Picken's $700 Billion Plan

[Poahi]

I understand he has his own selfish interests here, but no one - no politician, no presidential candidate, no one has a realistic plan to reduce energy costs, and if nothing is done, our industry will be a small fraction of what it is today.

Will it work? I don't know, but if I find a way to convert my car to natural gas, I'll do it today.

If you haven't heard, he's proposing wind, solar, natural gas, coal and other sources which will be used to free up oil for things like airplanes.

See for yourself:

http://www.pickensplan.com/

 

[blueridge71]

From what I've read, solar and wind simply aren't cost effective at this point. The next generation of solar/wind technology might be better, but at this point it is not ready.

What is ready is nuclear power, clean coal, and coal gasification. If we build more nuclear power plants in particular, we can make electricity cheap and practical enough to inspire homeowners to change from heating oil to electricity. Likewise, Tesla Motors (http://www.teslamotors.com/), builder of an electric sports car, is currently working on an electric minivan. As oil continues to rise in price and the prices of electric cars fall (due to manufacturing more), electric cars will also become more attractive to consumers.

To keep our economy from imploding in the meantime, we need to start drilling domestically everywhere we can immediately. Converting coal to gas, a process that has been around since WWII, is also becoming more cost effective and could help to increase oil supplies.

 

[humuakalaka]

Actually, wind (with a production tax credit) is competitive with coal. Part of Pickens' plan is to extend the PTC out to 10 years as opposed to the 2 or 3 year increments that Congress currently authorizes it. 2 or 3 year increments plays havoc with the economics of wind projects because the lead time for developing one is right around two or three years. As soon as Congress re-authorizes the PTC, there is a run on everything related to getting a wind project going. Demand spikes for everything wind-related (turbines, legal services, environmental assessments, etc) and the price for all of those things skyrockets which makes wind projects much less appealing as an investment. Extending the PTC to 10 years eliminates these spikes in demand and makes the economics of wind projects better.

 

[jonjuan]

I understand he has his own selfish interests here, but no one - no politician, no presidential candidate, no one has a realistic plan to reduce energy costs, and if nothing is done, our industry will be a small fraction of what it is today.

No kidding. I just wish it were some homless person with AIDS who would get us out of this situation.

 

[Soverytired]

1. Right message, wrong messenger.

2. "Don't let the solution be the enemy of the good."

--- Drill, wind, solar, nuke, shale oil, coal gassification . . . do them all! Right now nothing is being done because every group has their pet solution and hates everyone else's. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[Poahi]

No kidding. I just wish it were some homless person with AIDs who would get us out of this situation.

Well, if it's any consolation, he can't seem to spell solar. (see video - it may be a Texas thing)

 

[Soverytired]

1. Right message, wrong messenger.

2. "Don't let the solution be the enemy of the good."

2. "Don't let he PERFECT solution be the enemy of a GOOD solution"

(oops.)

 

[Max Powers]

Wind works better than coal. When you look 20 years down the road not the usual 5 most americans do.

Also another problem is high voltage transmission lines are needed to bring the wind power out from the plains of SD, ND, MN etc into the cities of the midwest. This takes time and money but in the long run a windmill is many times cheaper and better than having to constantly dig coal out of the ground, transport it and use it to boil water which then turns a turbine.

 

[DAS at 10/250]

Well, if it's any consolation, he can't seem to spell solar. (see video - it may be a Texas thing)

Pretty sure he graduated Oklahoma State University.

 

[blzr]

Wind works better than coal. When you look 20 years down the road not the usual 5 most americans do.

Also another problem is high voltage transmission lines are needed to bring the wind power out from the plains of SD, ND, MN etc into the cities of the midwest. This takes time and money but in the long run a windmill is many times cheaper and better than having to constantly dig coal out of the ground, transport it and use it to boil water which then turns a turbine.

You have a point, but you still have to have a back-up to the wind and solar in-case there is a disruption such as no wind on a calm day in the Midwest, or the occasional hailstorm that would damage solar panels.

Massachusetts has tried to harness the wind offshore, Mr. Irrelevant, Ted Kennedy shot that one down. Windmills are like prisons, everyone knows we need them, just not near my house.

 

[cjdriver]

Does anyone think that with all the money being made by those in charge that things are going to change? Why would they mess up a perfectly good business plan?

 

[Rominato]

Does anyone think that with all the money being made by those in charge that things are going to change? Why would they mess up a perfectly good business plan?

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

 

[Thebadcat1313]

I think Picken's plan is awesome. My only concern is that he's so damn old. I hope he has a plan in place for this to continue if he kicks off.

 

[generaltso]

Massachusetts has tried to harness the wind offshore, Mr. Irrelevant, Ted Kennedy shot that one down. Windmills are like prisons, everyone knows we need them, just not near my house.

You are right, but money talks. With no relief at the pump, hopefully people will start accepting the drawbacks of alternative energy.

 

[SWA GUY]

no one - no politician, no presidential candidate, no one has a realistic plan to reduce energy costs

The Congressional Republicans passed bills in the House and the Senate 5 times in the 90's to open our country to drilling in the ANWR and the OCS. Bill Clinton vetoed all 5 bills.

