But he seemed so sure in those commercials.

ArkAngel: Pickens invested heavily in wind farms before trying to get wind farm subsidies passed through Congress. He doesn't care about the environment, he cares about money.

That is true, but it doesn't mean he wasn't fighting for the right thing. Wal-Mart was supporting the public option for the same reason - money. They're still fighting for the right cause.

Well, Pickens' was. Now he's switched to a non-renewable resource.

His whole motive was to use eminent domain to site wind farms so that he could use the access right-of-way to move his vast water resources, which are currently being blocked. He's a mercenary, through and through.

He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S.

Where do you get this nonsense?
* drive up I69 in Indiana and you'll see wind projects as far as you can see -- from the middle of Illinois to Ft. Wayne. If that doesn't satisfy you, try any part of the Cascade or Sierra mountain ranges.
* T. Boone Pickens is not building the wind farms in Texas because he couldn't get others to put up the transmission lines to get his power to market. In typical "free market" fashion he wanted the government to do it.

Incontinent_dog_and_monkey_rodeo: His whole motive was to use eminent domain to site wind farms so that he could use the access right-of-way to move his vast water resources, which are currently being blocked. He's a mercenary, through and through.

This was my understanding of the situation as well.
Plenty of articles were written describing the shenanigans he was using to accomplish his goal.
Even businessweek was writing about it (new window)

Once the water got denied, he picked up his ball and went home.

ongbok: He hasn't given up on wind he just decided to scrap his Texas project and build in Canada. He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S. As for the natural gas he was pushing it along with wind.

And yes he isn't pushing wind and natural gas for energy independence, he is doing it for money. He knows oil is getting more expensive to drill for and wind and natural gas are cheaper to get.

He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US. Any legitimate energy plan is going to have to accept that initially there will have to be incentives, and the grid has got to be upgraded dramatically.

SharkTrager: He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US. Any legitimate energy plan is going to have to accept that initially there will have to be incentives, and the grid has got to be upgraded dramatically.

As long as you are not expecting to use wind energy exclusively in most areas, smartgrids or other dramatic infrastructure upgrade options are not required. Much of the grid (like in the Midwest) already have wind energy options in place. He's simply trying to use the government to increase his bank account.

SharkTrager: ongbok: He hasn't given up on wind he just decided to scrap his Texas project and build in Canada. He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S. As for the natural gas he was pushing it along with wind.

And yes he isn't pushing wind and natural gas for energy independence, he is doing it for money. He knows oil is getting more expensive to drill for and wind and natural gas are cheaper to get.

He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US. Any legitimate energy plan is going to have to accept that initially there will have to be incentives, and the grid has got to be upgraded dramatically.

Which means not going to happen. Greenies have learned to use the legal/political system to stall progress through public hearings, lawsuits etc. and watch development projects wither on the vine. OSHA, EPA, DOE make this country non competitive, which would be OK, except for the desire to belong to the 'Global Village'.

/Engineering degree 1976
//watched country make technical decisions for political reasons since then
///shoulda been a farkin' lawyer

Natural gas releases only half the amount of carbon as coal for the same amount of energy. And 30% less than petroleum. We're not going to get back to 380ppm using CH4 -- as opposed to wind -- but it will get us to 800ppm slower.

GAT_00: ArkAngel: Pickens invested heavily in wind farms before trying to get wind farm subsidies passed through Congress. He doesn't care about the environment, he cares about money.

That is true, but it doesn't mean he wasn't fighting for the right thing. Wal-Mart was supporting the public option for the same reason - money. They're still fighting for the right cause.

Well, Pickens' was. Now he's switched to a non-renewable resource.

From my glance at the article, He is still investing in wind power but in Canada because there are better money incentives up there.

For all you saying he's in it for the money, STFU. I'm into my job for the money just like you. If someone can make money on wind power, good, its an investment opportunity for me too.

Anyone with 2 brain cells can see a combination of "Peak Oil" and dollar not being the primary reserve currency anymore for oil producers. With the reserve currency issues hitting us long before peak oil does.

Omnivorous: He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S.

Where do you get this nonsense?
* drive up I69 in Indiana and you'll see wind projects as far as you can see -- from the middle of Illinois to Ft. Wayne. If that doesn't satisfy you, try any part of the Cascade or Sierra mountain ranges.
* T. Boone Pickens is not building the wind farms in Texas because he couldn't get others to put up the transmission lines to get his power to market. In typical "free market" fashion he wanted the government to do it.

