ART005

Wind, Natural Gas ETFs: Oil Man Pickens Thinks You'll Make Money

Captbob,
Amen, Precisely!! Add "equitable" to your "faster method of energy generation" and you've hit the bullseye.

I can't speak for migratory bird issues but wind turbines killing birds is either out of date or urban legend. My experience and the statistics say other common things kill more: buildings, chimneys, cars, etc.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but my neighbors like my 1 kW turbine on 17 feet tower. I like the industrial ones along the highway and even living on the Rocky Mountain front I have never heard a local say they found any size a menace to the environment. Generally, enthusiasm for the days they run best! It's science and progress in motion.

Wind is so equitable I don't think Pickens is really scheduling around subsidy issues either.

Wind, Natural Gas ETFs: Oil Man Pickens Thinks You'll Make Money

I think the author and Cal48 have hit on the high points.
1. The Pickens plan is a plan, something missing in most places. And the technologies it's based on are readily available.
2. Wind energy where it exists costs about $0.12/kWhr or less so is currently viable. While solar PV has potential, its cost is around $0.22/kWhr so I don't understand the shortage for the ongoing world wide build out. Seems PV is too costly to justify the extent of its build out.
3. Energy independence probably isn't anymore a necessity than independence of anything else in the world, but increasing supply by equitable means empowers those participating. Increasing demand usually means increasing productivity, meeting that demand with more stable alternatives does not squeeze progress against an unsustainable future (headlines of $200 oil, etc.)
4. The Pickens plan is not mutually exclusive of other options. Nuke plants can be built where they can, coal use can be improved, solar PV can continue down its path, Solar heat to elec. and hot water will offer immediate bennefits. Other renewables, more oil,....
5. Conservation by lifestyle and technology are moving forward.
6. Natural gas transportation will work for some, others will be better served by electric. The Pickens Plan makes both more viable without needing a centralized plan to distribute the benefits. Both will benefit gasoline users slower to convert.
7. The Pickens Plan takes 5 minutes to explain, uses available technology, produces alternatives with viable economies, distributes benefits to manufacturers, financers, contractors, land owners, other? over nearly 1/3 the U.S. Especially nice to see such a widely beneficial approach.
8. Important step could be to get the auto industry more ready for electric cars.
9. I think a convincing plan to challenge the perception of inadequate future oil supplies will be part of quick oil price relief.

To Meet Wind Power Goals, Government Action Needed

The turbine manufacturers are at full production. There is about a 4 year lead time on turbines according to a GE engineer I talked with. The only way to increase turbine installation is to increase production capacity. This is the complaint of the on/off tax environment. At this point the turbine industry has to commit to production expansion and the unstable tax program makes them hesitate.

I have a fast 1 kW, 9'-2" rotor, 17' tower turbine in a rural setting of small mountains, lakes, streams, eagles just the kind of beautiful place that urban legend says is too beautiful for turbines. My neighbors complain when I shut it down for service. It's part of the friendly gab at the local tavern. I give tours to passer byes. It has killed no birds in 4 years. My large windows have killed 3. So the research for Floorboard is prohibit windows, install turbines!!