Billionaire oilman backs wind power

[stampeder]

Billionaire oilman backs wind power

updated 9:20 p.m. EDT, Mon May 19, 2008

(CNN) --Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens is sinking billions of dollars into a new wind farm in Texas. It is likely to become the biggest in the world, producing enough power for the equivalent of 1.3 million homes.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/19/pickens.qa/index.html

[HT gearhead]

At least he's smart enough to know he can't make money in oil forever.

[james99]

This is one of the guys who's trying to overthrow the Yahoo Board.

So, now just an oilman but what a great Texan name.

[Exid0r]

Hmmm...maybe those turbines actually run on oil...no wait...that can't be right.

I imagine they do need to be lubed now & then though.

[hugh]

Actually Green Tech is a big investment wave now. Most hedge funds now are investing much of their dollars in alternate energy, improved efficiency tech etc.

[TECHNOKID]

Nice to see (filty energy) oil billionnaire getting involved in clean, natural and renewable energy! A few more wise guys like this could definitely help move in the right direction of evolution!

[jshel101]

Originally Posted by HT gearhead

At least he's smart enough to know he can't make money in oil forever.

Well he certainly can make money on oil the rest of his life. We won't even run out of oil in our lifetimes. They estimate that there is enough oil in northern Alberta to supply oil for the next century. Whether we use all of it is another question.

I think it is great that this guy is backing wind power. Hopefully more people back alternative energy sources.

[PokerChip]

Yes, it is a very noble thing to do. Now that he is a billionnaire, just tell the rest of us we have to pay twice as much for green power. I'll give him credit when he finds a way to make wind power as affordable and reliable as existing technologies (read oil and coal).

[57]

Wind, buy it's nature is not as "reliable" as those sources, it will always be a "supplementary" source of electricity, but it is pretty "predictable" in most areas where it's installed.

The true cost of coal power is not currently reflected in your electrical bill. The following charges go to another "account"

- injury, illness and death of coal miners
- illness and premature death of people breathing the air pollution downstream of coal-fired plants.
- harm to plants due to acid rain or other environmental impacts due to coal plants.

The above are not in your electrical bill, but in your health care costs, etc. Once these cost (cradle to grave - sorry about the pun) are rolled in, coal (as currently utilized) is no longer a bargain. If CO2 is proven to be a problem, then that cost is also not currently in the "coal ledger".

[TECHNOKID]

Wind, buy it's nature is not as "reliable" as those sources, it will always be a "supplementary" source of electricity, but it is pretty "predictable" in most areas where it's installed.

Proper planning when building this type of technology will eventually make as efficient... Storage is the key, storing unused electricity for later use will make up for the flaws of uneveness of production. Even now, with the technology (while costly) make for some savings of the conventional ways. Even with the pros and cons, I feel nature is the best provider for our needs. Clean, natural and no worry about the supply. We don't exactly produce electricity, we simply produce means for using something that exist in unlimited suppy!

Well he certainly can make money on oil the rest of his life. We won't even run out of oil in our lifetimes. They estimate that there is enough oil in northern Alberta to supply oil for the next century. Whether we use all of it is another question.

Is there any estimation as when Alberta would loose its beauty after man's gashing and slashing it natural treasured beauty?? Would there be any interest for tourism to go back there in a few years? Couldn't Alberta be a provider of more natural, friendlier and cleaner ressources? Wouldn't Alberta win in the long run??

[HT gearhead]

We certainly have our share of wind farms around here and more are being built as we speak. Now if only Alberta would adopt net metering so it's population could also harness wind energy at the home level and help reduce demand for grid power. I'd love to add a wind generator to supplement my energy consumption. As for tourism, most of that is in the western parts of the province where the trees and mountains are.

[TECHNOKID]

I'd love to add a wind generator to supplement my energy consumption.

Wouldn't that be nice? Same here, I wish I could do some of the sort but this can remain at state of a simple dream as there is no way we'd get close to th wind requirement in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

As for tourism, most of that is in the western parts of the province where the trees and mountains are.

I see your point however, such salvaging of nature is not a simple back yard effect, in the long run I feel it will more likely affect your entire beautifull province and even go further. I am no scientist but is my wild guess.

[jshel101]

Is there any estimation as when Alberta would loose its beauty after man's gashing and slashing it natural treasured beauty?? Would there be any interest for tourism to go back there in a few years? Couldn't Alberta be a provider of more natural, friendlier and cleaner ressources? Wouldn't Alberta win in the long run??.

I don't think tourism is all that popular in the Oil Sands area anyway. All the mining they do in the Oil Sands area doesn't effect the tourism industry in western Alberta. Do you think a tourist will not go to Banff because they are mining the oil sands over 800km north?

Anyway, sorry this is off topic.