittered away our freedom and our planet.”
Retrofit every building in the US with state of the art energy efficency equipment, appliances, lighting etc.
Build a national integrated electricity grid.
Fast track the development of hybrid and flex fuel vehicles ASAP with tax credits etc.
We should be willing to subsidize these up to the level we are paying annually for oil imports.
Dr. Charles K. Ebinger
Senior Fellow and Director Energy Security Initiative
Brookings Institute
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington,DC
20036-2103