The Pickens plan.

He is proposing the building of a line of wind turbines to run from the Texas Panhandle to N.Dakota.
He makes note of using the energy created (some 20% estimated for the needs of the U.S.) to shore up natural gas, which he then proposes we use in a conversion package on our automobiles.
For his initial estimates on the cost, Mr.Pickens has said it would cost 1.2 trillion in start up costs, this includes both the turbines and the means to store and transfer that energy to areas all over the country.

These turbines create jobs that aren't going to be outsourced, because you can't uproot the turbine to send it to china or mexico.

Now, while I agree that it doesn't interfere with agriculture or grazing, I would have to ask what the odds are of these turbines having a huge effect on the birds of all these states.

The transfer of our vehicles to natural gas would be a boon to curb our consumption of oil and other petrochemicals, the market dictates: Demand goes down, price follows.

I have few caveates and problems with Pickens plan, let me start with the most obvious.

This government is inept, corrupt and inefficient. I wouldn't trust them to warm up a pop tart in a microwave, after receiving written instructions and a diagram.
I would be in favor of a way to get other patriotic billionaires in on creating the infrastructure and creating their own business to handle it. Now, it would come down to whether or not you'd trust the guy Pickens would hire to run this thing, but the free market, when it's doing the right things and government hasn't got their hands all over it, is hard to beat.

I also don't think this goes far enough.
We have a very large empty desert, plenty of space to build miles and miles of solar panels, which would also create jobs that couldn't be outsourced and I would think it wouldn't be hard to tap them into the grid that Hoover transfers it's power to. You'd probably want to add some capacity to that grid, but the infrastructure is already there, it'd just be like "Pimp my power station"

I also think that it would be very easy to put more of the wind turbines (obviously smaller versions) on top of many of our sky scrapers in this nation, not to mention hospitals and other critical buildings of that sort. Not only would they be generating their own power, not only would they be able to sell back their overlap to the energy companies, but they'd not have to worry as much about the brown outs and black outs that have happened in this nation. Could you imagine a hospital being able to cut costs because they aren't paying out their behind for energy, nevermind they might actually make profits from it.

We also, I don't think, have completely tapped our potential for harnessing tidal/hydro power. There is alot of rivers and streams just begging to work for the National security of America, if we only let them.

There also needs to be a push to open the door up for inventors/scientists to show us the way to a constant renewable source, like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf4gOS8aoFk

I think we as consumers can do more, by pushing our markets to produce these kinds of things.

I am of the opinion that the least we can involve the Government, especially at first the better off we'd be.

Ethanol... Why are we burning our food, when it's been proven that hemp makes better ethanol? Why are we so concerned with someone catching a buzz, when there are so many other benefits to using that plant?

Here's a start. I like Pickens plan, there's more than can be done, but it's not a bad start.

Some lady in one on my classes at school is all for this guy. She gave my fliers and told me to go to some website. Its seems legit from what I have read.

Personally, I'd rather get off the grid then beholden to some new energy company.

Ever heard of the Biome Project in Arizona. If the results of that project are right...

Drastic changes on the deserts of this world would have an extreamly disastrous result on the engine that drives the earths atmosphere. You would have to be very,very careful.

The desert plays an huge part in how our atmosphere cleanses itself, how energy is transfered to and from the ocean and many many other things.

I agree with you all..Thx war!!! The man knows what hes talking about when it comes to oil..He 80yrs old and made his money in oil..Its a good read if nothing more than straight up facts about oil....

There's another option. Since the government seems to be all about vouchers and stimulus packages, how about offering up a 2 year opt out of the IRS, if you can present reciepts for putting your own consumption off the grid.

Then home owners, apartment complexs, trailer parks, all these kinds of places can put their own wind/solar whatever in place and they also could sell their overlap to the electric company.

This would free up alot of money in many households and it would still create a boon in the job market.

The desert thing would take careful planning and thats all the more reason to take the government out, they don't take responsibility for anything these days. You can shutdown a business that isn't working (unless the government intervenes and bails them out) try shutting down the Government.

Never happen. Utilities are BIG business. Also, I think overall a centralized energy plan would be far less expensive than individual homes getting off the grid.

Got another one for you.

Hook up generators to the exercise machines at all of the 'get fit' gyms.

Might be able to power part of a city from it. I knew a guy that powered his household from a bicyle. If his kids wanted to watch TV they had to pedal that bike. If you wanted to use the Microwave you had to pedal the bike for about 15 minutes. If you wanted to read you had to power up the lights.
Annoying but it worked.

I see major environmental challenges to the ^ plan. Just read the news...endangered mice in the desert(end of solar panels) wind powered generating towers killing birds(end of them), The liberals would never allow that. For heck sakes, here in wyoming, there is a major battle shaping up over natural gas drilling because of the decrease innumbers of the sage grouse, which is not even an endangered species. The dramatic increase in the number of predators, ie, wolves and coyotes has evidently nothing to do with it. I like his words, but know that the left will never let it go.

There you go, all these ideas away from the norm!!! We cant continue on the same path and drilling is a no win situation..If we can come up with more ideas, The solution is not far away!!!

You all have investments?

Check out where those investments are then tell me things will change.

Thats a good one too.
I could see this being the solution to the fat american, I want to watch Hannah Montana. K, well we only have enough power right now to do that or cook dinner... Get to pedaling! LOL!

Last week I sold stock in a network gear mfg and bought some Evergreen Solar...

Might solve the employement problem. Power companies could just buy a bunch of bicyles and then hire people to ride them 24/7.

I like that plan too...I think if things keep going as they are, you will see more neighborhoods using the same concept but with other commodities such as food..In my neighborhood it is already taking place..And you know something it works!!!

I've already started buying the stuff I need to start my commodities and herb garden here.

I can't wait to have fresh Tomatoes and Green Beans again.

LOL!

I have a big garden..That what got our little neighborhood group together!! There are several items we pool together and buy..We trade..They love my veggies and here in Florida you can grow year around..Me and my daughter get our hair cuts with a Lil swap,my yard mowed, and my grocery bill dropped %70..Me and my neighbors love it...

Since we need oil for industry...

and it should be a RENEWABLE resource...

I nominate the MJ seed.

biological, new crop every six months or so.

Many byproducts.

That dang plant. Is it just me or was it banned over racsist crap, nevermind I get the impression that Nixon associated pot smokers with people that didn't like Nixon/

Is it also just me, or is the main funders of the Anti-weed group corporations- Like big pharma, petrochemical, you know that crowd?

Just stupid, you'll never, and I mean NEVER, stop humans from seeking ways to alter their reality.