Pickens Ulterior Motive (McCain, Representatives, gas prices, gallon)
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Not sure what his academic contributions have to do with the proposal, however I still believe that it should be subject to greater critical evaluation:
Half of Pickens's plan calls for more support for wind power. The other half calls for a large-scale conversion of motor vehicles to natural gas -- another finite, carbon-spewing fossil fuel. Kind of like shifting our addiction from heroin to crack cocaine.
It turns out that Pickens' main concern is not really about the harm that our country's main sources of energy are having on our environment. Turns out, as predictable as it is, the oilman's man concerns boil down to money. Pickens plan for wind energy is both a lucrative investment for himself, and a plan to address the increasing costs of energy in the United States, so it comes as no surprise that he plans on taking the freed up natural gas from his wind turbines and using it for transportation. It's a win-win plan for him, but a win-lose plan for the public and the planet.
Slim Pickens' Energy Plan: Separating the Beauty From the Beast | The Agonist (http://agonist.org/kaydrah/20080723/slim_pickens_energy_plan_separating_the_beauty_fro m_the_beast - broken link)
It's hard to grasp, though, how parts of the plan would be implemented. Assuming all the rights to millions of acres could be acquired and the wind farms built, there's still the problem of wind itself. It doesn't always blow.
A recent study by Cambridge Energy Research Associates found that wind power is least available between June and September, the peak months for electricity consumption.
His plan follows his own businesses. His Mesa Power is pouring about $12 billion into what would be the world's largest wind farm near Pampa, Texas. He's on the board of the country's biggest provider of natural gas for vehicles, and his hedge fund company, BP Capital, with some $4 billion under management, has bet heavily on natural gas producers.
Not sure what his academic contributions have to do with the proposal, however I still believe that it should be subject to greater critical evaluation:
Half of Pickens's plan calls for more support for wind power. The other half calls for a large-scale conversion of motor vehicles to natural gas -- another finite, carbon-spewing fossil fuel. Kind of like shifting our addiction from heroin to crack cocaine.
It turns out that Pickens' main concern is not really about the harm that our country's main sources of energy are having on our environment. Turns out, as predictable as it is, the oilman's man concerns boil down to money. Pickens plan for wind energy is both a lucrative investment for himself, and a plan to address the increasing costs of energy in the United States, so it comes as no surprise that he plans on taking the freed up natural gas from his wind turbines and using it for transportation. It's a win-win plan for him, but a win-lose plan for the public and the planet.
Slim Pickens' Energy Plan: Separating the Beauty From the Beast | The Agonist (http://agonist.org/kaydrah/20080723/slim_pickens_energy_plan_separating_the_beauty_fro m_the_beast - broken link)
Quote:
Originally Posted by delusianne
He doesnt "care" about wind power, he's pushing natural gas.
He's already way ahead of us - he just wants us to fund him. On the other hand...maybe...?
Pickens' involvement with the natural gas fueling campaign is long-running. He formed Pickens Fuel Corp. in 1997 and began touting natural gas as the best vehicular fuel alternative because it's a domestic resource that, among many advantages, is clean (Natural Gas Vehicles or NGVs emit up to 30% less pollution than gasoline or diesel vehicles) and reduces foreign oil consumption. Reincorporated as Clean Energy in 2001, the company now owns and operates natural gas fueling stations from British Columbia to the Mexican border. - wikipedia
Cost of the report: they don't tell you. These services are not cheap and they only tell the media what is to the advantage of the client they represent.
T. Boone Pickens is offering an alternative. I haven't seen this much effort from the Department of Energy or any of the Big 5 oil producers other than snazzy commericals.
The fact that my recent contributions to Oklahoma State University were matched by T. Boone reflects to me a man who understands that academia will need to be involved in the design, construction and operation of these systems and he wants to leverage the College of Engineering and Architecture with funding. What he's doing is nothing different that has previously been done by big pharma, petrochemical or agriculture.
Cost of the report: they don't tell you. These services are not cheap and they only tell the media what is to the advantage of the client they represent.
T. Boone Pickens is offering an alternative. I haven't seen this much effort from the Department of Energy or any of the Big 5 oil producers other than snazzy commericals.
The fact that my recent contributions to Oklahoma State University were matched by T. Boone reflects to me a man who understands that academia will need to be involved in the design, construction and operation of these systems and he wants to leverage the College of Engineering and Architecture with funding. What he's doing is nothing different that has previously been done by big pharma, petrochemical or agriculture.