Ain't that the truth? These Free Market Ratards are all about the Government stepping in and paying more than their fair share of the construction costs, and will stand there and motherfark you when you don't.

You mean huckster T. Boone Pickens plan to con people out of money by telling them that the only way to save America is by supporting a bunch of companies he's started? Really?

PghThermal: SharkTrager: ongbok: He hasn't given up on wind he just decided to scrap his Texas project and build in Canada. He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S. As for the natural gas he was pushing it along with wind.

And yes he isn't pushing wind and natural gas for energy independence, he is doing it for money. He knows oil is getting more expensive to drill for and wind and natural gas are cheaper to get.

He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US. Any legitimate energy plan is going to have to accept that initially there will have to be incentives, and the grid has got to be upgraded dramatically.

Which means not going to happen. Greenies have learned to use the legal/political system to stall progress through public hearings, lawsuits etc. and watch development projects wither on the vine. OSHA, EPA, DOE make this country non competitive, which would be OK, except for the desire to belong to the 'Global Village'.

/Engineering degree 1976
//watched country make technical decisions for political reasons since then
///shoulda been a farkin' lawyer

There's a glut of lawyers, even layer with engineering degrees (patent lawyers)

Otherwise THIS. Many of your greens (not all greens are real socialists, though many are) scream about green alternatives wind solar until someone actually tries to make money on it, then its OH NO!!! EVIL RICH MAN plundering... wrrgarrble He's only it to it for the money ....wrrgarrble...!!! Then they ally themselves with NIMBY's to crush the project under a battery of lawsuits. We Amercians are like 4 year old children.

Granted wind and solar will never provide baseline power but if provides 10%-20% hopes to god 30%+ That's still 10%,20% less oil/natural gas etc...we don't have to burn. More than enough to mitigate price spikes and other economic factors.

He must have spent a fortune on those annoying commercials.

Third Day Mark: Omnivorous: He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S.

Where do you get this nonsense?
* drive up I69 in Indiana and you'll see wind projects as far as you can see -- from the middle of Illinois to Ft. Wayne. If that doesn't satisfy you, try any part of the Cascade or Sierra mountain ranges.
* T. Boone Pickens is not building the wind farms in Texas because he couldn't get others to put up the transmission lines to get his power to market. In typical "free market" fashion he wanted the government to do it.

Ain't that the truth? These Free Market Ratards are all about the Government stepping in and paying more than their fair share of the construction costs, and will stand there and motherfark you when you don't.

Hey tard, how much in taxes would the government collect without that infrastructure? Governments and business are more like squabbling siblings than enemies unless voters go off the deep end al la Hugo Chavez.

The "Pickens Plan," which was unveiled back in 2008 with a media barrage of advertisements, interviews and events, was a plan to get America off of Middle Eastern energy and onto domestic sources like wind.

I thought the Pickens Plan was some kind of Chinatown plot. He's got more water rights than anyone else in the country, but needs land to build pipelines to cities, and he'd get that land when he builds transmission lines for the wind farms.

Always follow the money.

Anytime a politician or anyone else gets on TV and is pushing something, they have a monetary reason for it.

Also see; War on Drugs, War on Terror

Omnivorous: He probably scraped the project because it was being held up in court, like many other wind projects in the U.S.

Where do you get this nonsense?
* drive up I69 in Indiana and you'll see wind projects as far as you can see -- from the middle of Illinois to Ft. Wayne. If that doesn't satisfy you, try any part of the Cascade or Sierra mountain ranges.
* T. Boone Pickens is not building the wind farms in Texas because he couldn't get others to put up the transmission lines to get his power to market. In typical "free market" fashion he wanted the government to do it.

Same in coal friendly W Virginia, I see wind turbines going up everywhere.

Karac: The "Pickens Plan," which was unveiled back in 2008 with a media barrage of advertisements, interviews and events, was a plan to get America off of Middle Eastern energy and onto domestic sources like wind.

I thought the Pickens Plan was some kind of Chinatown plot. He's got more water rights than anyone else in the country, but needs land to build pipelines to cities, and he'd get that land when he builds transmission lines for the wind farms.

That would be an interesting read, links please.

If true it puts Pickens in to evil genius level. Wind power to get the land to move water and electricity to market just in time for when economic conditions will push most folks back out of the x-urbs and suburbs back into the cities. Expensive oil => expensive gas => less cars on the road => people concentrating in cities.

FTA: Pickens is now setting his sights on a possible giant wind project, north of the border in Canada where renewable energy standards make wind a more attractive investment

What does Canada do that makes renewables more attractive?

