Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The Real Deal or Just Another Blow Job?

Interesting article about oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens introducing a renewable energy plan. Is it an altruistic act, a smart business move or a little of both? And should we even care about his motives?

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

11 comments:

ruchi said...

I think it's a smart business move, but hell, I'll take it. I don't really care about his motives, honestly. I think different things motivate us all, and that's okay.

ruchi said...

I think it's a smart business move, but hell, I'll take it. I don't really care about his motives, honestly. I think different things motivate us all, and that's okay.

Anonymous said...

Here are some of my concerns:

1) What harm does Natural Gas cause (I have recently been looking into purchasing a NGV or CNG vehicle and read drastically different things)?

2) What is the long-term supply of NG?

3) It does concern me that utilities would be privatized - we only need to look to countries where the IMF/WB demanded it, to see the harm.

4) TBP's plan reduces the use of foreign oil (his estimate is by 38% by replacing our current usage of 22% NG) - NOT eliminating it. My concern isn't "foreign" oil, but oil.

5) Alternatives are more than necessary but making decisions in crisis mode rarely lead to good outcomes.

Anonymous said...

It's a little worrying, only because if you read this article, http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm you know he's not just out for wind, but also water (all for profits of course). In Texas for example, we have at least one environmental group supporting a bill which supports the Public Utilities Commission to build transmission lines across Texas to transfer the wind energy from the west to the cities in the east. The Public Utilities Commission is currently deciding how much renewable energy transmission to build. This whole situation is good and bad. Good b/c this will support wind and solar, bad because it could potentially open up a way for investors to sell water from the acquifers in the western part of Texas to the big Texas cities (who don't practice water conservation) in the east. Hmmm. I think it's going to become a larger issue in the future. I'm sure that it's not all for the public good, but I'm wondering how the consequences will effect us in the future. I guess if we have smart government, we can avoid problems...but what is the likelihood of that? So, what do you think after seeing the other article?

Green Bean said...

I read about this too! I doubt it is altrusistic. I think it is a great business idea and hopefully motivating for businessmen and women to come. Let's hope the marketplace soon takes over where governments have failed. Massive investments in renewable energy is exactly the kind of stuff we want to be seeing. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I wish he would pay to have a wind turbine on my property! I'd love to have one, but they are way out of my price range!

Anonymous said...

Hey bobbi,
Maybe you at some point you can! Check out this NPR spot, these wind turbines are a little bit less (in the hundreds vs. thousands range) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92319378&ft=1&f=1025

Robj98168 said...

T-bone as we lovingly call him around here, i feel is making a smart business move and more power to him. THe only way we are going to get people on the wind and solar bandwagon is to make it profitable to do so- I hope to hear good things about this

EcoBurban said...

I saw the TV commercial tonight, very motivating and if true, will change the landscape of energy production. He seemed genuine and the plan felt feasible. If he can make solar and wind power palatable to the general public, well then, I will just jump for joy!

Hanley Tucks said...

money, money, money!

But who cares, it'll still benefit your country. I mean, nobody is building powerplants out of any kind of idealism. So you can have coal-fired power plants built for love of money, nuclear for love of money, wind for love of money...

Anonymous said...

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm

Ol' T. Boone is one smart feller.
He is not being altruistic, he's makin' money.