Actually BP and Shell have done a lot more than "T" has in renewable energy. "T" has to date just run commercials and told us what he plans to do. BTW 600+ wind turbines from GE doesn't come close to making Pickens GE Wind's biggest customer. About 5 thousand MW of wind was installed last year in the country and I think about 40% were GE turbines.
DOE has a funded a substantial amount of the research that resulted in the wind turbine technology we have today. Pickens is a guy who is trying to jump in front of a parade already moving down the street. He's proposed nothing that others aren't already doing on a larger scale than he is even talking about.
"He's already way ahead of us - he just wants us to fund him."
I don't see where he's ever asked for money or a donation. Can you explain how he wants us to fund him? His company isn't public, so it's not through buying stock.
Quote:
"Actually BP and Shell have done a lot more than "T" has in renewable energy."
That's very interesting, In what ways, specifically has BP and Shell done more in renewable energy?
Quote:
"'T' has to date just run commercials and told us what he plans to do."
Um, no. He is building these wind farms as we speak. He is holding town meetings across the country to inform the public and answer questions about alternative energy. He's engaging his business colleagues, like Warren Buffett, in creating a solution to seeing our dependence on foreign oil end.
Quote:
"Half of Pickens's plan calls for more support for wind power. The other half calls for a large-scale conversion of motor vehicles to natural gas -- another finite, carbon-spewing fossil fuel. Kind of like shifting our addiction from heroin to crack cocaine."
The point of the plan is to eliminate our reliance on foreign countries for our energy sources. The natural gas reserves in North America are triple or quadruple what the reserves are in the rest of the world. It only makes sense to rely on this as an energy source, and while natural gas is not as earth friendly as solar or wind energy, it does not do the amount of damage as coal or crude oil. Are you suggesting this is somehow a bad solution in the interim until we find a better one?
Quote:
"A recent study by Cambridge Energy Research Associates found that wind power is least available between June and September, the peak months for electricity consumption."
Obviously the Cambridge Energy Research Associates have never spent any time in Kansas between June and September. The wind would blow your eyebrows off your head.
I'm greatful someone is doing something. I was never a fan of wind energy because it seemed like these big power companies were sticking 400 ft turbines on small farms in rural areas and selling the power back to big corporations like FPL, with the rural folks seeing nothing of the huge profits. But if you're talking about creating jobs in the Midwest, where they're desperately needed, by building a large scale wind power grid from Texas to Minnesota, then I think that's a great idea.
Now before I get called a NIMBY, I have homes in both the Northeast and the Midwest.
As far as the donations to OSU, good for him. Education is noble cause to throw your money at. Go Cowboys.
On a seperate but related note:
Madeleine Ann Pickens has some big-ass hair, doesn't she?
He's also into water (Mesa Water) and has thousands of acres over a watershed in West Texas.
His plan is to run the water to Dallas, El Paso and/or San Antonio and sell it to them. In addition he can also use the same easement for his wind turbines.
Texas Oilman Buying Water Rights, Wind Turbines: T. Boone Pickens Turns Attention to Water, Energy Crisis (http://environmentalism.suite101.com/article.cfm/texas_oilman_buying_water_wind_turbines - broken link)
I fail to see any problem in any of this. Even if natural gas is the main motive, there's nothing wrong with investing in wind and using that part of your business as a PR vehicle. There's nothing new in this. Companies do that kind of thing all the time. By the way, it's not like natural gas is in short supply in the U.S., and it's not like it's a dirty fuel.
Frankly, whatever proves itself in the market is fine in my book. Oil has proven itself up until now, but lately it's becoming too expensive to use as a transportation fuel. So the market is finding a substitute.
The only thing that people should care about when it comes to energy is that it's supply is sustainable and not susceptible to disruptions and that it is cheap over the long-term.
I fail to see any problem in any of this. Even if natural gas is the main motive, there's nothing wrong with investing in wind and using that part of your business as a PR vehicle. There's nothing new in this. Companies do that kind of thing all the time. By the way, it's not like natural gas is in short supply in the U.S., and it's not like it's a dirty fuel.
Frankly, whatever proves itself in the market is fine in my book. Oil has proven itself up until now, but lately it's becoming too expensive to use as a transportation fuel. So the market is finding a substitute.
The only thing that people should care about when it comes to energy is that it's supply is sustainable and not susceptible to disruptions and that it is cheap over the long-term.
If Pickens stated on his commercial, "Hey, I've decided to make a buck with a wind and natural gas play" I don't think you could criticize the guy, but he's claiming he's doing something noble. BTW we now import natural gas from essentially the same places we import oil. Be careful about ASUMMING we have plenty of natural gas..
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