asking Al Gore to run in 2008!
one cool dude
Posted July 20th, 2008 by gailwinds
First heard of Pickens on NPR. Now he's paying for advertising and Gore spoke of T.Boone Pickens this a.m. Check it out
http://www.pickensplan.com/
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Not your average investors
Sunday, August 3, 2008 2:07 AM MDT
The Star-Tribune published the most recent edition of the Wyoming Energy Journal on Thursday, featuring efforts to boost the state's wind energy industry. Magazines require planning, which means deadlines for stories in the Energy Journal are weeks in advance of the actual publish date.
A lot can change in three or four weeks.
Back in June when I was visiting with local wind advocates, some worried that Congress' continued stall on extending a federal tax credit for commercial wind energy would make it impossible for the investment community to commit to any new major wind farm projects.
"Knowing that the tax credits could be gone, no bank in the world will lend money to start a new project," said Wyoming wind developer Bruce Morley.
On Thursday, more than a month after Morley made that statement, Congress again failed to pass an energy package that included an extension of the tax credit. No change there.
As the summer "wind" edition of the Energy Journal moved through the editing and publishing process, an announcement for the 2,000 megawatt Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Project in southern Wyoming -- one of the largest in the world -- made big headlines. But it didn't necessarily prove Morley wrong.
The man behind the project, Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz, is not your typical investor. He made his fortune in, among other things, oil. In fact, the biggest wind energy investments in America recently are backed by financial mavericks Anschutz, Warren Buffett and T. Boone Pickens -- none of them unfamiliar with fossil fuels.
"T. Boone Pickens. Here's a conservative captain of the oil and gas business telling Congress this needs to happen," Morley said of recent investments in wind energy.
Morley said he stands behind his original statement; investment bankers are not going to be very willing to commit to new wind energy projects, particularly in the short term, as long as there's uncertainty about the federal wind energy production tax credit. However, mavericks such as Pickens, Anschutz and Buffett are unafraid to make plans today in renewable energy because they understand that's the direction the nation is headed in, even if Congress hasn't embraced the idea yet.
"It's obvious to these major petroleum captains of industry that the U.S. will have to turn more and more to alternative energy," said Morley.
People say that the energy industry reads signals from Congress to determine the direction of policies guiding their business. But when it comes to a sound national energy policy, perhaps it is Congress that will read signals from mavericks in the energy industry.
Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com.
trust but verify
I think the situation with Pickens is something we'll just have to watch carefully. He may possibly be untrustworthy and all about the money and still be doing something good on the side. It's difficult for me to get a good feel for what's up with this. I know I don't trust him but possibly we can work with him.
Ya know, maybe T.Boone lost that million dollar bet with John Kerry after all. Maybe they keep it private as long as Pickens promotes wind energy?!
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/21/still-fighting-the-swift-b...
I'm fairly suspicious of everyone these days
But it's going to take not only leadership but money to get us moving in a new direction. I don't think anything is going to lower our cost of energy but I certainly hope breaking our dependence on foreign oil will be good for the Earth as well as our relationships with the middle East. America needs to be a leader once again instead of reactionaries to fear. Can an 80 year old billionaire make a difference? Why not!
Hit Video: Blowin in the wind
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=&q=pickens
He hit this one out of the park
I specificity liked how he responded to the cost for his gaol.
Energy Blowin' In The Wind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHH_ioPOXrA
Here is a link to my blog called, "The Politico Insider."
http://thepoliticolinsider.blogspot.com/
Watch Your Step
While this plan seems OK, I am inherently suspicious of T. Boone Pickens. Lest we forget, he is the bastard that bankrolled the Swift Boat smear campaign against Senator John Kerry.
http://firedoglake.com/2007/11/16/john-kerry-to-swift-boat-funder-t-boon...
I am inherently suspicious of T. Boone Pickens too
When I first noticed T Boone, He reminded me of a used car salesman. I wouldn't even post his story on my blog & this before he hit the MSM.