In the 2000's the Republican controlled House passed the very same bill, but when it made it to the Republican controlled Senate it failed by 1 vote (John McCain). Thanks John, you knucklehead! Fortunately he now sees the error of his way and is FOR drilling.

Now, with the country in dire financial straights, President Bush has lifted the Presidential moratorium on drilling in the OCS, however there is still a congressional moratorium in place and the Democrats aren't budging.

If you like $4-5 gas you can thank the Democrats, they have publicly stated that the US needs to pay more for oil and gasoline. They have made it all but impossible for the US to drill for oil in our largest reserves, build nuclear power plants, build new refineries, or use clean burning coal technology. The party of "NO". We are going to reduce our way to the solution?!?!? I've seen a lot of airlines try that, it doesn't work.

I don't want to tell you who to vote for, but to say no one has a plan to reduce our foreign oil consumption problem is just outright wrong.

"Hope and Change". If you don't change, all you'll have is hope. "Hope" ain't gonna get those gas prices down.

 

[cjdriver]

The Congressional Republicans passed bills in the House and the Senate 5 times in the 90's to open our country to drilling in the ANWR and the OCS. Bill Clinton vetoed all 5 bills.

In the 2000's the Republican controlled House passed the very same bill, but when it made it to the Republican controlled Senate it failed by 1 vote (John McCain). Thanks John, you knucklehead! Fortunately he now sees the error of his way and is FOR drilling.

Now, with the country in dire financial straights, President Bush has lifted the Presidential moratorium on drilling in the OCS, however there is still a congressional moratorium in place and the Democrats aren't budging.

If you like $4-5 gas you can thank the Democrats, they have publicly stated that the US needs to pay more for oil and gasoline. They have made it all but impossible for the US to drill for oil in our largest reserves, build nuclear power plants, build new refineries, or use clean burning coal technology. The party of "NO". We are going to reduce our way to the solution?!?!? I've seen a lot of airlines try that, it doesn't work.

I don't want to tell you who to vote for, but to say no one has a plan to reduce our foreign oil consumption problem is just outright wrong.

"Hope and Change". If you don't change, all you'll have is hope. "Hope" ain't gonna get those gas prices down.

wow !

 

[jetflyer]

I signed up to be a member of Picken's Army at www.pickensplan.com

I'm one of 36,572 people that have signed up already.

I then emailed 35 of my friends and family to ask them to join his army to get this done.

I've written congressmen and that didn't help. Maybe Pickens can do it? Let's help him!

If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem............

Join his army and get others to as well,
Jet

 

[SWA GUY]

I like T-Bone Pickens. However, I'm leery of him. T-Bone made an enormous amount of money in crude oil speculation. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

For instance Reuters (News Wire) would ask him during interviews what he thought crude oil futures would do. At a time when T-Bone had enormous investments in crude oil futures he would state that crude oil would skyrocket to some previously thought insane highs. And it eventually made it there. Had Reuters asked the CEO of Merrill Lynch or the Prez of Caterpillar Corp the same questions about the commodities their businesses were invested in, they'd go to prison for market manipulation. But hey, it's T-Bone so nobody cares...

T-Bone has made enough money in crude oil futures to invest extemely heavily in renewable energy, which is the industry he is now pimping. I'm pretty sure he sees the future of crude oil highs hitting the skids.

T-Bone might be doing it for America, but I suspect if you took all possibility away that he'd make a profit in this new industry he'd forget about his plan. So if there were no profit involved, do you think he'd be so gung-ho on his plan?

I only ask this question because the guy has been around a long time, and so has the potential for the US to get screwed on foreign oil dependence, and he just now came up with this idea? Or was it a changing market that helped him along with his idea?

Food for thought....

 

[SWA GUY]

This is a great plan too for America:

www.Americansolutions.com

 

[Freddie Spencer]

The Congressional Republicans passed bills in the House and the Senate 5 times in the 90's to open our country to drilling in the ANWR and the OCS. Bill Clinton vetoed all 5 bills.

In the 2000's the Republican controlled House passed the very same bill, but when it made it to the Republican controlled Senate it failed by 1 vote (John McCain). Thanks John, you knucklehead! Fortunately he now sees the error of his way and is FOR drilling.

Now, with the country in dire financial straights, President Bush has lifted the Presidential moratorium on drilling in the OCS, however there is still a congressional moratorium in place and the Democrats aren't budging.

If you like $4-5 gas you can thank the Democrats, they have publicly stated that the US needs to pay more for oil and gasoline. They have made it all but impossible for the US to drill for oil in our largest reserves, build nuclear power plants, build new refineries, or use clean burning coal technology. The party of "NO". We are going to reduce our way to the solution?!?!? I've seen a lot of airlines try that, it doesn't work.

I don't want to tell you who to vote for, but to say no one has a plan to reduce our foreign oil consumption problem is just outright wrong.

"Hope and Change". If you don't change, all you'll have is hope. "Hope" ain't gonna get those gas prices down.

By how much will price come down? Are we talking about 40-50%, or would it be more like 0.5%? Looking forward to hear your answer..

So the rest of the world should blame the democrats for $145 per barrel?