Old news. If he can't profit from it, it's not good for the planet.

LasersHurt: Dancin_In_Anson: SharkTrager: He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US.

That's changing.

As others have pointed out, there's more to this. Boone's no dummy.

It's more cost effective for him to wait for the infrastructure to get their under government subsidy, and heavy investment from others. THEN he can just swoop in, put the final layer on top, and rake in dough. He's a crafty old moneyfarmer.

He's 80-something. How much more waiting can he do?

stuhayes2010: LasersHurt: Dancin_In_Anson: SharkTrager: He scrapped it because the incentives and transmission facilities simply don't exist in the US.

That's changing.

As others have pointed out, there's more to this. Boone's no dummy.

It's more cost effective for him to wait for the infrastructure to get their under government subsidy, and heavy investment from others. THEN he can just swoop in, put the final layer on top, and rake in dough. He's a crafty old moneyfarmer.

He's 80-something. How much more waiting can he do?

He has successors, even if he croaks his name will still be on the project.

1derful: You mean huckster T. Boone Pickens Al Gore (new window) plan to con people out of money by telling them that the only way to save America is by supporting a bunch of companies he's started? Really?

Doomsday profiteering is bipartisan.

Ennuipoet: Is doing the Right Thing for the Wrong Reasons still doing the Right Thing?

No. In such a case, the person in question is all too willing to compromise principles for desired outcome, making "doing the Right Thing for the Wrong Reasons" a fallacy in the first place. Such a person will never honor the intent of the deed, so the actual action always gets perverted. For example, war profiteers love going to war in the name of "liberating" people but they find outrageous ways to royally fark things up because they're motivated by money, not altruism. It's a crude example, but if they're, say, paid to blow up target buildings, they'll find a way to conclude that any building could house hostiles. That's true in theory and practice, but the end result is they'll randomly call any building that can be easily destroyed a target and blow up schools even if there really happen to be only children inside. In fact, pressure from the top to do this will be relentless. Ironically, a target that's legit but heavily fortified might NOT get on the list because for the money it's deemed not worth the risk. The more harmless the building, the more likely it's targeted, until the original intent becomes a pathetic sham or even completely forgotten. Again, it's a crude example not based on any given event in reality; I'm just showing what happens when human nature is guided by greed instead of principle.

Wonder what, if anything, this will do to my A-Power Energy Generations (apwr) stock? They're kicking ass in China, and the price has been on the uptick lately, but this might hurt me.

GAT_00: ArkAngel: Pickens invested heavily in wind farms before trying to get wind farm subsidies passed through Congress. He doesn't care about the environment, he cares about money.

That is true, but it doesn't mean he wasn't fighting for the right thing. Wal-Mart was supporting the public option for the same reason - money. They're still fighting for the right cause.

Well, Pickens' was. Now he's switched to a non-renewable resource.

Natural gas is renewable... it just takes a really, really, really long time.

I'm all for people making money, but the best this guy's money can do is a 2nd place finish in the Big 12 South. Unacceptable.

So the guy who made a fortune in gas, and who built a huge loyal following by touting wind power, now gets to keep his loyal following of greenniks, and tout Natural Gas, making him far richer should his legislation pass. Good thing I am not a cynic, else I would have thought he planned this all along.

Harvey Manfrenjensenjen: Natural gas is renewable... it just takes a really, really, really long time.

Natural gas drives equipment that helps grow corn that becomes a tortilla in my burrito that becomes natural gas again. How long does that take, smartass?

Man, people can be so stupid sometimes.

/ Your mom's farts could keep the lights on in Chicago

It still seems like his main incentive is to make money while lessening our dependence on the Middle East for energy. If it gets the job done than more power to him. Get it?

Today's energy companies will be tomorrow's energy companies. Once they figure out how to make money using something besides coal and oil then we will have alternatives.

brap: My electricity is from 100 percent renewable energy. My bills are a lot higher but the smug satisfaction I get during my lengthy lording over you sessions makes it all worth it.

I'm not sure I believe this. 100% renewable = 5-7 times higher bill. Too much for "smug satisfaction".

Need to see electric bills.

Another part that everyone is missing here is that fact that the standard wind turbines require about 600 lbs per MW of the rare earth element Neodymium.

Right now, China is the only source for rare earth elements (thanks to our shortsighted mining policy) and they are threatening to cut off all supply. They have already cut Japan off temporarily. If they follow through with this threat, you may as well kiss all wind developement project goodbye.

It will take around 5 or 10 years for us to bring our domesitc supplies back on-line.