Here is a link to my blog called, "The Politico Insider."
http://thepoliticolinsider.blogspot.com/
There's money in it
Pickens is in it for the money. The man founded BP, which (maybe not coincidentally) is the poster child for "greenwashing," with their new flower logo and ad campaign implying that BP cares about the environment. Politicians and businessmen want results NOW, they don't care about the future -- of you, me, our kids, or the planet.
If Pickens is doing this, there is only one reason: he thinks he can make money.
of course there's money in it!
Nobody is going to go after alternative energy development stictly out of the goodness of their heart. I always figured some entrepaneurs would develop something and then bigger companies would buy them out and so on. Guess we'd just be cutting out the first steps with this guy. He's developing a huge wind farm in the Texas panhandle and has a plan to develop the midwest area (Highest wind levels and central location eases distribution) Seems worth a shot to me. Heard something today about BP getting axed from some European something or other. Anybody catch that?
NOW there's money in it
Gailwinds, I respectfully disagree. i think a lot of the people who have been working with solar and wind power have indeed done so out of goodness ... and perhaps with distant hopes for profit. The original PV cells were created for NASA, and those who first experimented with them back here on the planet may never have expected solar could compete with oil financially.
By getting into alternative energy, Pickens is showing the way -- he's saying these technologies can now be profitable. And he's putting his money where his mouth is. I think this is just great, and I'm glad it is getting publicity. As far as what this can do for alternative energy development, one T. Boone Pickens is worth 10 Al Gores.
On the other hand, I hope this does not stop individuals from pursuing alternative energy for themselves. I am afraid some will say, "Hey, T. Boone is on the case. Soon I'll be getting green energy, the earth will be saved, and I don't have to lift a finger."
That guy is a fraud.
They are trying to control alternative energy, & then say there isn't a viable market for AE, then dump it...then back to big oil T. Boone Pickens go.
I DON'T THINK SO.........
Maybe I'm just an optimist but I would like to think an 80 year old might like to come to terms with his life and conscience. He's worth Billions and billions of dollars,,,what difference does more mean to him now? On the other hand I am not niave enough to think this energy switch is going to be all about peace and love either.
Cautious Optimism Here
Traditional energy companies (fossil fuel-based generation) do have a history of buying alternative energy plants (solar/wind/geothermal) and then shutting them down -- particularly out West. Of course they frame it as an investment in the future, then they decommission them because they're not profitable. It is the American way of eliminating competition.
What T Boone Pickens is proposing seems like it doesn't fit that modus operandi. But perhaps Pickens is just taking it to the next level: instead of buying a plant to shut it down, "buy" the whole concept of alternative energy and shut it down. Admit it, We the People are pretty lazy, and we'd love to think "T Boone is going to take care of that whole energy thing, so I can keep doing what I do and just enjoy myself. No need to worry about conservation or anything."
Personally, I hope (cautiously) that he's developed a conscience, and that whatever his motivation, we'll see something positive come of this.
Caution!!
It probably makes sense to use him as a pawns, but never let him gain the kind of leverage he needs to undermine alternative energy.
Here is a link to my blog called, "The Politico Insider."
http://thepoliticolinsider.blogspot.com/
Oil Tycoon
He was on Sean Hannity's talk radio show saying the Democrats energy plan will have us paying 11 bucks a gal..
He is in 100% agreement with Karl Rove, when it comes to energy.
Drilling
Coal
Nuclear
Natural gas
Alternative energy
Here is a link to my blog called, "The Politico Insider."
http://thepoliticolinsider.blogspot.com/
Boone wants Alternative Propaganda
Check this out!
ABC: Exxon spends 1 percent of profits on alternative energy.ยป
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/31/abc-exxon-spends-1-percent-of-profit...
P.S. If the repubs fought wars like they fight for big oil, we would have won some record victories.
Here is a link to my blog called, "The Politico Insider."
http://thepoliticolinsider.blogspot.com/